The psychosocial account of the social added value of Nonprofit and Voluntary Organizations: A participatory study

Background: The psychosocial perspective of the Social Added Value (SAV) is a valuable account of the social impact of Nonprofit and Voluntary Organizations (NPVOs). This is because it recognizes extra-economic impacts of NPVOs. However, the existing top-down operationalization of SAV is still in need of the integration of a bottom-up perspective (i.e., NPVOs’ members perspective). Objectives: Following a participatory research approach, the study seeks to complement the existing psychosocial perspective with bottom-up perspectives on SAV. Methods: The study uses the concept mapping, a participatory stakeholder-driven process, to generate a framework of NPVOs’ SAV. Results: One hundred and five NPVOs managers generated narratives. Starting with these, a bottom-up operationalization of NPVOs’ SAV emerged. This consists into a six-cluster solution (i.e., state and territory, care and awareness, create and valorise relationships, community and social promotion, well-being and self-determination, and local activation). The results of the participatory study reveal that the elements characterising NPVOs’ SAV act in a circuit of benefits comprising the contextualization of the individual in the community and contributing to the lives of people in and around the community. Conclusion: The study discusses the findings in order to complement the psychosocial perspective of SAV and provide implications for theory and practice.