The Volunteer Satisfaction Survey (VSS): Adaptation and Psychometric Properties among Portuguese Volunteers

Abstract

(1) Background: Volunteering satisfaction is one significant construct that nourishes the sustaining of volunteer work, and it is present in reference models such as the three-stage volunteer process model (VPM). The volunteer satisfaction survey (VSS), created by Vecina, Chacón and Sueiro, evaluates three different domains of volunteer satisfaction: specific motivations, organization management and volunteering tasks. The aim of this study was to adapt the instrument and explore the psychometric properties of the 17 items of the VSS in a sample of Portuguese volunteers. (2) Methods: The sample was composed of 335 Portuguese volunteers (aged between 14 and 81 years), mainly women (76.4%). Measures included volunteer satisfaction, work engagement and organizational commitment. (3) Results: The original three-factor model was tested with a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and the model fitted the data. Satisfactory levels of internal consistency, discriminant and convergent validity were found. (4) Conclusions: The VSS reveals good psychometric properties and can be considered a useful tool for professionals and future research for volunteers’ satisfaction assessment.

The Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI): Adaptation and Psychometric Properties among a Portuguese Sample of Volunteers

“…To this end, several instruments can assist in this evaluation (e.g., attitudes toward helping others [21]; the Helping Attitudes Scale [22]; the Motivation to Volunteer Scale [23]; and the Volunteer Motivation Scale [14,24]), but the Volunteers Function Inventory is one of the most relevant and widely used [16,20,25]. Considering that it is easier to cross-culturally adapt than create a new instrument, we translated and back-translated the VFI from English to Portuguese and its final version was reviewed by a Portuguese specialist to ensure that the new version was properly adapted [62].…”

“…To evaluate the satisfaction of volunteers, we administered the Portuguese version validated by Martins et al [24] of the Volunteer Satisfaction Survey (VSS) developed by Vecina et al [48]. The VSS is a 17-item instrument that measures 3 dimensions of satisfaction: satisfaction of motivations (six items;, e.g., "The tasks I usually perform as a volunteer allow me to establish social relationships with different people"; α = 0.82), satisfaction with the management of the organization (seven items;, e.g., "Satisfaction with the overall management of the organization"; α = 0.92), and satisfaction with the tasks (four items;, e.g., "I am satisfied with the effectiveness with which I perform the tasks assigned to me"; α = 0.81).…”

“…Considering this model [20], a self-report instrument is used to measure the extent to which volunteers' current organizations satisfy each of the six motives identified (i.e., values, understanding, social, career, protective, and enhancement), named the Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI) [8]. Although there are other instruments available to assess volunteers' motivations (e.g., attitudes toward helping others [21]; the Helping Attitudes Scale, [22]; the Motivation to Volunteer Scale [23]; and the Volunteer Motivation Scale [14,24]), the VFI is the most widely used one [16,20,25].…”

“…Volunteering is a non-remunerative activity that requires involvement with organizations and tasks [5][6][7]. Therefore, it is important that volunteers experience satisfaction and engagement in their roles, which may depend on the alignment of their tasks and motivations, e.g., [3,24,40].…”