Becoming an insider through volunteer ethnography: costs, conflicts and benefits

The distinction between the ‘insider’ and the ‘outsider’ is sometimes presented as a simple and static dichotomy. However, ethnographic research provides an opportunity to move from being an outsider to an insider. The experience of volunteer ethnography at two foodbanks in the North East of England involved the researcher achieving insider status, aided by their similar values and beliefs to the volunteer team. The insider status came at a personal emotional cost, arising from combining the roles of volunteer and ethnographer. Constant self-reflection was required to maintain an appropriate balance between the two roles. However, the costs were outweighed by the quality of the data and the depth of insight that arose from the researcher’s insider status.