"Why am i a volunteer?": building a quantitative scale

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the validity of a quantitative instrument to identify what attracts someone to volunteer work, as well as what makes them stay and what makes them quit such an activity. The theoretical framework lists aspects related to volunteer work, which is followed by a discussion on models of analysis of volunteer motivation. As to the objectives, this research is descriptive, since it presents the analysis of the validity of a quantitative instrument that seeks to understand and describe the reasons for volunteering at the Pastoral da Criança, a Brazilian NGO. This instrument is based on theoretical ideas by Souza, Medeiros and Fernandes (2006). Reliability -Cronbach's Alpha -reached values between 0.7 and 0.8. Regarding Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy a good index was also obtained: 0.74. Despite the good results of reliability and sampling adequacy of factor analysis, none of the variables resulted in the expected combination, namely: indicators versus profile. It is necessary to improve the semantic meaning of certain factors, or even increase the number of indicators so as to generate additional correlations among them. Keywords

Time donation: factors influencing volunteering

“…The choice of a heterogeneous population and sample was performed to meet the overall objective of this study to identify general variables that motivate volunteers of diverse organizations. Previous studies (CNAAN and GOLDBERG-GLEN, 1991;ANDERSON and SHAW, 1999;KIRONDE and KLAASEN, 2002;ANDERSEN, 2003;SLATER, 2003;CAISSIE and HALPENNY, 2003;HIBBERT et al, 2003;DE SOUZA and DE CARVALHO, 2006;SOUZA et al, 2008;SHYE, 2010;VERVLOET and PALASSI, 2011;CAVALCANTE et al, 2013) sought to comprehend specific volunteers from individual organizations. Thus, the results of this study can be used by various charity organizations that depend on volunteers, expanding the scope of the results obtained here.…”

“…There are many qualitative studies in the literature that have sought to understand the motivations of specific groups of donors in the Brazilian context (DE SOUZA and DE CARVALHO, 2006;SOUZA et al, 2008;VERVLOET and PALASSI, 2011;CAVALCANTE et al, 2015). Cavalcante et al (2013) have even proposed a theoretical model for the motivations of volunteers from "Pastoral da Criança".…”

“…As a theoretical contribution, this study identified the variables that motivate volunteers in general and the variables that motivate three specific groups of donors. The identification of variables associated to volunteering in general contributes to filling a gap in the literature, since most previous studies have sought to understand internal and external characteristics related to specific donors from certain organizations (CNAAN and GOLDBERG-GLEN, 1991;ANDERSON and SHAW, 1999;KIRONDE and KLAASEN, 2002;ANDERSEN, 2003;SLATER, 2003;CAISSIE AND HALPENNY, 2003;HIBBERT et al, 2003;DE SOUZA and DE CARVALHO, 2006;SOUZA, et al 2008;SHYE, 2010;VERVLOET and PALASSI, 2011;CAVALCANTE et al, 2013). It also generated advances in the literature when trying to understand the internal and external motivators of three specific groups of donors (public and private foundations, religious organizations and charitable organizations).…”

“I’ve Fallen in Love and I Want to Meet You”: A Longitudinal Study on New Volunteers` Motivation

“…9.608/1998) in its first article, which defines it (the volunteering) as "a nonprofit activity performed by a private individual through any public entity, or through any nonprofit private organization" (Brazil, 1998). Thus, the concept of volunteering does not apply to the elements of a hard science without nuances, but part of something more conflicting and pure subjects, because it is easier to describe what is not volunteering than defining in a simple concept (Cavalcante, Souza, Fernandes, & Cortez, 2013).…”