The perfect fit? Being both volunteer and ethnographer in a UK foodbank

Abstract

The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-pro t purposes provided that:• a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in DRO • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders.Please consult the full DRO policy for further details. Design/methodology/approach -The methodological design was ethnographic both in terms of data collection and analysis. Volunteering and participant observation began in November 2013 and is ongoing. The data presented are derived from field notes of participant observations.Findings -Tensions are present when considering how best to write up ethnographic research when the researcher adopts a "volunteer ethnographer" role. The negotiation of relationships, practices, and emotions requires the researcher to appreciate the complex and "politicized" discourse surrounding foodbank use in order to report how the foodbank operates in an objective yet truly reflective way.Originality/value -There is an expanding research interest in the growth of foodbanks. This paper offers unique insights into the value and tensions of adopting the dual role of "volunteer ethnographer" when researching foodbank use in the UK.

Working with and for social enterprises: the role of the volunteer ethnographer

“…The decision to take the role of the volunteer ethnographer in this setting was partly a specific choice, as in the case of Tinney (2008) and Garthwaite (2016), because C.H.O. wanted to be useful to those she was researching.…”

“…-Challenges for volunteer ethnographers Managing emotions and relationships with colleagues in the field is a difficult process, as researchers can experience a sense of collegiate warmth and friendship. This can then lead to a level of guilt for researchers when have to turn their critical lens onto groups and individuals they have worked alongside in this way (Garthwaite, 2016;Gilmore and Kenny, 2015). Other interactions can be less positive and also have implications for the researcher.…”

“…was another resource they could draw on. However, the agreement of the role was never formalised, as in the case of other volunteers who might undergo specific training (Garthwaite, 2016) or take on jobs that allowed for more observation (Dixon and Clifford, 2007). David and C.H.O.…”

“…Few articles have dealt with the specific role of the volunteer ethnographer; a term used by Garthwaite (2016) in relation to her research whilst volunteering in a food bank and also discussed by Tinney (2008), who worked as a volunteer within a nursing home. Both authors highlight the role of boundaries that were put in place through the ethics process and the specific working practices of the organisations.…”

Residential ethnography, mixed loyalties, and religious power: ethical dilemmas in faith-based addiction treatment

“…The second challenge I faced working in Hebron was the hierarchical nature of organisational decision- see Bourgois, 1998;Moore, 2004;Garthwaite, 2016). In these cases, prospective research participants might feel obliged to respond positively to the request for interview to ensure receipt of those goods and/or rehearse narratives of gratitude.…”