Exploring the sociological factors that contribute to individuals' voluntary work in charitable centers for child labor and street children in Tehran city

Introduction: This research aims to identify the work of volunteers in non-governmental organizations (NGOs) supporting child labor and street children in Tehran, as well as to study the sociological causes, cultural conditions, and beliefs that drive individuals to volunteer in this field.Therefore, exploring the motivations, efficiency, cultural background, mental ideals, and reasons for the inclination towards child labor and street children can lead to a clearer understanding of the reasons for attracting individuals to social participation and utilizing their human and cultural capital.Method: This study relies on the qualitative method of grounded theory, using semi-structured interviews and observation techniques to provide a sociological analysis of the subject.A total of 22 interviews were conducted through purposive sampling.Data coding from the interviews was performed using MAXQDA software in three stages (open, axial, and selective), and the sampling ended upon reaching theoretical saturation and obtaining sufficient diversity.Findings: In this study, 1761 codes were obtained and ultimately reduced to 57 categories.The main categories include "creating a new identity", "social acceptance", "responding to social concerns", "efficiency and usefulness", "compensating for government deficiencies", and "voluntary membership" centered around the phenomenon of "volunteering" and formed within a paradigmatic model including "causal conditions", "phenomenon", "context", "intervening conditions", and "consequences".Discussion: Volunteering in NGOs supporting child labor and street children is a multifaceted phenomenon influenced by various factors such as structural-social dimensions, individual factors, religious factors, and family factors.