Investing in Volunteering: Measuring Social Returns of Volunteer Recruitment, Training and Management

Abstract

In this paper, we analyse the costs and benefits of the investments that non-profit organizations (NPOs) make for the recruitment, training and management of volunteers. Our main research question is whether we can apply the Social Return on Investment (SROI) to the identification and quantification of social returns in monetary terms. We believe that the “SROI of volunteering” may represent an effective instrument of internal control for NPOs for improving efficiency and sustainability. In order to verify the feasibility and appropriateness of the SROI approach, we present a case-study on the Italian association Dynamo Camp, which works with children with serious illness through the organization of summer camps that offer “recreational therapy.” We believe that the presented methodology has the potential to contribute to the debate about the socio-economic impact organizations create for volunteers and for society at large

What's In It for the Volunteers?

“…Using the SROI methodology as a means of measuring the extent to which volunteers benefit from their volunteer experience seemed challenging from the outset, given that this is an atypical application of the methodology (see Manetti et al ). Nevertheless, working through the process has yielded useful insights for academics and practitioners alike.…”

“…Within this context, Manetti et al () argue that developing an SROI of volunteering is important for at least two reasons. First, it can help shed light on the “positive externalities and social values” organizations create through their volunteer positions (Manetti et al , 3). For the most part, volunteers are not thought of as outputs of a program—that is, the social value of volunteering is often overshadowed by the social value of the program.…”

“…For the most part, volunteers are not thought of as outputs of a program—that is, the social value of volunteering is often overshadowed by the social value of the program. Manetti et al () argue that SROI is a useful tool for expressing the inherent value volunteers gain as a result of their volunteerism. Second, Manetti et al (, 3) suggest that an “SROI of volunteering” would help to expose inefficiencies and lead to improvements in volunteer management practices.…”

“…Manetti et al () argue that SROI is a useful tool for expressing the inherent value volunteers gain as a result of their volunteerism. Second, Manetti et al (, 3) suggest that an “SROI of volunteering” would help to expose inefficiencies and lead to improvements in volunteer management practices. SROI analysis may help to identify leverage points that, when tweaked, can lead to more rewarding, socially beneficial volunteer experiences.…”

“…This article explores the social return (that is, the benefits) volunteers accrue as a result of their investment of time, resources, skills, and the like. This “SROI of volunteering” is a largely overlooked perspective in the broader body of scholarship on volunteers and volunteerism (for an exception, see Manetti et al ). In contrast to the other articles in this collection, the intention here is not to offer an exhaustive SROI analysis of an entire program or organization.…”