The Correlates of Acts of Mutual Assistance in a Depopulated Area: A Basis for the Development of the Comprehensive Theory of Volunteer Activities

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K17236
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Sociology
• Research Institution: Fukuoka Prefectural University (2017-2018); Shimonoseki City University (2016)
• Principal Investigator: Yoshitake Yui 福岡県立大学, 人間社会学部, 講師 (70758276)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: ボランティア / 相互扶助 / 共助 / 過疎地域 / 福祉

Outline of Final Research Achievements

There are several factors that can be attributed to the acts of mutual assistance in depopulated areas: explanation of the objectives of the volunteer activities at the meetings, the roles of the coordinator, the setting of the community area, attachment to the community, and close relationships among community. These factors can encourage the people to be proactive in mutual assistance and for them to sustain such participation. The study found out that, when volunteer activities are to be investigated, it is important to analyze people’s attachment to the community and how they have been connected to the community.

Free Research Field

福祉社会学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近年人々の生活を保障する親族共同体や地域共同体の機能は弱まっており、人々の生活を支えるものとしてボランティア的行為に期待が寄せられているが、必ずしもボランティア的行為は増大しているわけではない。また、本研究が対象とする過疎地域は人口減少、高齢化の進展など厳しい状況におかれている。本研究により過疎地域における共助の論理を検討し、ボランティア的行為について包括的に論じることは、今後のボランティア的行為の増大に向けて重要であると考えられる。