Volunteer Motivation Scale Research Articles

Construct validity of the special event volunteer motivation scale for Greek volunteers

The aim of this study was to examine the underlying structure of the Special Event Volunteer Motivation Scale (SEVMS; Farrell, Johnston, & Twynam, 1998) in a Greek context. The sample consisted of 272 volunteers from the 2001 Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) Children's Summer Camps. Participants completed a Greek version of the SEVMS. Confirmatory factor analysis procedures indicated that a model with one general factor (i.e., volunteer motivation) and four specific factors (i.e., solidary, purposive, external traditions, commitment) was the most tenable. The model included the 18 best fitting items of the two previous studies using the SEVMS. The results of the present study indicated the importance of reasons specific to this event. Although the Greek version of the scale showed adequate construct validity, there is need for further assessment.

Leisure and Volunteer Motivation at a Special Sporting Event

Volunteering as a form of leisure has been of interest to researchers for some time. This study examines volunteer motivation at a special sporting event in order to identify the links between special event motivations and volunteering as a leisure experience within the context of the work/leisure continuum developed by Cuskelly and Harrington (1997). A questionnaire was administered to volunteers to assess motivation using the Special Event Volunteer Motivation Scale (SEVMS). Analysis revealed four motivational factors: Solidary, Purposive, Commitment, and External Traditions, of which the least important for this group of volunteers was External Traditions. The results suggest that for many of these special event volunteers, volunteer motivation is multifaceted and for some can be viewed as a serious leisure experience, one which is motivated by the desire to contribute to society and to develop the self.

Volunteer Motivation, Satisfaction, and Management at an Elite Sporting Competition

The purpose of this study was to investigate attributes of satisfaction and motivation for volunteers at an elite sporting competition and the implications of this for effective event management, A survey of 300 volunteers was undertaken immediately following the Scott Tournament of Hearts, the Canadian Women's Curling Championship, held in Thunder Bay in March 1996, The 28- item Special Event Volunteer Motivation Scale was tested in this study, resulting in four empirically supported factors termed purposive, solidary, external traditions, and commitments. The study measured the level of satisfaction with the general volunteer experience and with specific aspects of the administrative and managerial conditions. This study found that particular attributes of the event organization and competition facility played a role in volunteer satisfaction.