Abstract:
Volunteer engagement is currently declining relative to the beginning due to both
internal and external causes, but there is still active volunteerism. This study brings
together volunteers and staff of NGOs which are based in Batticaloa district. Hence, the
aims of this study to explore the nature of community volunteer participation in the
NGOs participatory social projects, explore the factors affecting community volunteer
participation in the NGOs participatory social projects, possible benefits and challenges
faced by community volunteer's while participating in the NGOs effective participatory
social projects and recommend possible suggestions that can increase the participation
level of community volunteers in NGO participatory social projects. To find out the
involvement of volunteerism on social projects in NGOs the survey was carried out
among the volunteers and NGOs staff of selected 5 NGOs in the Batticaloa district. It
is an inductive study where the qualitative approach was undertaken, 20 volunteers and
05 NGO staffs were interviewed using a semi-structured interview method related to
all participatory social projects initiated by the 05 NGOs based in Batticaloa. Collected
data were analyzed using NVivo 10 through thematic analysis. Volunteering has,
according to the results, made a significant contribution to the social initiative in NGOs.
A good relationship is being established between volunteers and NGO staff as it has
been developed. Further, factors such as expectations, unexpected situations, social
responsibility, recognition, role models, and career were considered as the critical
factors which indeed influence community volunteerism on social projects initiated by
the NGOs. At the same time, the researcher found the benefits as well the challenges
faced by the volunteers and the NGO staffs when involving in volunteer projects.
Finally, the researcher proposed some strategies and mechanisms for policymakers to
increase and improve the participation of volunteers in a social project initiated by
NGOs
