Abstract
M.A. (Social Work)
Volunteerism has been in existence for many years in both developing and developed
countries. People volunteer for various reasons in different contexts, and their experiences
are also diverse. This study sought to explore the experiences of volunteering in a
Community Based Organisation, namely, the Ratanang Development Centre (RDC) based
in rural Limpopo, Hlopha village. In this study, community development theory was used as
a conceptual framework to understand volunteerism and the potential benefits for
communities. Literature on volunteerism in South Africa and elsewhere was reviewed,
although much was based in an urban context, because rural literature was limited.
The study used a qualitative approach, and an exploratory design was adopted. A sample
consisting of five current and five previous volunteers at the RDC was selected using
purposive sampling.
Semi structured interviews were used as a tool for data collection, and data were analysed
using thematic analysis. The findings of the study indicated that the volunteers’ experience
had its strengths and weaknesses. The strengths include that they have acquired
communication and interpersonal skills, health promotion knowledge and information. This
contributed to their own development, enabled them to work together with fellow volunteers,
and they transferred the knowledge to their fellow community members. However, significant
challenges were also experienced such as lack of adequate capacity building and poor
communication by the RDC management and board members. These had a negative impact
on both volunteers and communities in specific cases, and illustrated some of the real
struggles with implementing community development in resource scarce contexts.
The study recommends that the RDC develops a clear and well-structured volunteer
recruitment and support strategy and actively implements basic, advanced and refresher
courses related to the work they do. Further recommendations include research with service
users and RDC management.