Volunteer motivation survey
During the interview you can ask why the candidate wants to volunteer. If you ask for a motivation letter, it also serves the same purpose: to understand the motivation of the candidate to volunteer with our organisation.
However, it is important to note that no matter how motivated the candidate is, each volunteer should be equally valuable to us. All the more so because initial motivation can change many times: just as initial impressions are not always accurately judged, initial motivation does not predict whether a volunteer will perform well and stay in the organisation for long.
The literature on volunteer motivations is vast, and various categorisations have been generated by various researches. In addition to the Bartal-Kmetty study that opens this chapter, this guide only describes a basic motivation table [1], which makes it relatively easy to understand and places volunteering motivations in context.
| Traditional volunteering
(can be called an input-oriented type [2]) |
A new type of volunteering
(can be called output-oriented type) |
|
| Motivation | · Getting back, getting into a community Belonging to somewhere.
· Feeling helpful Family tradition Altruistic attitude (it is good to give). |
· Acquiring the required new skills.
· Reference Professional development Self-knowledge · Spending free time in a useful way. · Benefits and advantages of volunteering. Networking · Possibility of employment. |
| Features | Mainly older people. | Mainly younger people. |
It is noticeable that members of the younger generation find it easier to switch, and to make long-term commitments, which is an age-specific feature, as their main life responsibilities include choosing a profession and starting a family. They are in the construction phase. Members of the older generation tend to have a more stable commitment: if they feel good, they will stay there for a long time, which is understandable from their age and typical life situation, as they want to experience the fullness of life, their personalities and the transfer of experience.
As the Bartal – Kmetty study [3] stated it, the concept of volunteering is changing: “it is becoming more and more tangible in two age groups: young people in so-called ‘revolving doors’ and retirees in ‘seeking new goals” in volunteering. New and more differentiated volunteer management methods need to be applied in order for organisations to properly engage and retain these two age groups.“
Of course, there is no average volunteer, and neither is an average person. It is also a fact that many young volunteers have stayed with organisations for many, many decades, as has often been the case with older volunteers not returning after one occasion. The above two categories tend to help orientation; it is not intended to divide volunteers into two categories. The reality is much more complex, and from time to time, some of the motivational factors may become stronger and fade.
References:
- [1] Czike K. – Kuti É.: Önkéntesség, jótékonyság, társadalmi integráció. Budapest, 2006. Önkéntes Központ Alapítvány Nonprofit Kutatócsoport
- [2] Csordás I.: Volunteer Management in Cultural Institutions – a Practical Handbook. 2012, Budapest, Múzeumok és Látogatók Alapítvány
- [3] Bartal A. M. – Kmetty Z.: A Magyar Önkéntesek Motivációi – a Magyar Önkéntes Motivációs Kérdőív sztenderdizálásának eredményei alapján. Civil Szemle, 2011, Budapest, Civil Szemle Alapítvány, http://www.civilszemle.hu/downloads/cikkek/2011/29szam_2011_4_Bartal_7-30.pdf (utoljára megtekintve: 2018.06.25.)
This article based on the following document: This article based on the following document: Practical Guide for the Establishment and Operation of Volunteer Programmes at Institutions : abridged English version