Abstract

This paper explores volunteering in sports organisations in Ireland. First of all, the economic contribution of the Irish voluntary or nonprofit sector, in general, is explored and the position that voluntary sporting organisations play in that presented. The paper then argues that the application of an economic model only can obscure the contribution that volunteering makes to sporting organisations and, so, picking up themes from debates on social capital, therefore, this paper examines the contribution to social capital made by volunteering. Finally, volunteers in Ireland are profiled and their motivations for engaging in voluntary activity are examined. The paper ends by assessing the challenges facing voluntary organisations currently in relation to volunteering and argues that such challenges need to be addressed in order to enhance the greater social and civic value of volunteering.