Understanding volunteer engagement at Scotland’s regional parks

Napier, Ashley

Abstract

Due to less and less real terms funding and over-stretched staff resources, volunteer labour is relied on now more than ever in natural resource management to complete necessary conservation and outdoor recreation related work. This predominantly qualitative study therefore asks, ‘What can be learned from the engagement of volunteers who are active in Scotland’s Regional Parks?’ so as to gain a deeper understanding of this phenomena. To answer this research question, several strands of inquiry are pursued utilising a semi-structured interview data gathering method. These inquiry strands include asking park volunteers why they volunteer, how they view their own and others volunteering activity as well as the importance that place and landscape has in their volunteering. Collected data, in the form of interview transcripts, is analysed using inductive content analysis to draw out common themes of park volunteer engagement. These themes reveal motivations for and benefits gained by volunteering engagement, as well as the importance of place dependence and place identity in park volunteers engagement experiences. Other major themes associated with park volunteering are also revealed and include Identity, Age, and Values. ‘Impure Altruism’ is noted as being a partial explanation of multiple contrasting motivations for engagement in park volunteers. A central theme of past/continuing outdoor recreation engagement with the park, a theme with links to all other major themes is noted as a further explanation for park volunteer engagement, together with the subtheme of ‘disconnect’. Disconnect, a sub-theme of ‘Values’ details perceived ‘disconnect’ behaviours in some park visitors. The disconnect sub-theme is also noted as being in evidence on a societal scale, where disconnect is noted between policy makers and the natural world.

Citation

Napier, A. Understanding volunteer engagement at Scotland’s regional parks. (Thesis). Edinburgh Napier University

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Jan 8, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 8, 2025
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.17869/enu.2024.4045256
• Award Date: Oct 29, 2024