Understanding Aid: Religious and Spiritual Undergraduate Students' Personal Narratives of Their Volunteer Experiences

Abstract

For many, young adulthood is a developmental period marked by changes in personal values, beliefs, and faith. These changes often involve executing congruent values through belief-based practices and acts such as volunteering. Research conducted on participants from the United States of America has highlighted the experiences of religious undergraduate volunteers in religious post-secondary institutions. However, there is a paucity of research on diverse religious populations and little has been studied on the role of spirituality. As such, the purpose of this thesis was to understand the unique experiences of religious and/or spiritual undergraduate volunteers in Canada. In particular, this thesis sought to uncover the themes in volunteer behaviour, important values, and pertinent challenges experienced by this sample. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted on a diverse sample of undergraduate students at the University of Ottawa. Interviews were analyzed using Thematic Analysis and four emergent themes were noted: spiritual maturity, volunteering particulars, experience acquisition, and relevant challenges. Results indicated that this religious/spiritual sample had unique volunteer narratives that shaped and were shaped by their identities and lived experiences. Results from this study can be used to support existing volunteer initiatives and address challenges faced by religious and/or spiritual volunteers.