Virtual Third Places and Career Development Among Care Workers:

Effects and Processes in the KAIGO LEADERS “SPACE” Community

Abstract

Recently, a trend has emerged at the individual level in the care industry: the activation of online communities to build networks and promote mutual learning beyond regional boundaries and organizational affiliations. This study positions such online communities as virtual third places and examines the motivations for participation among care workers and the effects and processes of participation on their career development through qualitative research. Qualitative data derived from interviews with 11 participants in the online community “SPACE” were analyzed. The results revealed that care workers, at the intersection of “feelings of stagnation related to their work” and “passion for work and social issues”, draw significant driving force for future career development through participation in virtual third places. These include “confidence and self-efficacy,” “positive feelings toward their profession,” and “conviction in the possibility of making change.”