Abstract:
This article examines the special role of volunteers in the formation of
social capital. While there is a growing recognition that volunteering is
important and does contribute to social capital, there is very little
understanding of the micro-processes involved. A qualitative study of
volunteers and their clients examines these processes. The argument
of the article is fourfold. Firstly, that volunteers play a key role as
community builders by creating new organisations and services.
Secondly, that volunteers play a key role in developing bonding, intracommunity
links. Thirdly, that volunteers play a mediating role in
community networks, particularly between professional and lay
networks. Fourthly, that, given their key location in community
networks, they also play a key role in developing bridging links with
other organisations and communities of interest. Given this key
position, they may be instrumental in creating, or altematively
obstructing, broader community networks. That is, they play a potential
bridge-builder or gatekeeper role in network building - a role that may
facilitate or impede inclusiveness.
