Participation and Empowerment Through Self Help Groups: Does Volunteerism Mediate the Relationship?

Volunteerism plays a vital role in mediating relationship between participation and empowerment in any given group self help approach. This paper seeks to examine the mediation effects of volunteerism on the relationship between participation and empowerment in women’s self help group (SHG) approaches. An important aspect of SHG activities is the implicit assumption that through volunteerism, participation in group approach will be enhanced and empowerment been the desired goal will be achieved. The general aim of this paper is therefore to analyze the mediation effect on relationship between participation and empowerment using volunteerism as a mediating variable. A sample of 282 SHG members were selected through simple random (lottery method) out of 30 SHGs identified in agricultural activities from the three senatorial districts of Niger State of Nigeria and a schedule was designed and administered among the respondents. Data were collected through questionnaire from the respondents from June 2012 and July 2013. The result of this study through hierarchical regression analysis indicated that volunteerism mediated the relationship between level of participation and empowerment (social, economic and psychological). The paper concludes that greater volunteerism leads to active participation and increases empowerment.