Compton, J. Lin (author), Green, Jennifer C. (author), Sappington, Harry W., III. (author), Whitmore, Elizabeth (author), and Assistant Professor, Maritime School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1988-07
Published:
USA: Medford, MA : Association of Voluntary Action Scholars.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 86 Document Number: C05585
AGRICOLA IND 89051564, This study is part of a larger study which examined the development of leadership knowledge and awareness in rural communities. This part of the study focused on what adults learn through participation in community groups. The subjects of this study were 10 members of community groups located in rural counties. All subjects participated in an open-ended, semi-structured interview. Transcripts were analyzed for statements of learning. A total of 259 learning statements in eight categories were identified. The categories are self, internal knowledge, internal skills, external knowledge, external skills, broader skills, special groups and issues, and learning about the learning process. The authors also discuss factors related to learning, including: social factors, local control, democratic procedures, and satisfaction.
Hendricks, Jon (author), Hougland, James G., Jr. (author), Turner, Howard B. (author), and Department of Sociology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1988-07
Published:
USA: Medford, MA : Association of Voluntary Action Scholars.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 86 Document Number: C05586
AGRICOLA IND 89051563, The research presented in this article examined life satisfaction and volunteer activity satisfaction in retired professionals who volunteered. The authors looked at four areas: 1) how life satisfaction and volunteer action changes as volunteers' self perceived effectiveness and opportunities for formal demonstration of competencies increases; 2) how satisfaction with the activity changes as volunteers' self-perceived effectiveness and opportunities for formal demonstration of competencies increases; 3) how life satisfaction and voluntary action change as satisfaction with the specific activity increases; and 4) how the reasons for participation affect the first three relationships. This article reports the findings from two questionnaires given to 39 volunteers at the beginning and end of a six month project. The scales used measured: self-esteem, morale, reactions to the project, social alienation, voluntary action, reasons for volunteering, and motivation. The authors found that these volunteers' perceived effectiveness was associated with increased program satisfaction, and that reasons for involvement create variation in implications for voluntary action.
