Sustainable safety volunteerism in the Strand, Western Cape: Volunteer identity, motivation and socio-organisational experiences

Abstract

There is a growing recognition of the relevance and even centrality of volunteerism to adequate collective responses to poverty, housing and the promotion of human rights and, more recently, safety. Volunteerism by members of poor global South communities within their own communities has, however, remained relatively neglected and undescribed. This study explored the motivations, benefits and socio-organisational experiences that a group of volunteers reported as a result of their participation in a safety-promotion project in two under-resourced communities in the Strand, in the Western Cape, South Africa. The focus of this safety-promotion project was to enhance women’s safety and health and to reduce risks of injury and violence through the implementation of safety-promotion strategies that target the prevention of priority injuries, particularly violence, traffic injury and burns. The study used a qualitative approach and is based on the completion of questionnaires and focus group discussions with volunteers and project staff. Data analysis involved the thematic analysis of the written responses by 28 volunteers and 4 project staff to a questionnaire comprising open-ended and focused questions that explored their experiences of volunteerism. The study also involved the analysis of the transcriptions of two focus group discussions subsequently held with these volunteers to clarify, further develop and verify emerging themes. The volunteers identified both self-oriented and socially altruistic motivations and benefits. These volunteers highlighted a hope and desire to advance social change and promote safety within their communities. Volunteer experiences reflected their enthusiasm to enhance both the human and social capital of their communities simultaneously. This study highlighted the development of a volunteer identity as a necessary component for the implementation of a sustainable, volunteer-based safety-promotion project.

Keywords: Volunteerism, safety, identity, motivation, experiences