From paid work to volunteerism during one case of natural disaster: Interacting micro and macro level transitions

Issue title: Work Transitions: Knowledge Synthesis and Student Reflections

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Brzozowski, Jennifer Colleen

Affiliations: Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Occupational Therapy, Elborn College, 1201 Western Road, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6G 1H1, Canada. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: Objective: To examine micro and macro influences on transitions from paid work to volunteerism. Participants: Narrative life stories from the people of Chile after a natural disaster. Method: Personal reflection on lived experiences in work transitions and theoretical concepts in occupational transitions. Result: Tensions at the micro and macro levels influence transitions and decisions to make significant transitions in work. Conclusions: Unexpected and unanticipated work transitions open the door to personal reflection and in this case an individual's sense of perceived inaction on the institutional level directed action on the individual level. Thus, confirming suggestion that a dialectical relationship of mutual influence exists between micro and macro level occupational transitions when unanticipated major life and work transitions transpire.

Keywords: Occupational transitions, reflection, macro and micro factors, volunteerism

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-01566

Journal: Work, vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 85-88, 2013