Volunteer motivation

Abstract

Motivational inquiry seeks to understand why volunteers choose to undertake, and remain in, volunteer roles. This chapter presents two theoretical approaches that offer some insight into what motivates individuals to volunteer: the functional approach and self-determination theory. The functional approach emphasises the importance of creating a good match, or ‘fit’, between the key motivations of a particular volunteer and the affordances of the volunteer role, resulting in increased satisfaction and intention to continue volunteering. This approach can also inform recruitment strategies, by tailoring recruitment messages to attract those that will best suit the role. Self-determination theory outlines well-established human needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness. This approach offers suggestions for how to increase volunteers’ satisfaction and future volunteer intentions by ensuring that the needs of the volunteer are met by their volunteering role. The risks of undermining autonomous choice through requirements to volunteer, or ‘mandatory volunteering’, are also addressed. We discuss how applying these two frameworks to events, sport, and tourism volunteering may carry benefits for volunteer engagement and retention.