Motivation of Volunteers of Paralympic Games

Том 7 (2022), № 2-3, с. 238–249

[ SOCIOLOGICAL SCIENCES ]

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Abstract:

The article discusses the theoretical aspects of volunteering at a sports paramega-event – the Paralympic Games. It has been proven that volunteers are an important human factor for the success of any sporting event. However, most often in this kind of research, attention was paid to volunteers of sports mega-events, but the activities of participants in volunteer programs of para-events have not been sufficiently studied. The purpose of this article is to explore the motivation of volunteers who worked at the 2021 Paralympic Games and their desire to continue to participate in events of this type. The objectives of the study were to obtain detailed information about the volunteers and identify the most signif-icant aspects of their activities. The empirical base of the article is a comprehensive sociological study conducted by online survey methods and interviews with volunteers who took part in the organization and holding of the Paralympic Games held in Tokyo (Japan) in 2021. The survey was carried out in September, 362 respondents took part in it. The interview took place in October-November. 20 volunteers acted as informants. As a result, it was found that almost all volunteers are driven by altruism, while such a factor as satisfaction with the results of work is also important. More than half of the study participants said they planned to continue volunteering, including at other major sporting events.

Keywords:

volunteering, motivation of volunteers, event volunteering, volunteers of sports mega-events, parasport events, Paralympic Games

Author:

Marina P. Sukharkova
National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE), Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Studies in Non-Commercial Sector, Centre for Studies of Civil Society and the Nonprofit Sector, Moscow, Russian Federation

For citation:

Sukharkova M. P. (2022) Motivation of Volunteers of Paralympic Games. Sotsial’naya kompetentnost’ = Social Competence. Vol. 7. No. 2-3. P. 238-249. (In Russ.)

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