The perfect fit? Being both volunteer and ethnographer in a UK foodbank

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore both volunteer and ethnographer in a Trussell Trust foodbank in Stockton-on-Tees, North East England during a period of welfare reform and austerity. It shows how ethnographic researchers can develop a more effective qualitative understanding of foodbank use through volunteering.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodological design was ethnographic both in terms of data collection and analysis. Volunteering and participant observation began in November 2013 and is ongoing. The data presented are derived from field notes of participant observations.

Findings

Tensions are present when considering how best to write up ethnographic research when the researcher adopts a “volunteer ethnographer” role. The negotiation of relationships, practices, and emotions requires the researcher to appreciate the complex and “politicized” discourse surrounding foodbank use in order to report how the foodbank operates in an objective yet truly reflective way.

Originality/value

There is an expanding research interest in the growth of foodbanks. This paper offers unique insights into the value and tensions of adopting the dual role of “volunteer ethnographer” when researching foodbank use in the UK.

Citation

Garthwaite, K. (2016), "The perfect fit? Being both volunteer and ethnographer in a UK foodbank", Journal of Organizational Ethnography, Vol. 5 No. 1, pp. 60-71. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOE-01-2015-0009