Volunteer motivations for working middle-age adults

Understanding why individuals seek out volunteer opportunities is crucial in recruitment and engagement of volunteers. Current literature on volunteers examines the motivations of young adults and retirees, however there is little literature focusing on working middle-aged adult's volunteer motivations and habits. This study aimed to understand the volunteer motivations of this cohort by asking: What motivates working middle-aged adults to participate in volunteering? Qualitative and qualitative data were gathered using an anonymous online survey. Participant inclusion criteria were (1) 30-60 years of age; (2) currently working a minimum of 16 hours per week; and (3) completed at least five hours of volunteer work in the last 12 months. Participants were recruited by convenience sampling on social media. Data was collected on participant demographics, motivations for volunteering using the Volunteer Functions Inventory, and volunteer experiences. It was found that the values function was rated as very important and the career function as an unimportant motivator for working middle-aged adults. However, time spent in the profession was related to the importance of gaining career related experience. Participants who worked more hours and were the caregivers of more children volunteered fewer hours overall. Data showed there was no preference for the type of volunteering, which included one-off events, recurring events, and non-event related activities. Practitioners who utilize volunteers should consider their recruitment strategies to fit the motivations of potential volunteers including those early in their career, those who already participate in volunteering, and those who work fewer hours and care for less children.
Poster submission was sponsored by Dr. Colleen Reid, (Applied Community Studies Department) for course THRT 3710 and was presented at the Coquitlam campus on April 5, 2023, for Student Research Days 2023.