Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T06:50:32.586Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Third-party Model: Enhancing Volunteering through Governments, Corporations and Educational Institutes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2009

DEBBIE HASKI-LEVENTHAL ,
LUCAS C. P. M. MEIJS  and
LESLEY HUSTINX
DEBBIE HASKI-LEVENTHAL
Affiliation:
Dr Debbie Haski-Leventhal, The Centre for Social Impact, Australian School of Business, University of NSW, Level 6 East, Kensington NSW 2033, Australia email: debbiehl@unsw.edu.au
LUCAS C. P. M. MEIJS
Affiliation:
Rotterdam School of Management, Department of Business-Society Management, Erasmus University, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands email: lmeijs@rsm.nl
LESLEY HUSTINX
Affiliation:
Postdoctoral Fellow Research Foundation – Flanders, Centre for Sociological Research, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium email: lesley.hustinx@soc.kuleuven.be
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Volunteering is perceived as important for creating social capital and civil society, and therefore has become a fundamental part of social policies across most Western countries. In this article, we examine the involvement of governments, corporations and educational institutes in encouraging volunteering, and pinpoint their role in developing volunteering circles. Based on essential concepts presented here (volunteerability and recruitability), we develop the third-party model, and show how third parties get involved. We identify new ways in which these parties can enhance volunteering, and discuss their impact on volunteerability and recruitability. The potential negative impacts of volunteerism and ways in which these can be ameliorated are also acknowledged. Finally, issues that arise due to such involvement are also discussed, thereby offering an important contribution to social policy research in the area of volunteerism.

Type
Article
Information
Journal of Social Policy , Volume 39 , Issue 1 , January 2010 , pp. 139 - 158
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Astin, A. W. and Sax, L. J. (1998), ‘How undergraduates are affected by service participation’, Journal of College Student Development, 39: 251–63.Google Scholar
Austin, J. A. (1997), ‘Making business sense of community service’, Working paper, Social Enterprise Series No. 2, Harvard Business School, Cambridge, MA.Google Scholar
Austin, J. E. (2000), The Collaboration Challenge: How Nonprofits and Businesses Succeed Through Strategic Alliances, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Inc.Google Scholar
Benjamin, E. J. (2001), ‘A look inside corporate employee volunteer programs’, Journal of Volunteer Administration, Spring, May, 16–31.Google Scholar
Berger, I. A., Foster, M. K. and Meinhard, A. G. (2005), Civic Engagement, Social Cohesion and Social Integration, Toronto: Centre for Voluntary Sector Studies.Google Scholar
Berry, H. A. and Chisholm, L. A. (1999), Service Learning in Higher Education around the World: An Initial Look, New-York: The International Partnership for Service-Learning.Google Scholar
Brudney, J. L. (1990), Fostering Volunteer Programs in the Public Sector, Planning, Initiating, and Managing Voluntary Activities, San Francisco/Oxford: Jossey-Bass.Google Scholar
Brudney, J. L. (2004), ‘Volunteerism: a United States perspective’, Vrijwillige Inzet Onderzocht [Voluntary Dedication Studied], 1: 2, 56–62.Google Scholar
Brudney, J. L. and Duncombe, W. D. (1992), ‘An economic evaluation of paid, volunteer and mixed staffing options for public services’, Public Administration Review, 52: 474–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bush, G. (2002), ‘State of the Union 2002’, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/01/20020129-11.htmlGoogle Scholar
Campbell, J. L. (2007), ‘Why would corporations behave in socially responsible ways? An institutional theory of corporate social responsibility’, Academy of Management Review, 32: 3, 946–67.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campus Compact (2007), ‘Campus compact: educating citizens, building communities’, available at www.compact.org.Google Scholar
Cnaan, R. A. and Amrofell, L. (1994), ‘Mapping volunteer activity’, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 23: 4, 335–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cnaan, R. A., Handy, F. and Wadsworth, M. (1996), ‘Defining who is a volunteer: conceptual and empirical considerations’, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 25: 3, 364–83.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Commissie vrijwilligersbeleid (2005), ‘Eindrapportage (The Netherlands), available at http://www.movisie.nl/116268/def/home_/publicaties/publicaties/cvb_eindrapportage/ (accessed 2 September 2009).Google Scholar
Coser, L. A. (1974), Greedy Institutions: Patterns of Undivided Commitment, New York: Free Press.Google Scholar
Davis Smith, J. (2003), ‘Government and volunteering’, Voluntary Action, 5: 23–3.Google Scholar
Davis Smith, J. (2007), ‘The inflatable log: volunteering, the state and democracy’, in Davis Smith, J. and Locke, M. (eds.), Volunteering and the Test of Time: Essays for Policy, Organisation and Research, London: Institute for Volunteering Research.Google Scholar
Department of Transportation (1997), ‘Volunteer protection act’, available at http://www.dot.gov/ost/ogc/PRO%20BONO/policydocs3.htmGoogle Scholar
EACEA/2008/07, ‘Call for tender for carrying out a study on volunteering in the EU’, available at http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/about/procurement/2008/07/documents/specifications_en.pdfGoogle Scholar
Ellis, S. J. (1996), From the Top Down: The Executive Role in Volunteer Program Success, Philadelphia: Energize.Google Scholar
England Volunteering Development Council (2005), Minutes of meeting on 17 March 2005, available at www.volunteering.org.uk.Google Scholar
Gay, P. (1998), ‘Getting into work: volunteering for employability’, Voluntary Action, 1: 55–67.Google Scholar
Gazley, B. and Brudney, J. L. (2007), ‘The purpose (and perils) of government-nonprofit partnership’, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 36: 389–415.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gilder, D. de, Schuyt, T. N. M. and Breedijk, M. (2005), ‘Effects of employee volunteering on the work force: the ABN-AMRO case’, Journal of Business Ethics, 61: 143–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Handy, F. and Brudney, J. (2007), ‘When to use volunteer labor resources? An organisational analysis for nonprofit management’, Vrijwillige Inzet Onderzocht (VIO, Netherlands), 4: 91–100.Google Scholar
Handy, F., Cnaan, R. A., Brudney, J. L., Ascoli, U., Meijs, L. C. M. P. and Ranade, S. (2000), ‘Public perception of “who is a volunteer”: an examination of the net-cost approach from a cross-cultural perspective’, Voluntas, 11: 45–65.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Handy, F., Hustinx, L., Cnaan, R. A., Brudney, J. F., Yamauchi, N. and Yeung, A. B. (under review), ‘Social and cultural origins of motivation to volunteer: a comparison of university students in six countries’.Google Scholar
Haski-Leventhal, D. and Cnaan, R. A. (2009), ‘Group processes and volunteering: enhancing recruitment and retention’, Administration in Social Work, 33: 61–80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haski-Leventhal, D., Ben-Arieh, A. and Melton, G. (2008a), ‘Between neighborliness and volunteerism: the participants in the strong communities initiative’, Family and Community Health, 31: 150–61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haski-Leventhal, D., Cnaan, R. A., Handy, F. and Associates (2008b), ‘Students’ vocational choices and voluntary action: a 12-nation study’, Voluntas, 19: 1–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haski-Leventhal, D., Ronel, N., York, A. and Ben-David, B. (2008c), ‘Youth volunteering for youth: who are they serving, how are they being served’, Children and Youth Services Review, 30: 7, 834–46.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haski-Leventhal, D., Handy, F. and Cnaan, R. A. (2009), ‘Volunteering among Israeli students: a cross-national comparison’, Social Security, 79: 141–64 (in Hebrew).Google Scholar
Howlett, S. and Locke, M. (1999), ‘Volunteering for Blair: the third way’, Voluntary Action, 1: 2, 67–76.Google Scholar
Hustinx, L., Vanhove, T., Declercq, A., Hermans, K. and Lammertyn, F. (2005), ‘Bifurcated commitment, priorities, and social contagion: the dynamics and correlates of volunteering within a university student population’, British Journal of Sociology of Education, 26: 523–38.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Independent Sector (2005), ‘Youth helping America’, available at http://www.nationalservice.org/about/role_impact/performance_research.aspGoogle Scholar
Johnson, M. K., Beebe, T., Mortimer, J. T. and Snyder, M. (1998), ‘Volunteerism in adolescence: a process perspective’, Journal of Research on Adolescence, 8: 309–32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kommission Zukunft des Bürgerschaftlichen Engagement, Germany (2000), available at http://webarchiv.bundestag.de/archive/2007/0108/parlament/gremien/kommissionen/archiv14/enga/index.html (accessed 2 September 2009).Google Scholar
Lee, L. (2001), ‘Employee volunteering: more than good feeling’, Australian Journal of Volunteering, 6: 31–9.Google Scholar
Low, N., Butt, S., Ellis Pain, A. and Davis Smith, J. (2007), Helping Out: A National Survey of Volunteering and Charitable Giving, London: The Cabinet Office.Google Scholar
Lowndes, V. and Wilson, D. (2001), ‘Social capital and local governance: exploring the institutional design variable’, Political Studies, 49: 629–47.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meijs, L. C. P. M. (2004), ‘Changing the welfare mix: going from a corporatist to a liberal non-profit regime’, http://www.jhu.edu/~istr/conferences/toronto/workingpapers/.Google Scholar
Meijs, L. C. P. M. (2007), ‘Vrijwilligerswerk blijkt lastig te vinden te zijn: Ik wil vrijwilligerswerk bij jullie gaan doen’, Bestuur Rendement, 10: 11, 20–1 [volunteering opportunities are difficult to get: I want to volunteer for your organisation].Google Scholar
Meijs, L. C. P. M. (2008), ‘Vrijwilliger(er) op internet: Internet biedt legio mogelijkheden voor vrijwilligerswerk’, Bestuur Rendement, 11: 3, 18–19 [volunteer(ing) and internet: Internet offers many opportunities for volunteering].Google Scholar
Meijs, L. C. P. M. and Voort, J. M. van der (2004a), ‘Corporate volunteering: from charity to profit – non-profit partnerships’, Australian Journal on Volunteering, 9: 21–32.Google Scholar
Meijs, L. C. P. M. and Voort, J. M. van der (2004b), ‘Partnerships in perspective: about sustainable relationships between companies and voluntary organisations’, The Nonprofit Review, the Journal of the Japan NPO Research Association, 4: 1, 9–18.Google Scholar
Meijs, L. C. P. M., Ten Hoorn, E. M., Tschirhart, M. and Brudney, J. L. (2006a), ‘The effects of corporate volunteering on volunteerability’, Paper presented at the Invitational Conference of RSM Erasmus University/CIVIQ on The Future of Volunteering, 7 September 2006, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.Google Scholar
Meijs, L. C. P. M., Ten Hoorn, E. M. and Brudney, J. L. (2006b), ‘Improving societal use of human resources: from employability to volunteerability’, Voluntary Action, 8: 36–54.Google Scholar
Meijs, L. C. P. M., Tschirhart, M., Ten Hoorn, E. M. and Brudney, J. L. (2009), ‘The effect of design elements for corporate volunteer programs on volunteerability’, The International Journal of Volunteer Administration, 26: 23–32.Google Scholar
Moore, C. W. and Allen, J. A. (1996), ‘The effects of volunteering on the young volunteer’, Journal of Primary Prevention, 17: 231–58.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Murray, V. and Harrison, Y. (2005),‘Virtual volunteering’, in Brudney, J. L. (ed.), Emerging Areas of Volunteering, ARNOVA Occasional Paper Series, 1: 2, 31–48.Google Scholar
Najam, A. (2000), ‘The four-C's of third sector-government relations: cooperation, confrontation, complementarity, and cooptation’, Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 10: 375–96.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pancer, S. M., Baetz, M. C. and Rog, E. J. (2002), Corporate Volunteer Programs: Benefits for Employees, Corporations and the Community, Toronto: Canadian Centre for Philanthropy.Google Scholar
Parker-Gwin, R. (1996), ‘Connecting service to learning: how students and communities matter’, Teaching Sociology, 24: 97–101.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Plowden, W. (2003), ‘The Compact: attempts to regulate relationships between government and the voluntary sector in England’, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 32: 415–32CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Puckett, J. L., Harkavy, I. and Benson, L. (2007), Dewey's Dream: Universities and Democracies in an Age of Education Reform, Philadelphia: Temple University Press.Google Scholar
Putnam, R. D. (2000), Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, New York: Simon & Schuster.Google Scholar
Ronel, N., Haski-Leventhal, D., Ben-David, B. and York, A. (2008), ‘Perceived altruism – a neglected factor in intervention and research’, International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, available at http://ijo.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/0306624×07312792v1Google Scholar
Russell Commission Report (2005), ‘A national framework for youth action and engagement’, http://archive.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/Russellcommission/report/index.html.Google Scholar
Salamon, L. M., Anheier, H. K., List, R., Toepler, S., Sokolowski, S. and associates (1999), Global Civil Society: Dimensions of the Nonprofit Sector, Bloomfield, CT: Kumarian Press.Google Scholar
Salamon, L. M., Hems, L. C. and Chinnock, K. (2000), ‘The nonprofit sector: for what and for whom?’, Working Papers of the Johns Hopkins Comparative Nonprofit Sector Project, No. 37, Johns Hopkins Centre for Civil Society Studies, Baltimore.Google Scholar
Salamon, L. M., Sokolowski, S. and associates (2004), Global Civil Society: Dimensions of the Nonprofit Sector, Vol. II, Bloomfield, CT: Kumarian Press.Google Scholar
Schondel, C., Boehm, K. E., Rose, J. and Marlowe, A. (1995), ‘Adolescent volunteers: an untapped resource in the delivery of adolescent preventive health care’, Youth and Society, 27: 123–35.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
ServiceNation (2008), ‘Service Nation: Declaration of Service’, retrieved 13 September 2008, from http://bethechangeinc.org/servicenation/summit/purposeGoogle Scholar
Stukas, A. A., Snyder, M. and Clary, E. G. (1999), ‘The effects of “mandatory volunteerism” on intentions to volunteer’, Psychological Science, 10: 1, 59–64.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sundeen, R. A. and Raskoff, S. A. (2000), ‘Ports of entry and obstacles: teenagers’ access to volunteer activities’, Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 11: 179–97.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sundeen, R. A., Raskoff, S. A. and Garcia, M. C. (2007), ‘Differences in perceived barriers to volunteering to formal organisations: lack of time versus lack of interest’, Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 17: 279–300.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, M. (2006), ‘Communities in partnership: developing a strategic voice’, Social Policy and Society, 5: 269–79.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thoits, P. A. and Hewitt, L. N. (2001), ‘Volunteer work and well-being’, Journal of Health and Social Behaviour, 42: 115–31.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tschirhart, M. (2005), ‘Employee volunteer programs’, in Brudney, J. L. (ed.), Emerging Areas of Volunteering, Indianapolis, IN: ARNOVA.Google Scholar
Tuffrey, M. (1998a), Involving European Employees; How Europe's Companies Connect Corporate Citizenship with Good Human Resources Management, London: The Corporate Citizenship Company.Google Scholar
Tuffrey, M. (1998b), Valuing Employee Community Involvement: Practical Guidance on Measuring the Business Benefits from Employee Involvement in Community Activity, London: The Corporate Citizenship Company.Google Scholar
Uggen, C. and Janikula, J. (1999), ‘Volunteerism and arrest in the transition to adulthood’, Social Forces, 78: 331–62.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
United Nations (2001), ‘Fifty-sixth session, Agenda item 108 Social development, including questions relating to the world social situation and to youth, ageing, disabled persons and the family’, available at http://www.undemocracy.com/A-56-L.27.pdfGoogle Scholar
van Hal, T., Meijs, L. C. P. M. and Steenbergen, M. (2004), Volunteering and Participation on the Agenda: Survey on Volunteering Policies and Partnerships in the European Union, Utrecht: CIVIQ.Google Scholar
van den Bos, C. (2006), ‘Vrijwilligerswerkbeleid nog in de kinderschoenen’, Vrijwillige Inzet Onderzocht, 3: 7–18.Google Scholar
van den Bos, C., Brudney, J. L., Meijs, L. C. P. M. and Ten Hoorn, E. M. (2005), ‘Vrijwilligerscentrales in de literatuur: veel vragen, weinig antwoorden; vijf onderzoeksthema's’, Vrijwillige Inzet Onderzocht, 2: 19–27.Google Scholar
van der Pennen, T. (2003), Ontwikkeling in het lokaal vrijwilligersbeleid: Het internationaal jaar voor de vrijwilligers; een jaar later, Den Haag: SCP.Google Scholar
Wilson, J. (2000), ‘Volunteering’, Annual Review of Sociology, 26: 215–40.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilson, J. and Musick, M. A. (2000), ‘The effects of volunteering on the volunteer’, Law and Contemporary Problems, 62: 141–68.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Young, R. D. (2000), ‘Alternative models of government-nonprofit sector relations: theoretical and international perspectives’, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 29: 149–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar