Volunteerism in education: Roles, motivations and challenges in the case of two organizations

Abstract

Voluntarism plays a vital role in supporting elementary education, particularly in under-resourced schools where formal systems face challenges. However, the extent, motivations, and impact of volunteer contributions in elementary education remain underexplored. This study investigates how voluntarism influences teaching, learning, and school development in elementary schools, focusing on the contributions and challenges faced by volunteers. Volunteerism expanded dramatically in size, reach and variety in the past decades. While volunteering is socially valued, we know little about the real impact it has on education. There are many actors involved in volunteerism; however in this paper there was being taken for discussion mostly the relating connections between the volunteer and education. This research is significant as it highlights the role of volunteers in bridging gaps in elementary education, providing insights into how community involvement can enhance learning outcomes. The findings will benefit school administrators, policymakers, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in designing strategies to encourage and sustain volunteer participation in education. The study adopts a descriptive research design, utilizing surveys and interviews with teachers, volunteers, and school administrators. A sample of 160 participants from selected elementary schools provided data on volunteer activities, motivations, challenges, and perceived impacts on education. The study looks at volunteerism and education in Tigray, Mekelle in case of kebron charity association and umbrella for needy from an individual and situational perspective, based on the researchers' empirical research. The findings reveal that voluntarism contributes significantly to elementary education through tutoring, infrastructure support, and extracurricular activities. However, challenges such as lack of training, inconsistent participation, and limited resources hinder its effectiveness. The study concludes that while voluntarism is a valuable supplement to formal education, structured support and recognition are necessary to maximize its benefits.