Participants
Twenty-five undergraduate students (21 females and 4 males) volunteered to participate in the current study and complete the Community Service work Questionnaire [25] (Appendix) that reviewed their experiences in participating in different types of volunteer projects and community service related activities (i.e., community gardening and environmentally sustainable programs).
Results
A Pearson Correlation Coefficient test determined significant correlations between several of the variables that examined the relationship between community service volunteer work and feeling better as a person, increased community connectedness, making a “better” society, and increased awareness of environmental sustainability issues (Table 1). A highly significant correlation was determined among the variables “Increased environmental awareness” with “volunteering makes me feel better as a person” (r=0.566, p<0.01) and reports of “increased connectedness to one’s community with “volunteering as contributing to a better society” (r=0.649, p<0.01).
Correlations |
CSW as Important Activities |
Volunteering Makes me Feel Better |
Contributing to a Better Society |
Increased Connectedness To Community |
Increased Environmental Awareness |
Volunteering Makes me Feel Better as a Person |
Sig. (2-tailed) |
0 |
|
0 |
0.008 |
0.003 |
N |
25 |
25 |
25 |
25 |
25 |
Volunteering as Contributing to a Better Society |
Pearson Correlation |
0.639** |
0.675** |
1 |
0.649** |
0.443* |
Sig. (2-tailed) |
0.001 |
0 |
|
0 |
0.027 |
N |
|
25 |
25 |
25 |
25 |
Increased Connectedness to Community |
Pearson Correlation |
0.431* |
0.519** |
0.649** |
1 |
0.431* |
Sig. (2-tailed) |
0.031 |
0.008 |
|
0 |
0.032 |
N |
25 |
25 |
25 |
25 |
25 |
Increased Environmental Awareness |
Pearson Correlation |
0.522** |
0.566** |
0.443* |
0.431* |
1 |
Sig. (2-tailed) |
0.007 |
0.003 |
0.027 |
0.032 |
|
N |
25 |
25 |
25 |
25 |
25 |
Table 1: Pearson correlation coefficients addressing domains of community service work and environmental green space experiences, connectedness to community and perceptions of contributions to society.
Discussion
The results of the current study suggest several important implications regarding the relationship between different types of volunteer activity, reports of personal happiness and fulfillment, and increased connectedness to one’s community. Perhaps most importantly, in an era where more individuals report feeling “disenfranchised” from their own community for a variety of reasons, volunteerism and community service engagement programs provide an important mechanism for individuals to not only share the benefits of increased social capital, but also help facilitate a greater sense of belonging, transformation and connectedness to their community [26]. The results of the study also support Muzafer Sherif’s classic research that emphasized the benefits of super ordinate goals in reducing bias, conflict and negative stereotypes while also promoting group interdependency and cohesiveness [27]. The current study also examined how specific types of community service activities, such as participating in green space programs (i.e., community gardens and urban forestry) can provide a unique opportunity to better understand important therapeutic principles pertaining to biophilia, environmental sustainability practices and appreciation of natural elements (Figure 3). Green space environments such as community gardening programs are also unique in that they provide opportunities for persons from different backgrounds to work collectively in natural areas that help reduce stress, anxiety and promote environmental resilience and self-worth [28]. One participant reported her overall experiences in volunteering at her child’s school: “I felt more connected to school when I went there to volunteer serving as a T.A. (Teacher Assistant)... I felt like I knew the teachers better... more as a mentor”. Several of the participants also commented regarding how they appreciated the result of their volunteer work with increasing their sense of belonging to their own community: “I like the sense of belonging I feel when I am able to work with other people... I like helping out others”. Participation in community service programs such as community gardens also provide individuals with unique opportunities to meet new people and share and exchange ideas from individuals from different cultures.
Figure 3: Vegetables grown in the Inver Hills - Metropolitan State University Community Garden, Circa, 2017.
I like doing community service work projects because I feel more connected to the organization I am working with and the community in general. I like meeting new people, particularly different types of people that I wouldn’t normally encounter in my day-to-day life. I also appreciate that community service often involves learning or practicing a new skill, which can engaging and satisfying. I enjoy volunteering in green space environments primarily because if just feels nice to be in nature. I spend the majority of my days on a computer, so it feels freeing and fulfilling to spend time in green spaces, I also enjoy working with my hands for similar reasons; the tangible aspects of physical work can be very satisfying. Lastly, I feel passionately about the environment and I like being able to support green or environmentally-focused projects.
Several of the participants also indicated that they enjoyed working outdoors in the garden and especially appreciated the physical qualities of the environment, such as digging in the earth and working with plants. For those student volunteers who participated in outdoor environmental service work activities, several comments indicated a unique preference to work outdoors and the benefits of working in a serene and natural environment.
It sounds counter-intuitive, but I love the feeling of dirt under my fingernails, and the way grime pours off of me in the shower after I spend the day outside caring for plants that I won’t eat the produce from. There is just something about using your own hands to grow food that others will eat, knowing that a child who might have had potato chips for dinner won’t have to settle for empty calories. Of all the community service I do, I find gardening to be the most enjoyable and the most rewarding. The connection to nature is unbeatable, and the work is so meaningful. Being able to directly influence what goes on a child’s plate is amazing to me, and I hope that everyone gets to experience that feeling at some point in their lives.
Limitations of the Study and Future Recommendations
While the psychological and physical benefits of green space activity and are encouraging, there are some important limitations of the study that should be addressed. The first limitation addresses the number of participants and sample size of the study itself. In the current study, a disproportionately larger sample of female participants (n=21) volunteered to participate in the study than males (n=4). In order to draw some more definitive (and representative) conclusion of empirical research addressing the relationship between volunteer activities and environmentally sustainable programs with increased psychological wellness and connectedness to community development, a larger and more representative population is recommended. A broader and more representative participant pool would also improve the external validity of the study. A second limitation of the study addresses the actual long-term benefits and viability of green space development and community gardening programs. While the psychological benefits of green space activity are clearly salient during the current process and initial phases of the program, the longitudinal benefits of green space and horticultural program development are important and have yet to be determined. One recommendation for future study may address that relationship between the actual physical properties of outdoor and green space horticultural programs and psychological wellness. What exactly are the characteristics of an outdoor gardening and green space program that contribute to both mental health and physical wellness? A second recommendation for future research addressing the relationship between green space and volunteer work with community connectedness is related to one of the previously mentioned limitations of the study. Do gender differences exist relative to how community service green space activities are experienced? Do gender differences exist in the perceptions of the importance and need for future work in green space and environmental sustainable program activities? More empirical and qualitative interviews would be recommended to address these very important questions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, empirical research addressing the numerous benefits of volunteerism and green space activity is rapidly becoming a very popular area of study within several disciplines. Eco-sensitive and green sustainable programs help provide community residents not only with greater access to healthier foods, but also provide an opportunity of engagement with other residents that can facilitate a stronger sense of responsibility and identity to the environment itself [29]. Common problems that have been associated with urban living and crowding, such as crime, pollution, excessive noise (i.e., traffic) and interethnic conflict can be addressed through appropriate urban planning and incorporating inexpensive green space natural environments such as parks, community gardens and urban forests [30]. Achieving a happier, cohesive and intrinsically rewarding life style begins with picking up a shovel and “digging in” with friends in the development of your own local community garden.