To give and to gain: An investigation into skills-based volunteering as an avenue for learning and development
Citation:
Dempsey-Brench, Kiera Louise, To give and to gain: An investigation into skills-based volunteering as an avenue for learning and development, Trinity College Dublin.School of Business, 2022Download Item:
Abstract:
Skills-based volunteering has entered the corporate vernacular. Sitting at the intersection of corporate philanthropy and human resources, skills-based volunteering is a strategically driven activity that offers employees the opportunity to donate specialist skills that are required by a non-profit organization, while providing a forum to simultaneously develop new ones. This thesis presents three studies. Study one is a systematic review of 36 peer-reviewed empirical articles at the nexus of employee volunteering and learning. This study offers a definition of skills-based volunteering and a theoretical model to drive forward future research. Study two investigates employee volunteers? responses to learning from volunteering. The findings from interviews with employee volunteering managers (n=5), focus groups (n=28) and interviews with employee volunteers (n=30) show that while some volunteers recognize that they gained new skills, others became angry or defensive at the notion of learning from volunteering. In Study three, the focus shifts to service-based learning in higher education. Twenty-five MBA students who volunteered (as part of their coursework) to support a non-profit organization were interviewed. Whereas some used newly acquired MBA skills, others donated established pre-MBA skills. The findings revealed that students who donated newly acquired MBA skills gained new business-related skills and experiences, which were seen to enhance their employability. Students who donated pre-MBA skills directly supported project success through the translation of skills and indirectly by facilitating less experienced team members learning. In the final chapter, each study?s findings are integrated, and the implications for theory and practice are expounded.
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https://tcdlocalportal.tcd.ie/pls/EnterApex/f?p=800:71:0::::P71_USERNAME:DEMPSEKIDescription:
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Author: Dempsey-Brench, Kiera Louise
Advisor:
Shantz, AmandaCannon, Sheila
Publisher:
Trinity College Dublin. School of Business. Discipline of Business & Administrative StudiesType of material:
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