fereshteh nabizadeh; leyli safari
Abstract
Purpose: Social participation in university sport volunteering is an important component of social capital and the cultural development of higher education institutions. This study aimed to develop a context-sensitive model for strengthening social participation in sport volunteering at Iranian universities.
Methodology: ...
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Purpose: Social participation in university sport volunteering is an important component of social capital and the cultural development of higher education institutions. This study aimed to develop a context-sensitive model for strengthening social participation in sport volunteering at Iranian universities.
Methodology: The study adopted a qualitative research strategy, an inductive approach, and Strauss and Corbin’s systematic grounded theory method. Fifteen experts and practitioners in sport management, university sport, volunteering, and cultural affairs were selected through purposive, theoretical, and snowball sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding using MAXQDA 2020.
Findings: The analysis yielded 214 initial codes, which were condensed into 59 concepts and 21 main categories. Axial coding organized the categories into causal conditions, the core phenomenon, contextual conditions, intervening conditions, strategies, and consequences. Selective coding integrated them into six higher-order dimensions: individual-personality, structural-environmental, social-interactional, social-value, educational-developmental, and volunteer commitment and social capital. Limited resources, weak institutional support, administrative bureaucracy, and cultural barriers were identified as the main constraints on sustained participation.
Conclusion: Sustainable participation in university sport volunteering requires the coordinated strengthening of social capital, organizational support, participatory learning, transparent volunteer-management processes, and a supportive university culture. A phased and feasible management system linking recruitment, role clarification, training, support, recognition, and evaluation can help universities transform students’ initial motivation into active and enduring participation. This approach strengthens students’ belonging, responsibility, skills, and long-term engagement within universities.
