Academic Article: Review of Research on the Effectiveness and Quality Control of Educational Services Provided by Voluntary Organizations

Abstract

Volunteers’ activity has undergone significant transformations over the past five years, driven by global crises and shifts in societal expectations. This review synthesizes the existing academic discourse from 2019–2025 in overseas academic literature, focusing on the roles of volunteers, innovative metrics and methods for assessing volunteers’ activity effectiveness, and evolving quality management strategies within volunteers involving organizations. Contemporary scholarly thought has moved beyond viewing volunteers exclusively as supplemental or free labor. To the contrary, the latest research defines them as strategic assets, whose effectiveness is contingent upon comprehensive managerial practices that emphasize the principles of value cocreation («participatory economics» or «parecom») and social impact measurement. The article analyzes these key themes, highlighting the tension between formalization and autonomy, and concludes by formulating implications for future research.

Keywords

Management, Volunteers, Volunteer Organizations, Performance Evaluation, Quality Assessment, Principle of Participation