Volunteer Functions Inventory
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This page is for teaching and research related to use of Clary and Snyder's Volunteer Functions Inventory[1] which assesses motivations for, and rewards (functions) of, volunteering - or volunteer motivations.
Assumptions
[edit | edit source]- People are purposeful, planful, goal-directed -- Volunteers engage in volunteer work in order to satisfy important personal goals
- Different people may do similar things for different reasons -- Volunteers performing the same volunteer activity for the same organization may have different reasons for volunteering
- Any one individual may be motivated by more than one need or goal -- An individual volunteer may be attempting to satisfy two or more motives through one activity at your organization
- Outcomes depend on the matching of needs and goals to the opportunities afforded by the environment – Successful volunteer recruitment, satisfaction, and retention is tied to the ability of the volunteer experience to fulfil the volunteer’s important motives
Motivations for volunteering
[edit | edit source]| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| Values | expressing or acting on important values, such as humanitarianism and helping those less fortunate |
| Understanding | seeking to learn more about the world and/or exercise skills that are often unused |
| Enhancement | seeking to grow and develop psychologically through involvement in volunteering |
| Career | goal of gaining career-related experience through volunteering |
| Social | volunteering allows the person to strengthen one’s social relationships |
| Protective | volunteering to reduce negative feelings, such as guilt, or to address personal problems |