Dr Geoff Nichols
Senior Lecturer
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Academic profile
Geoff completed a BA Joint Honours in Economics/Sociology at the University of Durham. He completed a MSc Industrial Relations (by research and dissertation) in 1981 while working with a team at Strathclyde University researching the impact of productivity bonus schemes. In 1986 he completed a MSc in Sport and Recreation Management at Loughborough University and in 2004 was awarded a PhD from Sheffield University for his thesis, `The impact of sports programmes on youth crime.' Geoff has worked at Sheffield University since 1990.
Research interests
Geoff’s main research interests are volunteers in sports clubs and events; management of sports clubs run by volunteers and the volunteering legacy of sports events. Recent research has included the volunteering legacy of the 2002 Commonwealth Games, a national survey of sports clubs in the UK (for the Sport and Recreation Alliance), research into how sports clubs recruit new volunteers (for Sport England) and the experience of volunteers at the 2012 Olympic Games. He has worked on two previous national surveys of sports clubs (both also conducted for Sport England). Since 2009 he has chaired the Sports Volunteering Research Network. The network promotes research into sports volunteering through arranging research symposia and a newsletter. Network presentations are available at http://svrn.group.shef.ac.uk
Most of Geoff’s research is conducted in collaboration with colleagues in other institutions, both in the UK and abroad.
Prior to 2007 Geoff’s research focussed on the relationship between sport and crime reduction, especially for young people. This was the topic of Geoff´s PhD. Geoff was involved in six major programme evaluations and two national surveys, including a survey for the Home Office, into physically demanding activities for probation service clients (1997/8). Much of this work was incorporated into his 2007 book, `Sport and crime reduction: the role of sports in tackling youth crime,' which was written for policy makers and academics.
Current research
Current research projects include:
- How Sport England’s Sportmaker programme is contributing to a volunteering and sports participation legacy from the 2012 Olympic Games
- The psychological contract of Gamesmaker volunteers at the 2012 Olympic Games
Teaching
Geoff teaches on an undergraduate level 3 module, MGT363, The Leisure Industry. This covers: the importance and meaning of leisure, the birth of modern sport, the rational for the public sector in leisure, sport and crime reduction, the voluntary sector in sport , managing sport volunteers, mega-sports events and regeneration, time and money as leisure determinants, and leisure’s importance in future society. He also teaches a postgraduate module; MGT687, Planning and Policy through Leisure. This examines policies and programmes to achieve social objectives through the public subsidy of sport.
Both modules are able to draw on his previous and current research. Both use a combination of lectures and student led tutorials. The content and structure reflect a view that university education should develop students’ ability to think for themselves and take responsibility for their own learning.
He has one PhD student, studying the psychological contracts of volunteers in the Riding for the Disabled organisation. He supervises several MSc dissertations each year, some of which have been developed into publications.
Recent and key publications
Nichols, G., Holmes K., with Baum, T. (2013). Volunteering as leisure; leisure as volunteering. In T. Blackshaw ed. The Routledge International Handbook of Leisure Studies, London: Routledge. 456-467.
Nichols, G. (2013) Voluntary sports clubs and sport development. In K. Hylton. (ed.) Sports Development: Policy, Process and Practice. London: Routledge. 213-230.
Nichols, G. and Ralston, R. (forthcoming) The rewards of individual engagement in volunteering – a missing dimension of the Big Society. Environment and Planning A.
Nichols, G. (2012) Volunteering for the Games. In V. Girginov (ed.) The London 2012 Olympic Games Handbook, London: Routledge. 215 – 224.
Nichols, G., Padmore, J., Taylor, P. and Barrett, D. (2012 ) The relationship between types of sports club and English government policy to grow participation, International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics 4 (2) 187 – 200.
Nichols, G. (2012) The psychological contract of volunteers - a new research agenda. Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations. doi:10.1007/s11266-012-9294-9
Nichols, G. ,Tacon, R. and Muir, A. (2012) Sports Clubs’ Volunteers: Bonding In or Bridging Out? Sociology. doi: 10.1177/0038038512441278
Nichols, G. and Ralston, R. (2011) Manchester Event Volunteers: a role model and a legacy. University of Sheffield Management School.
Nichols, G. and Ralston R. (2011) Social inclusion through volunteering – a potential legacy of the 2012 Olympic Games. Sociology. 45 (5) 900-914.
Nichols, G. and Ralston R. (2011) Lessons from the Volunteering Legacy of the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Urban Studies. Volume 49 Issue 1 January 2012 pp. 165 - 180.
Nichols, G. and Ojala, E. (2009) Understanding the management of sports events volunteers through psychological contract theory. Voluntas International Journal of Voluntary and Non profit Organizations 20 (4) 369 - 387.
Nichols, G. and Taylor, P. (2010) The balance of benefit and burden? The impact of child protection legislation on volunteers in Scottish sports clubs. European Sport Management Quarterly 10 (1) 31-47.
Nichols, G. (2009) Inequality and positional consumption - a fresh insight into debates in leisure studies on time pressures on leisure and volunteering, choosing a work/life balance and the nature of a `leisure´ society. Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events. 1 (3) 270 – 275.
Nichols, G. (2007) Sport and crime reduction: the role of sports in tackling youth crime London: Routledge.
Other information
Previous employment included 8 years as an outdoor pursuits instructor; both for Outward Bound, and for Tameside Council, where he was a sports development officer. He is a keen mountaineer, rock climber and fell runner and lives in Sheffield. He helps with mountaineering and climbing training for the Scout Association.
Geoff is a member of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity and the Leisure Studies Association. He has formerly served as a board member of the Journal Leisure Studies and on the Leisure Studies Association executive committee.