Expectations for voluntary work vs. the reality

1. Expectations for voluntarywork vs. the reality Teemu Manninen Univerity of Jyväskylä teemu.s.manninen@jyu.fi manninenteemu.wordpress.com

2. Researchquestion • Howdoes the expectations for voluntaryworkdifferfrom the reality? – An auto-ethnography of a finnishvolunteer in Thailand

3. Expectations?

4. Reality?

5. Purpose for study • I’minterested in studyingthisissuebecause I volunteered in Thailand for threemonths in a children’s home and I found out that my ownexpectations for the workdifferedfrom the reality I faced • I want to share my experienceswithpeoplewhomightbeinterested in volunteeringabroad and help them to getinformationabout the work

6. Hypotheses • The expectations for voluntaryworkaremuchmoreworldchangingthan the workreally is. • Volunteersgo to a poor country and theyaregoing to solveall the probles the peoplefacethere

7. Criticalsourcescited • Lyons, K. (2006). Globalization and social work: International and local implications. British Journal of Social Work 36, 365-380. • Globalization is affecting local social workers’ practices (e.g. problems in cross-border marriages) • “International social workers”?

8. Criticalsourcescited • Davis, M. , Mitchell, K. , Hall, J. , Lothert, J. , Snapp, T. & Meyer, M. (1999). Empathy, expectations, and situational preferences: Personality influences on the decision to participate in volunteer helping behaviors. Journal of Personality 67:3) • Two groups of people: “self-oriented” and “other-oriented” • “other-oriented” would more likely to do voluntary work

9. Methodology • Gathering: • Auto-ethnographybased on my ownexpectations and comparingthem to a diary I kept

10. Thankyou! • Ifyouhaveanyquestionsaboutvoluntaryworkabroad I wouldbeglad to giveanswers • teemu.s.manninen@jyu.fi