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Myths and Misconceptions About University Student Volunteering: Development and Perpetuation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2026

Megan PaullOpen the ORCID record for Megan Paull[Opens in a new window],
Kirsten Holmes,
Maryam Omari,
Debbie Haski-Leventhal,
Judith MacCallum,
Susan Young and
Rowena Scott
Megan Paull*
Affiliation:
Murdoch Business School, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
Kirsten Holmes*
Affiliation:
School of Marketing, Faculty of Business and Law, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia
Maryam Omari*
Affiliation:
School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, Australia
Debbie Haski-Leventhal*
Affiliation:
Macquarie Business School, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Judith MacCallum*
Affiliation:
College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
Susan Young*
Affiliation:
Social Work and Social Policy, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
Rowena Scott*
Affiliation:
Murdoch Business School, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
*
m.paull@murdoch.edu.au
K.Holmes@cbs.curtin.edu.au
m.omari@ecu.edu.au
debbie.haski-leventhal@mq.edu.au
J.MacCallum@murdoch.edu.au
susan.young@uwa.edu.au
r.scott@murdoch.edu.au
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Abstract

This paper examines myths and misconceptions about university student volunteering. Our study explored the experiences of students, host organisations and universities participating in volunteering in Australia, identify good practice, and discover barriers to success. A qualitative approach involved 60 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders. Students were often seen as being energetic, having flexible time and having skills associated with their studies. Some organisations, however, viewed students as unreliable, hard to manage and requiring specific programs. Some hosts were viewed as not valuing student volunteers, or not having the capacity to supervise. These perceptions were found to be nuanced. Erroneous myths were seen to develop from a single event, later confirmed by a ‘related’ event; in scenarios with multiple players, motivations, and complexities. The potential for misconceptions to undermine the true value of student volunteering for all stakeholders is ameliorated when there is common understanding, clear expectation setting, and ongoing dialogue.

Keywords

MythsMisconceptionsSensemakingStudent volunteeringHost organisationsVolunteer management

Information

Type
Research Papers
Information
Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations , Volume 33 , Issue 4 , August 2022, pp. 833 - 845
Copyright
Copyright © International Society for Third-Sector Research 2021

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