Group Building/ Leadership

Volunteer motivations

Literature on motivations underlying volunteer engagement is interesting to study, since it gives us a better understanding of how we can attract and retain volunteers in our activities. Taking these factors into account in our recruitment and working methods, will help us to adapt our leadership to meet the needs of volunteers, and ultimately, retain them.

Provided below is data from the Canada Survey of giving, volunteering and participating (2000), highlighting the 6 main motivations to volunteer. Pair this with the additional information on the main three elements that create a satisfying volunteers experience, and the main three reasons people stop volunteering. For more details, consult indicated references directly.

Reasons given by Canadians for volunteering¹

• Cause in which one believes: 95%
• Use skills and experience: 81%
• Personally affected by cause: 70%
• Express own strengths 57%
• Friends volunteered : 30%
• Religious obligations or beliefs: 26%

Volunteers indicate they are most satisfied with their volunteer experience if:²

• It is for an issue of a personal importance
• They feel needed and valued
• It is meaningful, interesting work

Why people cease volunteering³

• They don’t have time
• The expectations weren’t clear
• They don’t feel appreciated

1. Canada Survey of giving, volunteering and participation (NSFVP) 2000 in Volunteer connections, New Strategies for involving older adults, p. 25, Volunteer Canada, 2001 http://volunteer.ca/volunteer/.pdf/OlderAdults-Eng.pdf

2. Understanding volunteer motivations, Merrill Associated, March 2008, http://www.charityvillage.com/cv/research/vol56.html

3. Retaining your baby boomers volunteers, Volunteer/Bénévoles Canada, http://www.volunteer50-plus.ca/retaining.php