13 October 2009
Students link with charity to explore 'sustainable volunteering'
Students from the University of Dundee are to link with one of Scotland’s biggest disability charities to examine why people volunteer and what motivates them to continue volunteering.
Students on the MSc in Design Ethnography course - the first of its kind in the world - will be at Capability Scotland’s Edinburgh headquarters on Wednesday October 14th for the launch of a major project exploring the concept of "sustainable volunteering".
In addition to providing a wide range of support, education and employment services Capability campaigns to ensure disabled people achieve the same human and civil rights as the rest of society. Volunteers of all ages, backgrounds and abilities play an essential role in its work, with over 600 people contributing their time in areas as diverse as fundraising for adventure holidays, running charity shops and improving organisational efficiency.
With such a strong need for volunteers it is vital to Capability that
it's volunteering arm is 'sustainable' - that volunteers are matched to
opportunities that satisfy them, ensuring they stay volunteering as long
as possible. The charity wants to know more about why people volunteer,
and what motivates them to continue volunteering. This information will
be used to drive future developments to the way they recruit, support
and retain volunteers.
'Understanding what people want or need from a product, service or,
in this case, volunteering experience and how to improve it to meet
those needs is what design ethnography is all about,' said Dr Catriona
Macaulay, programme leader of the MSc in Design Ethnography course.
Design ethnography is an approach to understanding people based on
extensive observation and interviewing in natural settings. Drawing on
techniques originally developed in anthropology, it is a practice used
widely in the design of products and services by companies across the
globe. Nokia phones, Intel computer chips, software from Microsoft, SAP
and Oracle, Marriott hotel lobbies and Boeing jet interiors have all
been designed with input from design ethnographers.
Sixteen students from the UK, Europe, the USA, India and China will be
at the charity's Edinburgh headquarters from 10.30am to 3.30pm tomorrow
to launch the project with a day of meetings with staff and volunteers.
Richard Hamer, Director of External Affairs at Capability, is excited by
the prospect:
'People’s expectations of what they can achieve through
volunteering are higher today than they have ever been. We hope that
this highly innovative approach will help Capability excel in the
provision of quality and sustainable volunteering opportunities.'
Students are being challenged to research what motivates volunteers and
make recommendations to the charity about how to ensure that Capability
Scotland sets the benchmark for 'sustainable volunteering' in Scotland.
The outcomes of this unique research project will be reported at a
project wrap-up meeting at Capability’s headquarters in Edinburgh on
Wednesday November 25th.
- The unique MSc in Design Ethnography at the University of Dundee
is a collaboration between the School of Computing and Duncan of
Jordanstone College of Art and Design. It offers
postgraduate students
from around the world an intensive one year programme in design
ethnography - covering design innovation, fieldworking techniques and
design thinking methods.
- Capability Scotland campaigns with, and provides services to,
disabled children and adults across Scotland, supporting them to achieve
equality and have choice and control in their lives. It provides
services directly to over 1000 disabled people and employs 1200 staff.
Its 19 charity shops are located across Scotland.
For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07800 581902 |
