Author: Yinglin Ma (Ph. D. in public policy)Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Political planning
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Further, I probe the mediating and moderating influence of managerial support and self-efficacy on volunteers’ learning. Results provide empirical evidence that both self-efficacy and managerial support predict volunteers’ perceived learning. Further, self-efficacy partially mediates the effect of managerial support on perceived learning, where managerial support matters more for those with a lower level of sense of control, a component of self-efficacy. The study constructs indicators for perceived learning outcomes, self-efficacy, and managerial support and discusses strategies for volunteer managers and others to support volunteers' development in self-efficacy and learning. My third chapter further examines volunteer self-development and learning in a time of crisis – the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the nonprofit sector and its volunteers in multiple ways. This study investigates the relationship between the onset of the pandemic and volunteer outcomes – specifically, volunteer learning in the context of the AmeriCorps program. I leverage survey data collected for three consecutive cohorts of AmeriCorps community service volunteers, including two cohorts who served prior to the pandemic and one cohort serving when the pandemic began. In addition to exploring the direct relationship between serving during the onset of the pandemic and volunteer learning, I find that managerial support significantly moderates the relationship between serving during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and volunteer learning outcomes. The study suggests practical strategies for managers and others to support volunteers’ learning in a crisis period, including providing helpful feedback, positive role models, sufficient training, and treating volunteers with respect.
