AUTHOR=Dá Mesquita Lara , Oliveira Jaime , Pinto da Costa Mariana 

TITLE=Volunteering across contexts: comparing attitudes toward volunteering with prisoners and people with mental illness

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1432181

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2024.1432181

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=Volunteering represents an opportunity for social transformation and social cohesion. Portugal is one of the European countries with fewer volunteering initiatives. Generally, society distances itself from individuals with mental illness and prison inmates, therefore, stigma becomes one of the barriers to social reintegration. However, volunteering can be a beneficial intervention helping individuals in their reintegration.Objectives: This study aims to compare the differences and similarities in the attitudes of volunteers towards volunteering with people with mental illnesses and prisoners.Methods: A supplementary qualitative secondary analysis was conducted using transcripts from thirty-nine semi-structured individual interviews with volunteers regarding support of inmates in prison and two focus groups with volunteers regarding support of people with mental illness. Data analysis was conducted through an inductive thematic analysis.Results: Four themes emerged from the analysis: 'Volunteer motivation and characteristics', 'Volunteer's role', 'Volunteering relationship and its impact', and 'Challenges faced by volunteers'. There were several similarities between the perspectives towards volunteering in prisons and in mental health care, including the need for specific training in the area and the positive attitudes and behaviours of both groups of volunteers towards volunteering with the individuals supported. The differences were related to the characteristics necessary to be a volunteer, the activities carried out with the individuals supported and the difficulties faced by volunteers.Conclusions: These findings show overall positive attitudes towards volunteering in mental health and in prisons.