2004 UC Proceedings Abstract
A Geospatial Analysis of Volunteerism Track: Health and Human Services Author(s): Jim McDonell, Jill McLeigh, Kathy Wilson, James Witte Extraordinary budgetary pressures have placed a premium on the use of volunteers by human services agencies. Yet, there is scant research on the structure and process of volunteerism with applicability to recruiting and retaining volunteers, particularly in the human services. This presentation examines the personal characteristics of volunteers and the structural properties of volunteerism in an urban/rural area of a Southern state. Drawing on data from two studies in Greenville County, SC, the demographic and social characteristics of volunteers (e.g., gender, sector of employment, perceived value of volunteer service; perceptions of community issues) and the characteristics of volunteer activities (e.g., length and type of activity, duration of volunteer involvement), will be mapped against the characteristics of the communities in which volunteer activities occurred (e.g., level and type of neighborhood distress; dispersion within community institutional networks). Implications for developing and sustaining human services volunteer programs will be discussed. Jim McDonell Clemson University Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life 158 Poole Clemson , SC 29634 US Phone: 864-656-6746 Fax: 864-656-6281 E-mail: jmcdnll@clemson.edu Jill McLeigh Clemson University Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life Golden Strip Family and Child Development Center 1102 Howard Dr. Simpsonville , SC 29681 US Phone: (864)688-2239 E-mail: mcleigh@clemson.edu Kathy Wilson Clemson University Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life 158 Poole Clemson , SC 29634-6271 US Phone: (864) 656-6284 E-mail: wilson5@clemson.edu James Witte Clemson University Department of Sociology 130G Brackett Hall Clemson , SC 29634 US Phone: (864)656-3816 E-mail: jwitte@clemson.edu |
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