Managing Volunteer Effort

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Managing Volunteer Effort 1

Managing Volunteer Effort

Craig Fee

Thesis

Submitted in partial fulfillment

of the requirement for the degree of

Master of Science in Organizational Leadership

School of Adult Continuing Education

Nyack College

2007

MS005

Thesis Committee:

Dr. Claire Henry Lead Professor

Dr. Anita Underwood Director MSOL


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Abstract

In this study, the degree of satisfaction and motivation that the volunteer experiences while

working in a volunteer organization was examined. The changing face of volunteerism in the

21st century requires a new look at what motivates and satisfies volunteers. The study

demonstrates the vast and diverse ways in which a volunteer is motivated and that volunteer

management needs to understand the scope of motivators and the correlation between that and

the volunteers satisfaction. In particular the research focused on how communication, training

and volunteer leadership opportunities affected the motivation and satisfaction of volunteers.

This study demonstrates that better management needs to include communication that connects

the volunteer with the volunteer organization, and provide formation of a team of volunteer

leaders to assist in administering its operations and volunteer personnel.


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Table of Contents 3

Table of Figures 8

Chapter One: Introduction 9

Statement of Purpose.................................................................................................................................................9

The Setting.................................................................................................................................................................9

History and Background of the Problem.................................................................................................................10

Importance of the Project........................................................................................................................................12

Scope of the Project.................................................................................................................................................13

Hypotheses...............................................................................................................................................................13

Chapter Two: Literature Review 14

The Changing Face of Volunteerism in America.....................................................................................................14

Volunteer Motivation ..............................................................................................................................................16

Psychological needs.............................................................................................................................................17Conscious Reasons..............................................................................................................................................19

Benefits................................................................................................................................................................20

Volunteer Satisfaction..............................................................................................................................................21

Functional Motivation.........................................................................................................................................22

Connectivity........................................................................................................................................................22

Support and supervision......................................................................................................................................24

Communication........................................................................................................................................................25

Training....................................................................................................................................................................27

Empowering........................................................................................................................................................28

Personal Development.........................................................................................................................................29

Volunteer Leaders....................................................................................................................................................30

Conclusion...............................................................................................................................................................32

Chapter Three: Methodology 33

Presentation of Data Collection Plan......................................................................................................................33

Instruments and Measures...................................................................................................................................34

Data Collection Strategy......................................................................................................................................36

Rationale for the Data Collection Plan...................................................................................................................38

Limitations of the Data Collection Plan....................................................................................................................1

Did the questionnaire adequately draw out responses that identify volunteer motivation and satisfaction?........2

Did the researcher get enough volunteer responses to get an accurate picture of the volunteer experience?.......2

Did the volunteers that responded reflect the broad volunteer experience at The Health Center?.......................2

Chapter 4: Results 4


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Statistical Analysis and Display of the Data..............................................................................................................5

Volunteer Response...............................................................................................................................................5

Administration Response.....................................................................................................................................15

Summary of Results..................................................................................................................................................17

Volunteer Response Summary............................................................................................................................17

Administration Response Summary....................................................................................................................19

Chapter 5: Conclusions and Implications 20

Interpretations of Findings......................................................................................................................................20

Conclusions of Study ...............................................................................................................................................21

Implications of Research..........................................................................................................................................23

Improve communications....................................................................................................................................23

Provide Training..................................................................................................................................................24

Provide Opportunities to Serve...........................................................................................................................25

Empower Volunteer Leaders...............................................................................................................................26

Recommendations for further Research and Evaluation.........................................................................................27

APPENDIX 1: MISSION AND OBJECTIVES.........................................................................................................28

Appendix 2: Organizational Chart 29

Appendix 3: Cover Letter 30

Appendix 4: Reminder Letter 31

Appendix 5: Sample Questionnaire 32

Appendix 6: Administration Interview 36

References 47

Table of Contents 3

Table of Figures 8

Chapter One: Introduction 9

Statement of Purpose.................................................................................................................................................9

The Setting.................................................................................................................................................................9

History and Background of the Problem.................................................................................................................10

Importance of the Project........................................................................................................................................12

Scope of the Project.................................................................................................................................................13

Hypotheses...............................................................................................................................................................13


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Chapter Two: Literature Review 14

The Changing Face of Volunteerism in America.....................................................................................................14

Volunteer Motivation ..............................................................................................................................................16

Psychological needs.............................................................................................................................................17

Conscious Reasons..............................................................................................................................................19

Benefits................................................................................................................................................................20

Volunteer Satisfaction..............................................................................................................................................21

Functional Motivation.........................................................................................................................................22

Connectivity........................................................................................................................................................22

Utilization.......................................................................................................................................................23

Individual Value.............................................................................................................................................23

Support and supervision......................................................................................................................................24

Communication........................................................................................................................................................25

Training....................................................................................................................................................................27

Empowering........................................................................................................................................................28

Personal Development.........................................................................................................................................29

Volunteer Leaders....................................................................................................................................................30

Conclusion...............................................................................................................................................................32

Chapter Three: Methodology 33

Presentation of Data Collection Plan......................................................................................................................33

Instruments and Measures...................................................................................................................................34

The Survey Instrument...................................................................................................................................34

Cover Letter....................................................................................................................................................35

The Interview..................................................................................................................................................35

Data Collection Strategy......................................................................................................................................36Volunteer Response........................................................................................................................................36

Administration Response................................................................................................................................38

Rationale for the Data Collection Plan...................................................................................................................38

Limitations of the Data Collection Plan....................................................................................................................1

Did the questionnaire adequately draw out responses that identify volunteer motivation and satisfaction?........2

Did the researcher get enough volunteer responses to get an accurate picture of the volunteer experience?.......2Did the volunteers that responded reflect the broad volunteer experience at The Health Center?.......................2

Chapter 4: Results 4

Statistical Analysis and Display of the Data..............................................................................................................5

Volunteer Response...............................................................................................................................................5

Motivation and Satisfaction..............................................................................................................................5

Communication.................................................................................................................................................8

Training...........................................................................................................................................................11Leadership.......................................................................................................................................................13

Administration Response.....................................................................................................................................15

In your opinion, what are the top three areas of the Health Center that needs improvement?.......................15What kind of training would you recommend for the administration and volunteers of the Health Center? 16

How would you rate the level of communication among the workers and administration of the Health

Center? What recommendations would you make regarding this area of the work?....................................16

What are your recommendations for the improvement of leadership of the Health Center?.........................17

Summary of Results..................................................................................................................................................17


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Volunteer Response Summary............................................................................................................................17

Administration Response Summary....................................................................................................................19

Chapter 5: Conclusions and Implications 20

Interpretations of Findings......................................................................................................................................20

Conclusions of Study ...............................................................................................................................................21

Implications of Research..........................................................................................................................................23

Improve communications....................................................................................................................................23

Provide Training..................................................................................................................................................24

Provide Opportunities to Serve...........................................................................................................................25

Empower Volunteer Leaders...............................................................................................................................26

Recommendations for further Research and Evaluation.........................................................................................27

APPENDIX 1: MISSION AND OBJECTIVES.........................................................................................................28

Appendix 2: Organizational Chart 29

Appendix 3: Cover Letter 30

Appendix 4: Reminder Letter 31

Appendix 5: Sample Questionnaire 32

Appendix 6: Administration Interview 36

References 47


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TABLE OF FIGURES

Table 1: Motivation Questions 39

Table 2: Satisfaction Questions 39

Table 3: Communication Questions 1

Table 4: Training Questions 1

Table 5: Leadership Questions 1

Table 6: Motivation 5

Table 7: Satisfaction 7

Table 8: Communications 9

Table 9: Training 11

Table 10: Leadership 13

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my appreciation to my wife Ellen and my children Maricel and

Annalise for patiently bearing with me during the long year of classes and writing. Your

forbearance and encouragement gave me the strength to keep on moving forward.

I would also like to say a great big thank you to Brent Wilson whose knowledge,

experience and willingness to read and edit were so valuable to the process and to me.


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CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Statement of Purpose

The purpose of this study is to determine how an urban-based Health Center can improve

the organization of its voluntary effort. As the Health Center has grown in the amount of

services it provides and has grown in its volunteer base, the need has arisen for better

management of its volunteer base including raising up a team of volunteer leaders to assist in

administering its operations and volunteer personnel.

As the extent of operations has increased there has developed a greater need to ascertain

the motivation and satisfaction of the volunteer base. Similarly, as the number of volunteers has

increased there is a growing concern that leadership is losing touch with the volunteers. Some

volunteers are being over utilized while others may feel they have more to offer.

The Setting

The Health Center is part of a larger umbrella Community Development Corporation.

The Community Development Corporation was started by community based church as a means

to reach out in a tangible way to its surrounding neighborhood, and remains a sister organization

with the church even though it is incorporated as a separate entity (see Appendix 1: Mission and

Objectives).

The Community Development Corporation is headed by a Board of Directors which

gives direction to several independent ministry programs that fall under the authority of the

Community Development Corporation, including a music ministry that aids youth in developing

and producing their own music called Beats and Blessings, a food and clothing pantry, a tutoring

program for English as a Second Language students, a legal service for immigration, and the


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Health Center. The Health Center was designed to provide free health services to those in the

community that are without health coverage.

An Executive Administration Team consisting of an Executive Director, Director of

Governmental Relations, Director of Community Relations and Director of Medical

Administration guide the Health Center. The Medical Administrator single-handedly oversees

the communications, volunteer relations and event planning.

History and Background of the Problem

Over five and a half years ago (Fall of 2000), Health Center began with the aim of

providing health assistance to those (immigrant and poor) who could not afford it. The concept

of a health center was conceived when several bilingual health care workers decided to commit

to helping New York Citys poor and underserved ethnic communities with health services. The

initial planning group found many medical workers in the New York City metro area who were

willing and ready to serve the poor if there was an established Community Health Center for

them to partner with and serve in.

The planning committee chose Elmhurst, Queens for the location of the community-

based Health Center, because it presented an ideal place amongst many poor and immigrant

groups. This neighborhood is considered the most diverse neighborhood on the planet by

various sources including theNew York Times andNational Geographic. There are between 120

and 150 different nationalities represented in this neighborhood. It has also seen one of the

largest increases in immigrant population in the country between the 1990 and 2000 according to

the 2000 census, and it also has a significant elderly and African American population. Located

in the community is Elmhurst Hospital, which the Health Center has reached out to partner with

in case of any serious health issues that the Center was not equipped to handle. Elmhurst


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Hospital is Americas second public hospital, opened in 1832. As one of the cornerstone

hospitals for the City of New York Health and Hospital Corporation, it serves as the hub for all

of the city hospitals in the borough of Queens, which has a population of over 2.2 million people.

The initial programs included outdoor health fairs in Moore Park in Elmhurst and the

parking lot of the Queens Elks Lodge. This involved a variety of healthcare professionals set up

at screening stations for blood pressure, blood sugar, eye charts and temperature. They also

partnered with several community agencies to provide preventative health awareness seminars,

and attracted uninsured at risk individuals from the community. The first Health Fair was in

January of 2001 and since then they have held dozens of community Health Fairs (6 annually)

and served between 400-500 individuals each year. Many of these individuals are afraid of the

large city hospital, potential expense of medical care without insurance, and facing their

unknown medical concerns without the ability to communicate in English. With a community-

based approach the Health Center has been able to identify illnesses in earlier stages before they

progress and become more costly for the public hospital to treat. They value peoples dignity and

their unique cultural background and are committed to treating people with respect and

sensitivity.

The long-term vision is to establish a fully functioning Health Center complete with

exam rooms, pharmacy, x-ray rooms, dental services and social worker. Part of the vision

includes becoming a Federally Qualified Health Center. Toward this end they are working

toward separate 501(c) 3 incorporation and are registering with the State of New York. The next

step for the Health Center was to expand its programs with an indoor facility. Because the

partnering Church purchased the Queens Elks Lodge where it had been renting, it could donate

some of this space to the Health Center. In the fall of 2004 the health center set screening


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facilities weekly on Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings offering the same services inside

the churchs building as they do in the open-air Health Fairs. As the occasional Health Fairs and

weekly indoor services increased so did the need for volunteers. A special focus was placed on

expanding the volunteer base, specifically with medical doctors. In 2005 they also began

construction of permanent facilities within the churchs building.

At this time the Health Center has one paid staff: the Director of Medical Administration.

The Director facilitates day-to-day operations, coordinates the more than 50 volunteers who have

served, and provides communication to the several hundred medical workers interested in joining

with the Health Center once a free walk-in clinic is established. Volunteer recruitment continues

in anticipation of the completion of three exam rooms, a nurses station, x-ray room and social

workers office by the fall of 2006. This will also coincide with the Federally Qualified Health

Center recognition and State registration.

Importance of the Project

This project is important to the Executive Administrative Team as they plan for the future

of the Health Center. The Health Center is at a critical juncture as they move away from the

mobile services in the parks and move into a permanent facility with daily services. As a not-for-

profit organization there will be limited full-time staff on the payroll. Volunteers will be the heart

of the ministry. The need to communicate well with volunteers, lead them effectively and

provide opportunities for them to serve to their fullest are issues that are fundamental to

continuing a strong volunteer base. The success of this study would have a positive effect on

developing an effective volunteer leadership team that would address these concerns.


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Scope of the Project

The researcher looked into the problems that affected the volunteer base of the Health

Center. The specifics of the examination were:

1. Are the volunteers motivated and satisfied serving at the Health Center?

2. Is the communication at the Health Center effective in helping the volunteer base tofeel connected?

3. Will training increase the overall satisfaction in the volunteer?

4. Will the development of volunteer leadership opportunities increase motivation andsatisfaction?

Hypotheses

To test the effectiveness of the management at the Health Center the following

hypotheses were made:

1. Effective volunteer management designs its program with the motivation and

satisfaction of its particular volunteers in mind.

2. When volunteer management regularly and consistently communicates through a

variety of media and in a timely fashion and gives ample opportunities for feedback,

volunteers will feel greater connection with the organization.

3. Training volunteers will increase their level of satisfaction.

4. Involving volunteers in the leadership of the volunteer agency increases theirmotivation and satisfaction.


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CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

In Chapter 1, the researcher identified the problem areas relating to the volunteer effort at

the Health Center, including the areas of motivation, satisfaction and feelings of connectivity.

This chapter summarizes the literature reviewed to form a basis for analyzing the effectiveness of

the Health Centers volunteer structure. The first part of the literature review will look at the

changing face of volunteerism in America in order to show how that is impacting volunteer

motivation and satisfaction. Secondly, this review will suggest possible action steps toward

improving the overall leadership of the volunteer base at the Health Center with a focus on more

effective communication, increased training and opportunities for leadership.

The Changing Face of Volunteerism in America

The volunteer has been a part of the American fabric and culture since its origins. As

early as 1831, after visiting the still young United States, Alexis de Tocqueville remarked how

volunteers and volunteer groups were one of the items that distinguished American from

European society (Report to Congress, 2005). Volunteers have always been the lifeblood of the

community based organizations in this country (Silver, 1988, p. 9). Yet the typical volunteer in

America has changed with the changing demographic and social make up of our country. In

1970, the volunteer workforce was comprised primarily of white, middle class housewives who

did not have occupations outside of the house (Wilson, 1990). However, America has had a

growing immigrant population; it has experienced an increase in single parent homes and a

developing trend toward double income homes; and America has seen the emergence of women

in the work place. These are but a few of the factors that have changed the face of volunteerism

in the past few decades. Todays volunteer reflects the diversity and complexity of our

population and society (Eagan, 1992).


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The level of participation in the volunteer workforce from men has been one of those

changes. According to the Independent Sector Report nearly half of all adults in America

volunteer some portion of their time each year. For those Americans who volunteer on a regular

basis (contribute 50 or more hours annually), 44 percent of them were male and 56 percent were

females. Even though females still volunteer more than men the rate of male volunteers has been

increasing steadily for the past three decades. As Wilson observed back in 1976, Blue collar

workers, students, retired professional people, businessmen, office workers, clientshave all

joined with house wives to swell the ranks of community action groups of all kinds (1976,

p.20).

The amount of volunteers coming from minority groups is on the rise. Of the combined

28.8 percent of Americans that volunteer on a regular basis close to 25 percent come from

minority groups (Volunteering in America). The largest of the minority volunteers is African

American with 22.1 percent of the total population volunteering, followed by Asians with 20.7

volunteering, then Hispanics with 15.4 percent, and finally 23.7 percent of all other minority

groups combined. With the increased number of interracial marriages in the United States there

has been some degree of debate over these figures due to the growing number of people of mixed

descent. Some would argue that the minority involvement is even higher.

Another factor that has impacted the face of volunteerism in America is the amount of

volunteers who are in the general workforce. The U.S. Department of Labor released its report

Volunteering in the United States, 2005 which states that 72 percent of those that volunteer are

part of Americas workforce. The Department of Labor also show that the female labor force

participation rate for the United States was 59 percent in 2005 and that women comprise up to 46


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percent of overall workforce. This has been most significant in decreasing the amount of women

who volunteer as they continue to make up a larger portion of the total workforce.

According to Silver, from a combination of factors including economic necessity, the

increase of single-parent households, access to new fields, raised consciousness, demand for

equality, and professional growth women have emerged into the paid workforce (1988, p.11).

Even with their growing involvement in the work force, women still make up the greater

percentage of the combined volunteer force. One of the greatest issues that face the volunteer

agencies in this matter is that volunteers are not available during regular working hours.

Muehrchke (1991) contends that the new volunteer needs to be approached with new volunteer

work hours, new expectations for how they will serve, new recruiting, new training, new

supervision, etc.

In summary, the face of volunteerism has changed. The typical volunteer in the 1970s

does not look like the typical volunteer today, in fact it would be hard to put todays volunteer

into any kind of stereotype. The increased involvement of men and immigrant groups, and the

incredible percentage of volunteers who are a part of the general workforce have all contributed

to a volunteer force that is different from several decades past. These changes are important to

appreciate in order to better manage the potential and current volunteer effort.

Volunteer Motivation

The researchers hypothesis is that volunteer motivation and satisfaction are crucial

elements in effective management of volunteer efforts. In as much as the face of volunteerism

has changed, so too have the factors that contribute to volunteer motivation and satisfaction.

Current research shows that organizations that depend on volunteer efforts must give careful


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attention in the design of their programs to what motivates their particular volunteers and keeps

them satisfied.

Much research has been done in regards to motivation behind volunteerism. To answer

the question about motivation it seems one must simply ask the question why volunteer? The

Encarta World English Dictionary defines volunteer as somebody who works without being

paid or somebody who does something, especially something undesirable, without being forced

to do it (1999). By the very definition of the word volunteer there seems to be an implicit

understanding that the volunteer is motivated by altruism. However, recent research shows that

the motivations are far more complex and that there are a number of factors that contribute to the

inspiration to volunteer. Fisher and Cole group the various motivations under three key

categories 1) psychological needs, 2) conscious reasons and 3) benefits (1993, p.61-2).

Psychological needs

Psychological needs are a key factor in motivating someone to contribute to volunteer

work. Both Wilson (1976) and Fisher and Cole (1993) see in Maslows work a basic theory

between need and motivation. To simplify Maslows work regarding motivation, it can be said

that ultimately there is some need that requires meeting that causes us to respond. Maslow

includes five levels of needs starting with the physiological, the need for food, air, water, sex,

etc. The second level he proposes is safety (i.e., the need to be safe from harm, to have security).

The need for affiliation, closeness with others, or to be liked is the third, or social, level. The

fourth level he calls esteem, which is the need to be recognized as a person of value. Self-

actualization is the final level in Maslows hierarchy; here the need is to be doing the things that

the person is fitted for (Wilson, 1976, p.43). Fisher and Cole would argue that in order to

motivate the individual to give freely of their time volunteer organizations must be sensitive to


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the needs of those who show interest. It is by providing opportunities to have those needs met

that the volunteer is going to be drawn in (1993, p. 60).

Others have taken the next step to find out in particular what needs are being met through

volunteer work. Fisher and Cole (1993) point out a number of research studies on volunteer

motivation that show the needs can be varied and many. Most of the research indicates that

current volunteer needs largely fall into Maslows social and esteem needs levels. In their

research on volunteer motivations Clary, Snyder and Stukas conclude that, people engage in

volunteering to satisfy important personal and social needs (1998, p. 21). Eagan says that the

need can be as simple as the need to be needed and feel useful (1992, p. 2). McCurley and

Lynch (1997) have tracked numerous needs that influence someones decision to get involved in

volunteer work, including the need for recognition, achievement, affiliation, fun, uniqueness,

challenge and others. They challenge the volunteer organization to create a volunteer

environment aimed at returning to the volunteer an emotional paycheck. Wilson even goes so

far as to propose that if the volunteer agency was willing to meet the more basic physiological

needs (i.e. providing free meals) it might even motivate some from disadvantaged groups to

volunteer who otherwise would be reluctant (1976).

Some research has also been done regarding what motivates senior citizens and other

research done regarding the motivations of youth. The needs of the senior citizen who is seeking

to relieve boredom is different from the high school student who knows that certain colleges will

not consider his application if he hasnt shown some concern for the community. Although the

research shows how wide-ranging the needs are that people seek to be fulfilled through

volunteerism, the consistent conclusion in the research is the necessity for volunteer programs to

provide opportunities to meet different needs. The research demonstrates how important it is


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that the agency be perceptive to gender, age groups, generational inclinations, race and social

standing for all have been shown to have different needs. Clary, Snyder and Stukas (1998) take

the next step to say that not only are there various motivations between volunteers but that each

is multimotivational (having more than one motivation). They contend that their findings,

underscore the importance of adopting a multimotivational view of volunteers motivations

(1998, p. 13). McCurley and Lynch support this idea stating that the art of motivating

volunteers lies not only in knowing how to tap a given motivator, but in being able to figure out

what combination of needs a particular volunteer has (1998). In fact Wilson states that one of

the common features of ineffective volunteer programs is that their managers have a narrow view

of those who contribute and an oversimplified understanding of what motivates them (1976, p.

42).

Conscious Reasons

Volunteers are also motivated by conscious reasons according to Fisher and Cole. They

report that some of the reasons for volunteering are not focused on meeting their own needs;

instead the focal point is entirely on others. They are genuinely interested in needs of

communities around them. In these cases the motivation is more altruistic or moral. Moral

explanations describe volunteering as a neighborly way to provide help, as an expression of

religious belief, as a social duty, or as an appeasement of guilt (Fisher and Cole, 1997, p. 62).

The Gallup polls in the 80s and 90s have shown that more than half of those who volunteer did

so because they wanted to do something useful. Claassens (2004) demonstrates through her

research on faith-based organizations that this is the most common factor in motivating

volunteers in these organizations.


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Clary, Ridge, Stukas, Snyder, Copeland, Haugen, & Miene (1998) used the term values

to describe this type of motivation. Volunteering serves to provide opportunities, for

individuals to express values related to altruistic and humanitarian concerns for others (Clary et

al. 1998, p. 1517). These values may not necessarily be shared by society as a whole but more

often reflect the values of the individual. They also conclude that this motivating factor has a

greater role than other motivators in predicting whether or not the volunteer will complete the

agreed upon term of service.

Benefits

The final area of motivation defined by Fisher and Cole is benefits. Fisher and Cole

suggest that volunteerism is pursued when there is opportunity for recognition and reward

(1997, p. 63). The benefits or rewards can come in multiple forms. For some individuals

volunteering provides an opportunity to get involved in work that they want to pursue as an

occupation. Similarly, others are volunteering in organizations that they hope someday they may

find employment. Clary et al. state that one key function of volunteering that serves to motivate

is the career-related benefits that may be obtained from participation in volunteer work (1998,

p. 1518). Career related motivations have risen of late as more businesses seek to hire from the

volunteer pools. Also organizations are providing incentives within their organizations for those

who are willing to volunteer or allow employees to use paid work time to do volunteer work.

Some volunteers see a benefit in the chance to learn new skills, the opportunity for

volunteerism to permit new learning experiences and the chance to exercise knowledge, skills

and abilities that might otherwise go unpracticed (Clary et al. 1998, p. 1518). Habitat for

Humanity receives regular inquiries from people to get involved in building houses for the

underprivileged. Many of the inquiries come from individuals who have no experience or skills


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in construction; nevertheless they come with a desire to help and a willingness to learn. Another

area of benefit identified by Claassens (2004) is the chance for enhancement or personal

development. Clary et al. also listed enhancement as strong motivational function, respondents

report that they volunteer for reasons of personal development (1998, p. 1528). According to

Clary et al. (1998) the volunteers were seeking for personal development in the areas of personal

growth and self-esteem.

In summary, volunteer motivation is an important element to effective management of

volunteer effort. What motivates a volunteer to give of their time and energy is as diverse as the

volunteers themselves. Some are entering the volunteer agencies looking for ways to meet needs

that are not being met in other parts of the their lives; while others are being led by certain values

that nudge them into service to others; while still others are looking for the benefits of

volunteerism which can be as simple as receiving a thank you or as complex as finding a way

to get ones foot in the door of an otherwise closed organization. Volunteer managers find

themselves in a position where they are faced with the more difficult task of deciphering the

different needs of the volunteer and yet meeting the needs of the volunteer organization. Though

difficult, it is of utmost importance to understand the diverse motivations of the volunteers or

risk losing the critical energy of the volunteer effort.

Volunteer Satisfaction

In regards to satisfaction there are two key indicators as to whether or not a volunteer

found his or her work satisfying. The first had to do with how well the task or service being

rendered matched with the functional motivations of the individual. The second was how well

connected the volunteer felt to the larger volunteer organization and its mission. Other areas that


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impact satisfaction would include communication, training, and leadership opportunities. The

following sections cover each of these subjects in more detail.

Functional Motivation

Clary et al. (1998) have identified six key functional motivators that will indicate a

volunteers longevity and fulfillment. Their research found that the degree that those motivating

factors had been reached correlated with the degree they found the volunteer work satisfying.

Volunteers who received benefits relevant to their primary functional motivations were not only

satisfied with their service but also intended to continue to volunteer in both short- and long-term

future (Clary et al., 1998, p. 1526). McCurley and Lynch put it this way, the key to retaining

volunteers is to make sure they are getting their particular complex motivational needs met

through their volunteer experience (1997). If the volunteer agency is tapping into and

supplying the needs of its volunteer base then not only will they attract new volunteers, but they

will also retain them. If the volunteer organization is retaining its volunteers then it will also at

the same time be solving its problem of recruitment.

Connectivity

Feeling connected to the volunteer organization is another key factor in volunteer

retention. When the volunteer feels connected it helps to build up his/her sense of value in the

organization and ultimately building up the volunteers sense of self-esteem. The feeling of

connectedness produces a sense of we and the deeper the sense of we that is generated, the

more special the volunteer feels in the organization and ultimately the greater sense of worth

(McCurley and Lynch, 1997). Feelings of connectedness can come from several practices that

have been noted in the research as having positive effect on satisfaction including 1) being

utilized, and 2) understanding the value of each volunteer.


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Utilization

It may seem obvious to mention that volunteers need to be utilized, but an important

aspect of retention lies in the volunteer organizations ability to put the volunteer to work.

Underutilization can develop retention problems when motivated volunteers begin to feel useless

because they cannot contribute to the mission of the organization (McCurley and Lynch, 1997).

Silver argues that the future of volunteer agencies rests on their ability to recognize the unique

contribution of the volunteer and utilize them effectively (Silver, 1988). Wilson states, one of

the greatest faults of many volunteer programs is under-utilizing those volunteers who have

unusual skills (1976, p. 122). Amongst the greatest concerns expressed by volunteers is:

5. Will their work be a waste of time,

6. Will their skills and talents be utilized appropriately; and,

7. Will they be placed in jobs that they can handle? (Wilson, 1976, p. 132)

There is a need for the volunteer agency to provide work that is meaningful and use the

skills of the volunteer to accomplish these significant challenges (Volunteer In America, 2005, p.

5). Claassen would go even further and state that if there are not meaningful positions to fill or

roles to play then it is better to not look for volunteers at all (2004, p.121). When the volunteer

feels that his or her service is needed, and can connect his or her work with the larger goals and

mission of the volunteer organization there is a bond created between the volunteer and the

organization.

Individual Value

Understanding the value of each individual volunteer begins at recruitment when the

volunteer manager seeks out the particular needs of the individual. This is maintained when the

manager endeavors to find a place where the needs of the volunteer are met in specific work of


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the agency, especially when specific tasks are designed to not only satisfy the mission of the

organization, but the needs of the volunteer as well. It continues when the manager provides

opportunities for the volunteer to express himself or herself, or gives them authority to think

through solutions and explore alternative ways to approach problems. Wilson (1976) argues that

it is important to allow individuals to have a say in their own job description, training and

problem solving. She argues that recognizing the individual and his or her input places value on

the individual volunteer and helps to create volunteer ownership of not only the task but the

organization as well. Effective recognition acknowledges that each volunteer is special in some

way and that each person has a unique blend of talents and gifts to contribute (McCurley and

Lynch, 1997).

Support and supervision

Support and supervision are other key factors in the level of satisfaction that the volunteer

feels in his or her work. Daiski (2004), in her report on volunteer nurses, demonstrates how the

opposite can happen when support is lacking. She shows how the volunteers feel dis-empowered

when they repeatedly received little support and instead encountered resistance to their ideas or

suggestions raised. Not only does volunteer support and supervision insure that the organization

is on track to meet its goals but it also helps to create an atmosphere where the volunteer feels

protected (Fisher and Cole, 1997). Even through the process of evaluation the volunteer can see

that the organization cares enough to see that he or she is doing an adequate job. In the end it is

important for the volunteer to know there is someone to go to if there is a problem in doing the

volunteer work.

In summary, volunteer satisfaction is a critical element to effective management of

volunteer effort. Understanding each individual is key to producing a satisfied volunteer.


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Identifying and addressing the motivating factors that inspire volunteers; seeking to connect each

individuals gifts and interest to specific tasks; and understanding the kind of support the

volunteer needs from leadership all contribute to satisfying experiences. This will enable the

volunteer to feel a sense of worth and an understanding of his or her role in the larger mission of

the volunteer agency.

Communication

Communication has significant impact on the volunteer and how he or she relates to the

volunteer organization. Many large organizations have sophisticated communication

departments, which oversee all internal and external communications. Such organizations

understand that a lack of internal communication can impact employees negatively and

ultimately affect the revenues of that organization. Despite this explicit attention to detail,

communication to volunteers is often more informal, with the potential of the volunteer falling

through the communications cracks. In a volunteer organization, which depends on the work of

regular paid employees and volunteers effort, it is imperative that volunteers receive as much or

maybe more communication than regular employees.

Good communication has a positive impact on volunteer satisfaction and feelings of

connectivity. Communication can come in a variety of forms, each important in making

volunteers feel connected and valued. Schedules publicizing activities and visibly displayed

mission statements are ways that the volunteer managers need to communicate with volunteers.

Being informed lets the volunteer feel a sense of value; it says that he or she is important enough

to know what is happening (Fisher and Cole, 1997). The volunteer feels even more worth when

the values and mission are communicated to him or her, and especially how his or her portion


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contributes to the fulfillment of that mission. This will send a message that the volunteer

belongs to something bigger (Fisher and Cole, 1997).

Recognition is another important way to communicate with the volunteer. Posting

accomplishments of a team, showing a slide show of volunteer efforts or recognition dinners to

honor faithful volunteers have a powerful way of impacting the volunteers satisfaction. When

the volunteer is able to see his or her role as acknowledged and appreciated by the organization,

he or she is more inclined to continue to serve (McCurley and Lynch, 1997). According to

Fisher and Cole, recognizing volunteer importance in newsletters and other forms of

communication affirm their volunteers importance (1997, p. 70). The volunteer manager

needs to make the effort to convey to the volunteer his or her importance to the organization and

his or her place in it.

Not all communication comes from the manager down to the volunteer. Communication

amongst volunteers is a positive encourager as well and reinforces the volunteers position in the

organization through relationships. McCurley and Lynch (1997) challenge volunteer

organizations to set up ways for volunteers to interact with each other to help build up

relationships within the organization. They contend that connectedness is improved when

volunteers work together in joint efforts. This can be encouraged with the intentional use of

volunteer lounges or through the setting up of informal gatherings for volunteers to interact with

each other (Fisher and Cole, 1997). Communication between volunteers helps to develop

relationships and connections amongst peers. These relationships are associated with the

volunteer organization and help the volunteer to build a stronger bond with the organization

itself. Through timely and regular communication between volunteers a sense of mutual or

shared purpose begins to emerge (Wilson, 1976, p.178).


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In summary, the volunteer manager that regularly and consistently communicates with

the volunteer effort will provide a greater sense of connection for the volunteer with the

volunteer agency. The literature is scant on this as a topic on its own. Little is written on

volunteer communication. However, several of the books that help to define the role of

volunteer manager (Wilson, 1976; Fisher and Cole, 1997; McCurley and Lynch, 1997) include

this as a part of volunteer retention and satisfaction, some more than others. The researcher

believes that it has more value than that. Businesses and corporations spend incredible amounts

of money annually on communications because the research shows that investing in accurate and

timely communication can affect the bottom lineit produces profit. The profit of the

volunteer agency should be the volunteer. The volunteer is for some agencies their most

valuable resource. It is the researchers belief that more research needs to be done on the impact

of communication on the volunteer.

Training

The volunteer agency that commits time and energy to training volunteers on a regular

basis increases the level of satisfaction in the volunteer. It is important for the volunteer

organization to orient each volunteer in the mission and goals of the organization. Each

volunteer needs to be acquainted with the overall mission; with how the volunteers specific task

helps towards that mission; and with those that he or she is going to be doing the task with

(Wilson, 1976). Fisher and Cole (1997) see training as the process of transforming the raw

material of the volunteer into a valuable asset for the agency. The training can turn an individual

into a valuable asset not only for the volunteer agency but a valuable asset period. Training is

the volunteer organizations opportunity to reward and put back into those who are putting into

the organization.


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Training demonstrates the volunteer agencies dedication to their mission and those who

have agreed to help bring about its fruition. The literature describes many ways in which

training can take place; the following is a list of some of the ways in which an organization can

train:

Orientation that includes the mission and strategy of the organization.

Task related instruction for the individual volunteer carrying out the day-to-day

services including start-up classes, on-going refresher courses and evaluation.

Diversity education for agencies employing or reaching out to ethnically diverse

regions.

Management training for volunteer supervisors and equipping the volunteer on how

to use job specific tools.

Although training can take on diverse application, the impact is consistent in the value it

can bring to the individual who volunteers. The two key ways in which training gives the

volunteer value is through 1) empowering the volunteer and 2) creating opportunity for personal

development.

Empowering

Training that is relevant, practical and timely can equip volunteers with both self-

confidence and sets of skills. Claassens refers to this as empowering volunteers. In her research

she found that volunteers needed the training to be effective which is later described as

practical, on going, hands-on and specialized (Claassens, 2004, p. 121). In the study Claassens

shows the failure of some faith-based organizations that fail to train due to assumptions that the

basic ideas behind serving are already known. Training volunteers does not assume, instead it

gives them the tools they need to accomplish the tasks they are assigned. With those tools the

volunteers approach their tasks with a greater sense of confidence and courage. In VanWinkle,


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Busler, Bowman and Manoogians (2002) research on the effects of training within the 4-H

volunteer base, they concluded that training increased the volunteers knowledge of the task they

were to perform and likewise increased their ability to be prepared. Knowledge and skills,

preparation and confidence go a long way in empowering the volunteer.

Not only does this empower the volunteer to do the work in the volunteer agency with

greater poise, but in some cases the skill sets taught can also be beneficial to the volunteer for

possible work in the future or work outside of the agency. College admission offices and

business organizations are looking for the skills taught and experienced gained from

volunteering. The training then serves as another means of empowering the volunteer.

Personal Development

Fisher and Cole state that rewards from satisfied work and opportunities for personal

growth are in a sense the payment that a volunteer organization can offer to the volunteer. The

necessity of providing opportunities for personal growth then becomes an imperative for the

volunteer agency (Fisher and Cole, 1997). Though Fisher and Cole maintain that personal

development can come from the mere involvement in the agencies programs, they maintain that

training and educational programs are to be used as intentional ways of putting back into the

volunteer and communicating that they are valued by the agency. Boyd (2003) goes a step

beyond and recommends volunteer organizations to redirect resources to ensure that education,

training and development is taking place.

Taking into account that volunteers are motivated by the opportunities to serve and to

learn organizations will do well to not limit the achievements and prospects of advancement for

the volunteer. The volunteer organization should assume that the volunteer is looking for

opportunities to grow and learn; waiting for the chance to take on more responsibility; and


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capable of learning from reflection and self-analyzing. This approach toward the volunteer will

advance the volunteers aptitude and improve their value (Fisher and Cole, 1997)

In summary, volunteer agencies that take the time to train their volunteers will find they

are more satisfied. Volunteer agencies need to incorporate training and development programs

to not only seek to advance the cause of the agency but seek to honor and add to the volunteer.

Volunteer agencies that value their volunteers will empower them for the tasks at hand and will

develop them for the future. The value that the volunteer agency places on the volunteer, value

that is practically encouraged and esteemed through training, will increase the volunteers sense

of worth and satisfaction. Our purpose in training should be to extend horizons, encourage

competency, build confidence and finally to share the exhilaration of new discovery (Wilson, p.

155).

Volunteer Leaders

Involving volunteers in the leadership of volunteer agencies has a positive impact on the

motivation and satisfaction of the volunteer. In most of the literature dealing with leadership and

volunteers, the organizational structure of the volunteer organization has two levels: 1) At the

top of the volunteer organization there is a Director who reports to a board of directors and is

responsible to oversee supervisors or managers. 2) The second level of leadership is comprised

of the supervisors or managers who themselves oversee the various ministries and administrative

tasks of the organization, and are directly in touch with the volunteer effort. In few instances,

like the 4-H clubs, there are volunteers who are promoted and trained to lead other volunteers.

Not much literature is directly targeted at this kind of volunteer leadership. Wilson (1976), and

Fisher and Cole (1997) allude to this type of volunteer in their literature on volunteer

management, but the research was limited. When mentioning volunteer leader, the researcher is


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referring to a volunteer who assists in a supervisor or manager capacity, and oversees a specific

function of the volunteer organization.

The volunteer leader who gains responsibility within the volunteer agency is more apt to

feel valued by the agency and also have a greater tendency to feel a deeper sense of ownership.

Wilson continuously argues for including the volunteer in decision-making processes as a means

of drawing the volunteer in. She advocates for volunteers to be a part of group processes and

problem solving techniques. It is also her recommendation that some training be turned over to

the volunteers because of their familiarity with the volunteer effort, and because as volunteers

they have the ability to share their experiences with the new volunteers (Wilson, 1976). Fisher

and Cole (1997) agree whole-heartedly and note that it would be appropriate to place volunteers

in roles of training, coaching and mentoring.

Fisher and Cole (1997) strongly encourage volunteer agencies to increase the

opportunities for responsibility for the volunteer. Through encouraging the volunteers to

develop high expectations for what the volunteer can do, and through encouraging the volunteers

toward greater roles of responsibility there is a greater chance of communicating value to the

individual. Building value in the volunteer has benefits for both the agency through the

increased role and effort from the volunteer and the individual who gains greater self worth,

greater volunteer satisfaction and in some cases greater health. One study by Hainsworth and

Barlow (2001) showed that volunteers struggling with arthritis showed signs of relief from the

ailment when they went through volunteer leadership training and began to assume more

responsibilities in their volunteer agencies.

In summary, greater involvement from volunteers through leadership roles with in

volunteer agencies increases the motivation and satisfaction of the volunteer. Volunteer agencies


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that are designating resources (time, energy and finances) into raising up volunteer leaders are

reaping a greater reward. Their reward is a more motivated and more invested volunteer.

Conclusion

In conclusion the literature reviewed showed that there is a changing face of volunteerism

in America that is impacting volunteer motivation and satisfaction. The literature demonstrated

the vast and diverse ways in which a volunteer is motivated and that volunteer management

needs to understand the scope of motivators and the correlation between that and the volunteers

satisfaction. In particular the research focused on how communication, training and volunteer

leadership opportunities affected the motivation and satisfaction of volunteers. The following

research tested the hypotheses, identified correlations and concluded with recommendations for

Health Center to follow in order to improve the managing of the volunteer effort.


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CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY

In Chapter 1, the researcher identified some problem areas at Health Center relating to

communication with the volunteer base and the lack of opportunities for training and the

development of leadership. Chapter 2 summarized the literature the researcher reviewed to help

him form a basis for analyzing the effectiveness of the Health Centers volunteer structure.

In reviewing the literature on the changing face of volunteerism in America, the

researcher discovered the current motivations of volunteers and attempts by volunteer

organizations to satisfy these needs with different experiences than those that fulfilled an older

generation of volunteers. Secondly, the review suggested possible action steps toward improving

the leadership of the volunteer base at the Health Center, including enhanced training

opportunities and more effective communication. This chapter will include an overview of the

research design and the data collection plan, including its rationale and limitations and the

questionnaire used. The results of this research will be summarized and analyzed in the next

chapter.

Presentation of Data Collection Plan

In order to test the hypotheses of the study that 1) Effective volunteer management

designs its program with the motivation and satisfaction of its particular volunteers in mind; 2)

When volunteer management regularly and consistently communicates through a variety of

media and in a timely fashion and gives ample opportunities for feedback volunteers will feel

greater connection with the organization; 3) Training volunteers will increase their level of

satisfaction; 4) Involving volunteers in the leadership of volunteer agencies increases their

motivation and satisfaction, the researcher designed a questionnaire to elicit the perceptions of

the Health Center volunteers about their own needs and the needs of the Health Center. The


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measures of their satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) with particular aspects of their volunteer

experience based on questionnaire responses should indicate ways in which the Health Center

could be improved through training, leadership development and communication.

An interview was also included to obtain the perceptions of the administration regarding

the same issues of volunteer satisfaction and motivation. The interview was initiated to gain

another perspective toward testing the accuracy of the hypotheses.

Instruments and Measures

The Survey Instrument

The researcher developed a questionnaire (see Appendix 5: Sample Questionnaire) with

questions targeted toward measuring the perceived needs of volunteers in the five categories that

have been discussed: motivation, satisfaction, training, leadership and communication. Five

questions using the Likert scale were developed for each of the five measures. These 25

questions were in the form of statements concerning one of the issue areas and the respondents

circled one of five choices on a scale from 5 to 1 corresponding to strongly disagree,

disagree, neither agree or disagree, agree, and strongly agree.

Also, there were five questions that did not use the Likert scale, but required the

respondent to indicate areas of interest or concern by ticking off boxes from a list of choices

provided by the researcher. The respondents also had opportunity with these questions to write-in

an area of concern or interest when it came to motivation, satisfaction, training, leadership or

communication. These five questions were the only place on the questionnaire that solicited a

response beyond circling or ticking, reducing the time necessary to complete the survey and the

inconvenience of the respondents with the intent of increasing the response rate.


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The researcher designed the questionnaire to gain both objective and subjective responses

from the volunteers. The direct statements regarding motivation and satisfaction were written to

bring out objective responses ranging from strongly agree (1) to strongly disagree (5). Open-

ended questions giving the subjects opportunity to write in their own ideas and opinions

regarding ways to increase satisfaction were used to elicit subjective responses.

The researcher then distributed the questionnaire to several of the more active volunteers

initially in order to test the questions for clarity and relevance. For this exercise the researcher

did not ask for responses to the questions. The subjects were asked only for feedback regarding

bearing and understandability. The suggestions they made were incorporated into the wording of

the questionnaire to make it clearer. Additional choices in the tick box portion of the

questionnaire were also added at their request. A copy of the questionnaire can be found in

Appendix 5.

Cover Letter

The Executive Director and Director of Medical Administration sent a cover letter (see

Appendix 3: Cover Letter) by email encouraging the volunteers to participate in the survey. The

cover letter described the purpose and rationale for the survey, clearly explaining the volunteers

contribution and role in the project. The cover letter also included basic instructions and a web

based link that would allow the volunteers to go directly to the survey site and begin the survey.

The same cover letter was produced in hard copy for those who were not able to take the on-line

survey. A copy of the cover letter can be found in Appendix 3.

The Interview

The researcher developed an interview (see Appendix 6: Administration Interview) with

questions targeted toward measuring the administrations perceptions of volunteer needs in the


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five categories that have been discussed: motivation, satisfaction, training, leadership and

communication. The administration currently consists of two directors that have direct

involvement with the volunteers, the Executive Director and Director of Medical Administration

(the Director of Governmental Relations and Director of Community Relations report directly to

the Executive Director and have no direct contact with the volunteers). Five questions were

developed to replicate the final five questions of the volunteer questionnaire and elicit responses

for each of the five measures. In addition by using the similar questions it provided a basis for

comparison of the responses between the volunteer and administrators. These five questions

were in the form of open-ended questions to elicit from the respondent their areas of interest or

concern. The respondents also had opportunity with these questions to explain in detail any area

of concern or interest when it came to motivation, satisfaction, training, leadership or

communication. A copy of the interview questions can be found and viewed in Appendix 6.

Data Collection Strategy

Volunteer Response

After the design and modifications to the questionnaire, the researcher distributed the

cover letter with the available link to the survey, to all the former and current volunteers on the

Health Center mailing list (approximately 60 people). The researcher attempted to get responses

from the entire volunteer population due to the size and accessibility of the volunteer group.

Rather than a representative sampling the researcher thought he could reasonably expect to elicit

responses from a majority of the volunteer population of the Health Center. The email cover

letter invited those who were able to participate in a web-based survey. Due to slow response a

second reminder email (see Appendix 4: Reminder Letter) was sent out from the Executive

Director and Director of Medical administration encouraging the volunteer base to participate.


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In addition, the volunteers were given the opportunity at the annual volunteer recognition and

awards banquet of the Health Center on September 23, 2006 to fill out a written questionnaire, if

they were unable to take the web-based one. An announcement was made to all the volunteers

present at the banquet describing the nature and purpose of the survey. The volunteers were then

asked to show by raising their hand if they were yet to take the survey. The researcher then

canvassed the banquet hall and handed out the survey with cover letter. Later in the dinner the

volunteers were reminded to finish the surveys and return them to the researcher.

Respondents were given time to fill out the questionnaire and turn it in to the researcher

during the course of the banquet. In addition to the email and face-to-face solicitation of

respondents, follow-up phone calls were made to those who had not returned the questionnaire

by Oct 1, 2006, with the intent of encouraging responses from former volunteers who might have

little to no involvement with the Health Center currently.

The potential respondents were informed about the nature of the research being done and

assured that their responses would remain anonymous. This message went out in the email as a

cover letter for the web-based survey and was given to respondents who took the written survey

at the awards banquet.

The web-based survey software Zoomerang was used to collect the on-line responses.

Using the volunteers email addresses as a specific identification code, subjects response could

be monitored. The web-based software however had the option of listing answers according to

the email addresses or not and the researcher choose to keep the results in a format that protected

the identify of the volunteer. The web-based survey software utilized to administer the

questionnaire online reported only the results and not the identity of each individual respondent.

The results were tallied and downloaded in a report form.


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Following the collection of all the questionnaires from the Internet and hand-written

ones, the results were entered into an electronic database. The data was then coded and analyzed

using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).

Administration Response

Following the design of the interview questions, the researcher contacted both the

Executive Director and Director of Medical administration and set up interviews. It was

explained to the administrators what the purpose of the interview was and the need for additional

perspective. The interviews were scheduled at the respondents availability. The interviews

were each twenty minutes long with ample time for response and clarification. The interviews

occurred within a one-week period. Responses from the administration were recorded by hand

and entered into an electronic database

Rationale for the Data Collection Plan

The researcher endeavored to substantiate the problem areas affecting managing

volunteer effort at the Health Center. The questionnaire was structured to ascertain the degree of

motivation and satisfaction that the volunteer was experiencing, especially in regards to

communication, training and leadership opportunities. The researcher identified these as specific

areas where satisfaction is impacted at the Health Center.

The expectation was that the volunteers would neither find the volunteering at Health

Center to be satisfactory nor unsatisfactory. It was assumed that the strong core of volunteers

who do the lion share of work would answer positively toward satisfaction and that those who do

less volunteering would answer more negatively toward satisfaction. Anticipating that those

who are motivated would be more inclined to respond to the questionnaire, the researcher also


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prepared for a positive skew toward satisfaction. Any collective response regarding satisfaction,

other than strongly agree, would therefore be read as stating there is room for improvement.

The concerns regarding motivation were addressed in questions 8, 12, 14, 17and 22.

Table 1: Motivation Questions

Question Category Survey number

I find myself volunteering more hours recently than I have in the past Motivation 8

I see things that could be done, but no one is doing them Motivation 12

I would like to do more to help out at the Health Center Motivation 14

I would volunteer more time if it would include tasks I enjoy doing Motivation 17

The Health Center asks me to volunteer more than I would like to Motivation 22

Questions 1, 3, 5, 6, 20 and 27focus on overall basic satisfaction of the volunteer at the

Health Center.

Table 2: Satisfaction Questions


Based on my experience I would encourage others to volunteer at the Health

CenterSatisfaction 1

I can see myself volunteering at the Health Center in the future Satisfaction 3

I feel like I am doing something important at the Health Center Satisfaction 5

I feel like my time, talents and gifts are well used at the Health Center Satisfaction 6

I've enjoyed working at the Health Center more than other volunteer

experiences I've hadSatisfaction 20

The top 3 areas that need improvement at the Health Center in my opinion

are:Satisfaction 27

Volunteer satisfaction with communication was addressed in questions 2, 4, 9, 10, 19, 26

and 30.


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Table 3: Communication Questions


I am satisfied with the how the Health Center contacts me Communication 2

I feel "in the loop" with what is happening at the Health Center Communication 4

I feel that my suggestions have been heard Communication 9

I have been solicited for feedback Communication 10

I have made new relationships with other volunteers at the Health Center Communication 19

It is important for me to be updated weekly about current affairs at the

Health CenterCommunication 26

The communication at the Health Center could most improve in the

following ways (please choose 3):Communication 30

Questions 13, 15, 16, 21, 25 and 28 addressed the issue of satisfaction with training and

desire to see more training.

Table 4: Training Questions


I understand how my volunteer work fits into the mission and vision of the

Health Center.Training 13

I would like to train others to do what I do Training 15

I would try volunteering in new ways if I received training to do them Training 16

There are things I would like to do but I don't feel qualified to do Training 21

Sometimes I am doing volunteer work and not sure if I am doing it well Training 25

If training were offered I would take it in the following areas: Training 28

Finally, in Questions 7, 11, 18, 23, 24 and 29 sought to determine how many leadership

opportunities were available and if that was a factor in the volunteers satisfaction.

11


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Table 5: Leadership Questions


I feel that the level of supervision I receive at the Health Center is just what

I needLeadership 7

The Health Center would run smoother if we had more leaders there more

oftenLeadership 11

If an opportunity to supervise or lead became available I would volunteer for

itLeadership 18

I know who to go to when I need to discuss issues that arise Leadership 23

The leadership has made it clear to me in what capacity I can best serve the

Health CenterLeadership 24

My suggestions for how the leadership of the Health Center could be

enhanced are:Leadership 29

Chi-square was performed on all questions to determine whether the responses were

statistically significant.

Limitations of the Data Collection Plan

The researcher endeavored to substantiate the problem areas affecting managing

volunteer effort at the Health Center. The researcher used a questionnaire to ascertain the degree

of motivation and satisfaction that the volunteer was experiencing. The questionnaire was

administered to the volunteers only. The researcher also conducted an interview with the

administrators to establish legitimacy of the volunteer responses. In the use of the questionnaire

and interview the researcher has identified several limitations in the data collection plan: 1) did

the questionnaire adequately draw out responses that identify volunteer motivation and

satisfaction? 2) Did the researcher get enough volunteer responses to get an accurate picture of

the volunteer experience? 3) Did the volunteers that responded reflect the broad volunteer

experience at the Health Center?

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Did the questionnaire adequately draw out responses that identify volunteer motivation and

satisfaction?

The researcher designed the questionnaire himself and is aware of the limitations that his

design has in eliciting an accurate response. The testing of the questionnaire was limited to a

handful of nurses and volunteers. The testing done was for readability and clarity of the

questions. No testing was done with the questions in regard to effectiveness. The questions

were not administered in any other volunteer settings, nor have the questions been checked on

for veracity.

Did the researcher get enough volunteer responses to get an accurate picture of the volunteer

experience?

The researcher sent an invitation to participate in the questionnaire to the entire volunteer

base population. The volunteer base list consisted of any persons who had participated in Health

Center as a volunteer in any capacity over the last three years. This list consisted of fifty-eight

individuals. Of the fifty-eight volunteers encouraged to participate thirty-four responded (four

others returned questionnaires with only partial responses and those results were not included).

Total response was 58.6%. The res

Documents

Managing Volunteer Effort