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Explaining Satisfaction with Volunteering in Emergencies: Comparison Between Organized and Spontaneous Volunteers in Operation Protective Edge

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Abstract

The study aimed to identify factors that explain general satisfaction with volunteering among volunteers in Operation Protective Edge, in Israel, through a comparison between organized volunteers affiliated with volunteer organizations and spontaneous volunteers who arrived at the scene independently. Based on the social exchange theory as the theoretical framework, the contribution of several variables to explaining general satisfaction with volunteering was examined: satisfaction with the intrinsic and extrinsic rewards of volunteering, personal sacrifice in volunteering, and motives for volunteering (social solidarity, personal empowerment, and escape from reality). The findings revealed that among organized volunteers, satisfaction with the intrinsic and extrinsic rewards of volunteering mediated between motives for volunteering and general satisfaction with volunteering. Among spontaneous volunteers, the motives of social solidarity and personal empowerment as well as satisfaction with intrinsic and extrinsic rewards were the main variables that explained general satisfaction with volunteering. In contradistinction, the main variables that explained general satisfaction with volunteering among organized volunteers were the motive of personal empowerment and satisfaction with the extrinsic rewards of volunteering.

Résumé

L’étude visait à déterminer les facteurs expliquant la satisfaction générale quant au bénévolat parmi les bénévoles dans l’opération Bordure protectrice, en Israël, grâce à une comparaison entre les bénévoles organisés, rattachés à des organisations de bénévoles, et les bénévoles spontanés arrivés sur les lieux de façon indépendante. S’inspirant de la théorie de l’échange social pour cadre théorique, le rôle de plusieurs variables expliquant la satisfaction générale quant au bénévolat a été étudié : la satisfaction quant aux récompenses intrinsèques et extrinsèques du bénévolat, le sacrifice personnel dans le bénévolat et les motivations pour faire du bénévolat (solidarité sociale, maîtrise de sa propre existence et fuite de la réalité). Les résultats ont révélé que chez les bénévoles organisés, la satisfaction quant aux récompenses intrinsèques et extrinsèques du bénévolat servait de médiateur entre les motivations pour le bénévolat et la satisfaction générale quant au bénévolat. Parmi les bénévoles spontanés, les motivations de solidarité sociale et de maîtrise de sa propre existence, mais aussi la satisfaction quant aux récompenses intrinsèques et extrinsèques étaient les principales variables qui expliquaient la satisfaction générale de faire du bénévolat. Par opposition, les principales variables qui expliquaient une satisfaction générale quant au bénévolat chez les bénévoles organisés étaient des motivations de maîtrise de sa propre existence et de satisfaction quant aux récompenses extrinsèques du bénévolat.

Zusammenfassung

Ziel der Studie war es, die Faktoren herauszustellen, die die allgemeine Zufriedenheit der ehrenamtlichen Mitarbeiter der Operation Protective Edge in Israel mit ihrer Tätigkeit erklären. Dazu verglich man organisierte Ehrenamtliche aus ehrenamtlichen Organisationen und spontane, unabhängige Ehrenamtliche. Man legte die soziale Austauschtheorie als theoretisches Rahmenwerk zugrunde und untersuchte, wie mehrere Variablen zur Erklärung der allgemeinen Zufriedenheit mit der ehrenamtlichen Arbeit beitrugen: die Zufriedenheit mit den intrinsischen und extrinsischen Belohnungen der ehrenamtlichen Tätigkeit, persönliche Opfer in Verbindung mit der ehrenamtlichen Tätigkeit und die Motive für die ehrenamtliche Tätigkeit (soziale Solidarität, persönliches Empowerment und Flucht vor der Realität). Die Ergebnisse zeigten, dass bei den organisierten Ehrenamtlichen die Zufriedenheit mit den intrinsischen und extrinsischen Belohnungen für die ehrenamtliche Tätigkeit zwischen den Motiven für die ehrenamtliche Tätigkeit und der allgemeinen Zufriedenheit mit der ehrenamtlichen Tätigkeit vemittelte. Bei den spontanen Ehrenamtlichen waren die Motive soziale Solidarität und persönliches Empowerment sowie die Zufriedenheit mit den intrinsischen und extrinsischen Belohnungen die Hauptvariablen, die die allgemeine Zufriedenheit mit der ehrenamtlichen Tätigkeit erklärten. Im Gegensatz dazu waren die Hauptvariablen unter den organisierten Ehrenamtlichen, die die allgmeine Zufriedenheit mit der ehrenamtlichen Tätigkeit erklärten, das Motiv persönliches Empowerment und die Zufriedenheit mit den extrinsischen Belohnungen für die ehrenamtliche Tätigkeit.

Resumen

El estudio tenía como objetivo identificar factores que explicasen la satisfacción general con el voluntariado entre voluntarios en Operation Protective Edge (Operación Margen Protector), en Israel, mediante una comparación entre voluntarios organizados afiliados a organizaciones de voluntarios y voluntarios espontáneos que llegaron a la escena de manera independiente. Basándonos en la teoría del intercambio social como marco teórico, se examinó la contribución de diversas variables para explicar la satisfacción general con el voluntariado: la satisfacción con las recompensas intrínsecas y extrínsecas del voluntariado, el sacrificio personal en el voluntariado, y los motivos para realizar voluntariado (solidaridad social, empoderamiento personal y huida de la realidad). Los hallazgos revelaron que entre los voluntarios organizados, la satisfacción con las recompensas intrínsecas y extrínsecas del voluntariado mediaban entre los motivos para realizar voluntariado y la satisfacción general con el voluntariado. Entre los voluntarios espontáneos, los motivos de solidaridad social y empoderamiento personal, así como también las recompensas intrínsecas y extrínsecas fueron las principales variables que explicaban la satisfacción general con el voluntariado. En contraste, las principales variables que explicaban la satisfacción general con el voluntariado entre los voluntarios organizados eran los motivos de empoderamiento personal y la satisfacción con las recompensas extrínsecas del voluntariado.

摘要

本研究旨在通过对从属志愿者团体的、有组织的志愿者和独立到达现场的自发性志愿者进行对比以发现解释以色列护刃行动中的志愿者对志愿者行为的总体满意度的因素。本文以社会交换理论作为理论框架并以社会交换理论为基础对几个有助于解释志愿行为总体满意度的变量进行了考察:对志愿行为的精神奖励和物质奖励的满意度、在志愿行为中的个人牺牲、志愿行为的动机(社会团结、个人增权以及逃避现实)。结果显示,在有组织的志愿者当中, 对精神奖励和物质奖励的满意度在志愿者动机和他们对志愿行为的总体满意度中间起调节作用。在自发性志愿者中间,社会团结和个人增权的动机以及对精神奖励和物质奖励的满意度是解释志愿行为的总体满意度的主要变量。相反,解释有组织的志愿者对志愿行为的总体满意度的主要变量是个人增权以及对物质奖励的满意度。

ملخص

هدفت الدراسة إلى التعرف على العوامل التي تفسر الرضا العام عن العمل التطوعي بين المتطوعين في عملية الحافة الوقائية، في إسرائيل، من خلال المقارنة بين المتطوعين الذين تم تنظيمهم التابعين للمنظمات التطوعية والمتطوعين من تلقاء أنفسهم الذين وصلوا الى المكان بشكل مستقل. إستنادا" إلى نظرية التبادل الإجتماعي بإعتبارها الإطار النظري، تم فحص مساهمة العديد من المتغيرات لشرح الإرتياح العام بالعمل التطوعي: الرضا عن المكافآت الجوهرية والخارجية للعمل التطوعي، التضحية الشخصية في العمل التطوعي، والدوافع للعمل التطوعي (التضامن الإجتماعي، التمكين الشخصي ، والهروب من الواقع). كشفت النتائج أن من بين المتطوعين الذين تم تنظيمهم، رضا مع المكافآت الجوهرية والخارجية للعمل التطوعي توسطت بين الدوافع للعمل التطوعي والإرتياح العام بالعمل التطوعي. من بين المتطوعين من تلقاء أنفسهم، دوافع التضامن الإجتماعي والتمكين الشخصي وكذلك رضاهم عن المكافآت الجوهرية والخارجية كانت من المتغيرات الرئيسية التي شرحت الإرتياح العام بالعمل التطوعي.على النقيض، المتغيرات الرئيسية التي أوضحت الرضا العام عن العمل التطوعي بين المتطوعين الذين تم تنظيمهم كانت الدافع وراء التمكين الشخصي والرضا عن المكافآت الخارجية للعمل التطوعي.

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Kulik, L., Arnon, L. & Dolev, A. Explaining Satisfaction with Volunteering in Emergencies: Comparison Between Organized and Spontaneous Volunteers in Operation Protective Edge. Voluntas 27, 1280–1303 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-015-9671-2

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