Write your message
Volume 15, Issue 1 (Spring 2025)                   Disaster Prev. Manag. Know. 2025, 15(1): 16-29 | Back to browse issues page


XML Persian Abstract Print


Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:

Soltani A, Khankeh H, Nasiri A. Effective Factors in Organizing Volunteers to Participate in the Management of Urban Crises in Tehran, Iran. Disaster Prev. Manag. Know. 2025; 15 (1) :16-29
URL: http://dpmk.ir/article-1-712-en.html
1- Health in Emergency and Disaster Research Center, Social Health Research Institute, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran. & Iran-Helal Institute of Applied-Science and Technology, Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
2- Health in Emergency and Disaster Research Center, Social Health Research Institute, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
3- Faculty of Health and Health Management Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Full-Text [PDF 6236 kb]   (115 Downloads)     |   Abstract (HTML)  (607 Views)
Full-Text:   (71 Views)
Introduction
The optimal management of the problems caused by natural and man-made disasters requires the participation of volunteers. Several studies have been conducted in the field of volunteering in disaster management, most of which have addressed the necessity, importance, and results of such participation in various fields of disaster management. The purpose of this research is to define effective factors for organizing volunteers in the management of urban disasters in Tehran, Iran.

Methods
In this study, we first reviewed the results of related studies, documents, and texts to understand the concept and types of volunteer participation, the mutual effects of volunteer participation in the management of urban disasters, and identifying barriers and facilitators. Then, in a qualitative study, semi-structured interviews with 23 managers and experts in the field of disaster management and a number of citizens were conducted to survey the challenges and solutions for organizing the participation of volunteers in the management of urban crises in Tehran. Related concepts were extracted from the interviews and after considering their connections, the main concepts of planning to organize volunteers were determined and interpreted.   

Results
The experts included 9 managers in the field of urban disasters, 5 university faculty members with relevant expertise, 4 managers of non-governmental organizations, and 5 citizens of Tehran. The majority of them (78.3%) had master’s degree or PhD, and they had a experience or living in Tehran for 5-32 years. After reviewing the studies and analyzing the interviews, 199 codes were extracted, which were categorized into 17 main categories. These categories indicated to four themes in organizing volunteers in urban disaster management: culture building, planning, recruiting/organizing, and training. 
The culture building theme indicated that, in order to involve volunteers in crisis management programs, actions are needed to improve people’s knowledge and awareness, change their attitudes, and improve managerial performance. The planning theme for the organization of volunteers indicated that different planning models should be considered, in addition to observing the principles of planning. Planning in this field should be knowledge-oriented and should be performed at different levels using applicable models in Tehran. The recruiting/organizing theme indicated that the organizing and arranging volunteers, their recruiting and retaining, and the creation of motivation for them. The organization process requires the organization of related capacities, resources, and facilities. The final theme “training” was the most important one. To benefit from the potential of volunteers, special programs should be used for their specialized/general education and empowerment. Recruiting and organizing will not be effective without providing proper training. It also indicated that training is needed for managers.   

Conclusion
To benefit from the capacity of volunteers for managing urban disasters in Tehran, it requires culture building, proper planning, recruiting/organizing, and training. A good and structured plan for the participation and engagement of volunteers depend on culturalization, proper attraction and retention, and training of qualified people in the field of disaster management. Improving people’s knowledge and awareness, attitudes, and managers’ performance are suggested as necessary steps in the culture-building process. Creating and improving motivation in people to participate requires knowledge of the individual and social conditions of the community. These conditions are also effective in the recruitment and retention of volunteers. Their personality traits are also important in determining the types of roles and positions in which they can be most effective. Moreover, volunteering is optimal when the volunteers have received necessary training for the defined activity. Therefore, general, specialized, and empowerment training programs should be provided to volunteers in Tehran. It is necessary for city managers to pay attention to these requirements for interactions with citizens who are ready to participate and improve their own knowledge and skills by using necessary tools such as social media. 

Ethical Considerations

Compliance with ethical guidelines

The ethical committee of the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences in Tehran, Iran, approved the study proposal (Code: IR.USWR.REC.1402.228). 

Funding
This article was extracted from a research project funded by the Tehran Disaster Mitigation and Management Organization (TDMMO).

Authors' contributions
All authors contributed equally to the conception and design of the study, data collection and analysis, interpretation of the results, and drafting of the manuscript. Each author approved the final version of the manuscript for submission.

Conflicts of interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest. 

Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the managers and research staff of the Tehran Disaster Mitigation and Management Organization (TDMMO).
 


 
References
Ackermann, K. (2019). Predisposed to volunteer? Personality traits and different forms of volunteering. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 48(6), 1119-1142. [DOI:10.1177/0899764019848484]
Amiresmaili, M., Zolala, F., Nekoei-Moghadam, M., Salavatian, S., Chashmyazdan, M., Soltani, A., & Savabi, J. (2021). Role of social media in earthquake: A systematic review. Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal, 23(5), e447. [Link]
Azad, M. A. K., Uddin, M. S., Zaman, S., & Ashraf, M. A. (2019). Community-based Disaster Management and Its Salient Features: A Policy Approach to People-centred Risk Reduction in Bangladesh. Asia-Pacific Journal of Rural Development, 29(2), 135-160. [DOI:10.1177/1018529119898036]
Behera, J. K. (2023). Role of social capital in disaster risk management: a theoretical perspective in special reference to Odisha, India. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 20(3), 3385-3394. [Link]
Elshaug, C., & Metzer, J. (2001). Personality attributes of volunteers and paid workers engaged in similar occupational tasks. The Journal of Social Psychology, 141(6), 752-763. [DOI:10.1080/00224540109600586] 
Forrest, S. A., Trell, E. M., & Woltjer, J. (2021). Emerging citizen contributions, roles and interactions with public authorities in Dutch pluvial flood risk management. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 37(1), 1-23. [DOI:10.1080/07900627.2019.1701999]
Forner, V., Holtrop, D., Boezeman, E., Slemp, G., Kotek, M., & Kragt, D., et al. (2023). Predictors of turnover amongst volunteers: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 45(3), Pages 434-458 [DOI:10.1002/job.2729]
Jones, M., & Berry Y. (2017). Enriching leadership of volunteers in the emergency services. Australian Journal of Emergency Management, 32, 7-8. [Link]
Kankanamge, N., Yigitcanlar, T., Goonetilleke, A., & Kamruzzaman, M. D. (2019). Can volunteer crowdsourcing reduce disaster risk? A systematic review of the literature. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 35, 101097. [DOI:10.1016/j.ijdrr.2019.101097]
Khodadadzadeh, A., Sohrabizadeh, S., Heidarzadeh, A., Sayadi, A. R., Jahangiri, K,. & Sadeghizadeh, F. (2021). Effects of earthquake experiences on household preparedness: A community-based survey in Kerman Province, Iran. International Journal of Emergency Management, 16(2), 201-212.  [Link]
Kojima, M. (2024). Organizational or Individual? The effect of social networks on volunteer activities in Japan. Voluntas, 35, 583–596.[DOI:10.1007/s11266-023-00623-6]
Koolen-Maas, S. A., Meijs, L. C., van Overbeeke, P. S., & Brudney, J. L. (2023). Rethinking volunteering as a natural resource: A conceptual typology. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 52(1_suppl), 353S-377S. [DOI:10.1177/08997640221127947]
Lindner, S., Kuehnel, S., Betke, H., & Sackmann, S. (2018). Simulating spontaneous volunteers-A conceptual model. Paper presented at: Proceedings of the 15th ISCRAM Conference, Rochester, NY, USA, May 2018. [Link]
Ma, Y., Zhu, W., Zhang, H., Zhao, P., Wang, Y., & Zhang, Q. (2021). The factors affecting volunteers' willingness to participate in disaster preparedness. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(8), 4141. [DOI:10.3390/ijerph18084141] [PMID] 
McLennan, B.J. (2020). Conditions for effective coproduction in community-Led Disaster Risk Management. Voluntas, 31, 316–332. [DOI:10.1007/s11266-018-9957-2]
Nahkur, O., Orru, K., Hansson, S., Jukarainen, P., Myllylä, M., & Krüger, M., et al. (2022). The engagement of informal volunteers in disaster management in Europe. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 83, 103413. [DOI:10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.103413]
Paek, H. J., Hilyard, K., Freimuth, V., Barge, J. K., & Mindlin, M. (2010). Theory-based approaches to understanding public emergency preparedness: Implications for effective health and risk communication. Journal of Health Communication, 15(4), 428–444. [DOI:10.1080/10810731003753083] [PMID]
Penner, L. A. (2002). Dispositional and organizational influences on sustained volunteerism: An interactionist perspective. Journal of Social Issues, 58(3), 447-467. [DOI:10.1111/1540-4560.00270]
Qiang, L., & Lin, Y. (2023). How can community-based organizations improve flood risk communication? A case study of China based on grounded theory. Systems, 11(2), 53. [DOI:10.3390/systems11020053]
Rafieian, M., & Motahhari, Z. (2012). [Designing a model for studying the communitybased disaster risk management approach case study: DAVAM Plan (Community Emergency Response Volunteers) (Persian)]. Emergency Management, 1(1), 5-12. [Link]
Ryan, B., Johnston K. A., Taylor, M., & McAndrew, R. (2020). Community engagement for disaster preparedness: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 49, 101655. [DOI:10.1016/j.ijdrr.2020.101655]
Sadeghzadeh, V., Jahangiri, K., Farahani, M. M. M., & Mohammadi, M. (2019). Designing a community participation management model to control the epidemic of heart coronary artery diseases for Tehran province. Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 24(1), 98. [DOI:10.4103/jrms.JRMS_555_18]
Salmani, I., Seyedin, H., Ardalan, A., & Farajkhoda, T. (2019). (2019). Conceptual model of managing health care volunteers in disasters: A mixed method study. BMC Health Services Research, 19(1), 241.[DOI:10.1186/s12913-019-4073-6] [PMID] 
Soltani, A., Alaedini, F., Shamspour, N., & Ahmadi Marzaleh, M. (2021). Hazard assessment of Iran Provinces based on the Health Ministry Tool in 2019. Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal, 23(1), e204. [Link]
Soltani, A., Nikseresht, M., Rajabpour, M., & Khoundabi, B. (2024). The knowledge of safe emergency evacuation during an earthquake among the residents of Tehran, Iran. Health in Emergencies and Disasters Quarterly, 10 (1) , 21-28. [DOI:10.32598/hdq.10.1.135.3] 
Tavakoli Sani, M. S., Yousefi Sigari, M., Ahmadi, S. M., & Bustani A. (2019). Investigating and analyzing the effect of implementing the National Khadem program on changing the rate of household preparedness in disasters in Khorasan Razavi province.  Quarterly Scientific Journal of Rescue and Relief, 11(4), 238-247. [DOI:10.52547/jorar.11.4.238]
Tindana, P. O., De Vries, J., & Kamuya, D. (2020). Ethical challenges in community engagement practices in research during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa. AAS Open Research, 3, 23. [DOI:10.12688/aasopenres.13084.1]
UNISDR. (2015). Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction. Geneva: UNISDR. [Link]
Wolff, E. (2021). The promise of a “people-centred” approach to floods: Types of participation in the global literature of citizen science and community-based flood risk reduction in the context of the Sendai Framework. Progress in Disaster Science, 10, 100171. [DOI:10.1016/j.pdisas.2021.100171]
Xin, L. (2023). Research on Dilemma and optimization of community volunteer model in public emergencies. Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, 6(21), 125- 132. [DOI:10.25236/AJHSS.2023.062121]
Yingnan, M., Zhu, W., Zhang, H., Zhao, P., Wang, Y. & Zhang, Q. (2021). The factors affecting volunteers’ willingness to participate in disaster preparedness. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(8), 4141. [DOI:10.3390/ijerph18084141]  
Type of Study: Research | Subject: Special
Received: 2024/08/31 | Accepted: 2024/10/16 | ePublished: 2025/03/30

Add your comments about this article : Your username or Email:
CAPTCHA

Rights and permissions
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

© 2025 CC BY-NC 4.0 | Disaster Prevention and Management Knowledge (quarterly)

Designed & Developed by : Yektaweb