Self-reported impacts of volunteering in UK zoos and aquariums |
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| Authors: | Charlotte Smith Nicola Buckley Elinor Bridges Bethany Pavitt |
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| Institution: | 1. Discovery and Learning Department, Chester Zoo, Chester, UK;2. Applied Science Department, Chester Zoo, Chester, UK |
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| Abstract: | ABSTRACTZoos and aquariums are popular visitor destinations, with around 30 million visits made to them annually throughout the UK and Ireland. The role and mission of modern zoos have evolved, with the conservation of world’s remaining biodiversity now being their major purpose. They seek to aid biodiversity through a combination of public education, in situ and ex situ conservation programmes, and applied scientific research. Directly relevant to this paper, they are also institutions that actively recruit, attract and utilise volunteers. However, the impacts of volunteering in zoos and aquariums, on the volunteers themselves, are under-researched. Here we show that, in a survey of more than 500 volunteers at 19 different zoological collections in the UK, zoo volunteers report positive impacts, specifically in relation to increases in their human and social capital. We also found that these benefits were more pronounced in younger volunteers, and with those volunteers who received more initial training. We conclude that while volunteering in UK zoos correlates with significant personal benefits to individuals, zoos could aim higher and should seek to do more to maximise the positive effects of connecting volunteers with the wildlife and nature found in zoo settings, as well as tailoring their volunteer training programmes for different age groups. |
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| Keywords: | Volunteering zoos impact UK human capital social capital |
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