Belonging at the zoo: retired volunteers, conservation activism and collective identity

Abstract

The present study affirms previous research findings that volunteering satisfies personal needs but goes further by considering the factor of collective identity for volunteers and its consequences for them. The study specifically focused on older volunteers working at zoos. In the initial phase at Central Park Zoo 30 volunteers completed a short self-completion questionnaire. The second phase involved oneon-one interviews with 21 Bronx Zoo volunteers with a collective self-esteem scale. The responses indicated that the volunteers considered the collective identity of zoo volunteer to be important to their self-concept and believed that this identity is held in high public esteem. The results also suggested that identity as a zoo volunteer not only satisfies personal needs, as found by other volunteer studies, but that the collective identity supports external activism based on shared values. It was concluded that the collective environmental identity facilitated by volunteer work at the zoos provides affirmational social support for the volunteers' work as environmental conservation advocates, and enhances their sense of purpose and self-efficacy.

Peeling Potatoes as Health Promotion? Self-Perceived Benefits of Volunteering among Older Adult Volunteers in a Norwegian Volunteer Centre

“…Our study shows that volunteers' experiences of working in self-organized teams together with other older adults supplying on-hand services for the local community in a popular meeting place in the village were important contexts for their self-perceived benefits. In this respect, our study supports the findings by Fraser et al [21] of joint activities valued by citizens as drivers behind by retiree volunteers' feelings of empowerment and belonging.…”

“…Participation in activities with other volunteers who share the same interests and priorities, and positive feedback from the beneficiaries of volunteers' efforts have been found to give older volunteers a valued sense of collective identity and sense of belonging [21]. Additionally, those who volunteer in later life have been found to have an increased sense of well-being compared to those who do not participate in voluntary work [22] [23].…”

Age, Retirement, and Health as Factors in Volunteering in Later Life

“…Older volunteers experience increased well-being and a sense of purpose, which enhances their quality of life (Fraser, Clayton, Sickler, & Taylor, 2009). Voluntary organizations gain resourceful helpers, who volunteer more hours in organizations than middle-aged and young people do (Hendricks & Cutler, 2004).…”

What Motivates Green Living? A Qualitative Investigation of Sustainable Life Choices

“…Autonomy means to act with a sense of choice, while independence does not necessarily provide autonomy and people can choose to depend or rely. Second, the explanation offered by Lars may be an indicator of his relationship with SLM and with nature, which can satisfy his need for relatedness (Poon et al 2015;Baumeister and Leary 1995;Fraser et al 2009). …”