‘We can do it’: Community,resistance, social solidarity,and long-term volunteering at a sport event

Much research on volunteers has focused on who the volunteers are, and what motivates them on an individual level. This study, however, aims to contextualize the long-term commitment found in a whole community of volunteers and to explain this pattern of collective volunteering not in terms of individual motivations but in terms of broader social processes. Data gathered from interviews with volunteers in Vikersund, Norway, and the analysis of local and national press coverage in the years leading up to the 2013 World Cup in Ski flying in Vikersund suggest that long-term volunteering can be understood in terms of (i) a high level of social integration (socialization, institutionalization); (ii) the creation of a collective identity focused around the ski flying hill; and (iii) the maintenance and reinforcement of strong community identity and social solidarity by local resistance to the perceived hostility of outside organizations. This focus on the broader community/social processes has implications for researchers examining sport event volunteers as well as managers of recurring sport events wishing to retain volunteers.     

Resource utilisation and power relations of community sport clubs in the aftermath of natural disasters

Community sport clubs (CSCs) provide a number of benefits to local communities, while confronting challenges with finances and staffing. In Queensland, Australia, these challenges have been compounded by recent natural disasters including widespread flooding that have significantly impacted operations of CSCs. The current research explores the provision of resources to CSCs in the aftermath of flooding events in 2010 and 2011, as well as the influence on power relations between CSCs and resource providers. To address this research purpose, qualitative data were collected across nine site visits (focus groups, interviews) to affected CSCs. The data revealed three resource providers: volunteers and members, partner organisations and government. In addition, the results indicate that relations between CSCs and members and volunteers, partner organisations and government were impacted in different ways. Examples of resource providers wielding power over CSCs due to the provision of resources emerged, along with some evidence of mutual power and dependence and CSCs exerting power over resource providers. The results provide implications for CSC managers to be more proactive in relation to resourcing through developing strategies for network building and improved communication within networks.     

The development of female Muslim life-savers

This teaching case illustrates the use of community development strategies to increase and enhance community sport participation of a targeted minority group. Royal Life Saving Society of Australia is presented here as an example of an organisation that embraced cultural change and developed a strategic approach to inclusive provision for individuals from marginalised population groups. The case is based on a community development framework that includes multiple facets: a shared concern about a social problem requiring action; encouraging the active participation of a marginalised group; forming public sector partnerships to pool resources and build political support; adopting collaborative principles of organising; collectively developing and implementing action plans; and re-conceptualising traditional ideas around accountability. The case facilitates the examination of the theoretical and practical considerations of adopting a community development approach in sport management.     

What about sport? A public health perspective on leisure-time physical activity

In an effort to determine how sport could be better positioned on the public health agenda, three community physical activity programs aimed at combating obesity were examined to determine the benefits residents seek through their participation. Using a case study approach and critical framework, assumptions and presumed knowledge of these public health programs were drawn out through site visits and interviews. A total of 42 interviews with community leaders, program organizers, and residents in each community were conducted. The results reveal that new approaches need to be considered for promoting greater levels of participation in U.S. community sport and other leisure-time physical activity programs. Instead of the commonly emphasized benefits of physical health or appearance, the results demonstrate that hedonic rewards and opportunities for social interaction are two overlooked, yet primary benefits sought by participants. This research suggests that concerted efforts to focus on the hedonic feelings and social aspects can potentially lead to increased sport participation and holistic health. Such an approach may help better address vital public health policy issues while demonstrating the distinctiveness and utility of sport.     

农民工体育参与意识、参与行为和城市融合关系的实证研究--以成都为例

本研究以成都农民工为样本,考察了农民工的体育参与意识/体育参与行为及其与城市融合度的关系。研究结果显示,成都农民工体育参与意识和体育参与行为较低,城市融合度较高;体育参与意识与参与行为与其城市融合度之间在统计学上不存在相关关系,参与体育运动可以促进城市融合度的假设没有得到证明。本次研究也发现对体育的积极评价与城市融合度呈现相关关系。分析认为,在理论上体育运动具有社会参与性、互动性、学习性和组织性等特征,但是在现实中,将运动仅仅视为身体锻炼的体育观念制约了农民工体育参与行为,因此,体育运动对于农民工在城市融合中的作用上还缺乏心理和现实的条件。     

依法治国视域下社区警务权改革研究——基于国内外对比分析

社区警务战略的提出不仅符合我国警务传统,与国情社情相契合,也顺应世界警务发展潮流。对社区警察权的合理配置,是保障社区警务战略长效发展的核心。通过国内外社区警察权的比较研究,审视我国现存缺憾,提出完善社区民警权责,实现协调统一;加强警务协作,达到权力整合;调配社会资源,部分权能分解等思路。     

基于云计算的城市社区电子政务服务研究

城市社区直接向居民提供服务,其电子政务服务能力是城市总体电子政务水平的直接体现。介绍了云计算及城市社区电子政务服务特点,分析了城市社区电子政务服务发展面临的主要问题,提出了基于云计算的城市社区电子政务服务建设与发展框架。     

老年人社区环境满意度与社区归属感关系研究

目的:探讨老年人社区环境满意度与社区归属感的关系。方法:采用老年人社区环境满意度问卷与社区归属感问卷对张掖市甘州区140名60岁以上老年人进行测评。结果:老年人的社区环境满意度和社区归属感处于中等水平;老年人的社区环境满意度总分在不同的婚姻状况上不存在差异,而在社区自然环境满意程度和社区服务环境满意程度上存在差异;老年人的社区归属感在不同婚姻状况上存在显著差异;老年人的社区环境满意度和社区归属感在性别、年龄、不同文化程度上都不存在显著差异;老年人的社区环境满意度与社区归属感呈正相关。结论:老年人的社区环境满意度对社区归属感有一定的预测作用。     

Public and private value in citizen participation in E-governance: Evidence from a government-sponsored green commuting platform

Citizen participation in E-governance is, essentially, a social exchange between individuals and their government through which the citizen creates public value as well as acquires private value. The direct effects of participation antecedents on participation outcomes have been fully examined, but few researchers have investigated the internal mechanism of citizen participation at the level of psychological value perception. The roles of perceived public and private value between the participation antecedents and outcomes remain unclear. Private value merits careful research in particular as the E-governance environment is being shaped by increasing privatization and continuous IT innovation. Based on the cognitive integration theory and the civic voluntarism model, this paper proposes a theoretical framework to examine the mediating roles of two values. We built a complete research model encompassing ten hypotheses centered on citizen e-participation in the context of green commuting governance. By analyzing survey data on a green commuting platform, we demonstrate the significant mediating effects of these two values and greater effect of private value acquisition on continuous e-participation intentions than public value creation. Our results have important research implications in regards to the roles of perceived values in participation, especially perceived private value.     

Evidence-based digital literacy class for older,low-income African-American adults

Based on our community engagement project involving 47 older, low-income African-American adults from a senior community center, this study analyzes how an underserved population acquires knowledge and skills related to digital technologies. We discuss the conceptualization, implementation, and evaluation of a weekly, four-month long computer class for members of the senior community center. Our mixed-method research shows the importance of taking into account both the multidimensional nature of adult learning and the social and cultural contexts in which learning occurs when working with underserved adult populations. Findings from our formative and evaluative research offer insights into changes in the computer class participants’ attitudes toward and perspectives on key digital literacy issues including security and privacy online and online information verification. Scholarly and policy implications are discussed in the context of digital competency and adult learning for marginalized populations.