A Phenomenological Study of Local Residents’ Volunteering Experiences at Suncheonman International Garden Expo 2023

The purpose of this research is to deeply understand the meanings and essentials of the experiences of local residents who participated in volunteering activities at Suncheonman International Garden Expo 2023. A phenomenological method was applied to describe volunteers' lived experiences and individual in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 volunteers. The interview data were analyzed according to Colaizzi's method. From this analysis, five categories, 14 theme clusters, 33 themes, and 127 meaningful statements were derived. The results suggest that local residents' experience of participating in a mega event as volunteers can form a positive meaning in an individual's life. Also, trained and supported volunteers, specially made up of local residents, play an important role in hosting mega-events.