The Challenge of managing volunteers as an NGO in a developing country.
Vase, Anni (2015)
Haaga-Helia ammattikorkeakoulu
2015
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2015120419409
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2015120419409
Tiivistelmä
Volunteer tourism is a rapidly growing phenomenon in the tourism industry attracting more than 1.6 million international volunteer tourists annually. However, there is only little systemic academic research in volunteer tourism in general, the management in the volunteer tourism sector practically being untouched.
The purpose of this thesis is to provide guidelines for an NGO called Art in Tanzania in order to better respond to the needs of international volunteer tourists. Therefore, the thesis aims at understanding the views and perspectives of Art in Tanzania’s volunteer tourists. Ultimately the guidelines are also hoped to benefit the local communities. In order to meet the purpose of this study, the following topics are researched: what the expectations and motives of international volunteers are, if the experience of volunteering with Art in Tanzania is somehow life-changing and how the volunteers are managed at Art in Tanzania.
The theoretical framework of this research covers theories on volunteer tourists’ expectations and motivation, volunteer tourism experience and transformation as well as managing volunteer tourists.
The research was conducted by using a qualitative research approach. 13 face-to-face semi-structured interviews and participant observation were conducted in Tanzania during summer 2014. The interviewees were also sent follow-up questions via email in October 2015. The data was analysed by content analysis.
It was found out that Art in Tanzania’s volunteers didn’t have many expectations before entering Tanzania, however, only half of the volunteers got to take part in projects they had initially thought of doing. The main motive for the volunteers was career development/work placement followed by the experience of living in a different kind of country/getting to know other culture and helping others. For most of the volunteers the experience was somehow life-changing. However, many of the volunteers wouldn’t recommend Art in Tanzania to others which reflects the perceived problems in how the volunteers were managed.
Based on the results, guidelines consisting of 10 sections were created. The guidelines are mostly related to the challenges in communication, project planning and management, financial reporting and engagement with local staff. The findings and guidelines of this study are not only useful for developing Art in Tanzania’s projects and operations in the future but they are also applicable for other volunteer tourism organizations based in developing countries.
The purpose of this thesis is to provide guidelines for an NGO called Art in Tanzania in order to better respond to the needs of international volunteer tourists. Therefore, the thesis aims at understanding the views and perspectives of Art in Tanzania’s volunteer tourists. Ultimately the guidelines are also hoped to benefit the local communities. In order to meet the purpose of this study, the following topics are researched: what the expectations and motives of international volunteers are, if the experience of volunteering with Art in Tanzania is somehow life-changing and how the volunteers are managed at Art in Tanzania.
The theoretical framework of this research covers theories on volunteer tourists’ expectations and motivation, volunteer tourism experience and transformation as well as managing volunteer tourists.
The research was conducted by using a qualitative research approach. 13 face-to-face semi-structured interviews and participant observation were conducted in Tanzania during summer 2014. The interviewees were also sent follow-up questions via email in October 2015. The data was analysed by content analysis.
It was found out that Art in Tanzania’s volunteers didn’t have many expectations before entering Tanzania, however, only half of the volunteers got to take part in projects they had initially thought of doing. The main motive for the volunteers was career development/work placement followed by the experience of living in a different kind of country/getting to know other culture and helping others. For most of the volunteers the experience was somehow life-changing. However, many of the volunteers wouldn’t recommend Art in Tanzania to others which reflects the perceived problems in how the volunteers were managed.
Based on the results, guidelines consisting of 10 sections were created. The guidelines are mostly related to the challenges in communication, project planning and management, financial reporting and engagement with local staff. The findings and guidelines of this study are not only useful for developing Art in Tanzania’s projects and operations in the future but they are also applicable for other volunteer tourism organizations based in developing countries.