ABSTRACT
The final chapter explores Palms development volunteers’ experiences as they developed and engaged with networks in their communities in Australia. Lewis (2005) and Parsons (2001) argue that volunteers fulfil this role by contributing to a range of contested stories about development that make up the public face of development, while Spence (2001; 2005) argues that they also create friendship networks that cross cultural divides, contributing to different understandings of being that are important to peace building. Simpson (2004), Grusky (2000) and Ollif (2001) identified that within these processes the sending organisation plays an important role through its development education programs, a view supported by the findings in Chapter 7. I explore these arguments further by considering volunteers’ motivations to volunteer for personal development and the opportunity to learn experientially in the context of their networking experience in Australian communities prior to departure, during their placement and upon their return.
