Learning and Volunteer Motivation: A Study of Types of Learning that Motivate Volunteering

Abstract

This study aims to 1) investigate the motivations of volunteers for participation in volunteerism, 2) determine factors contributing to continued participation in volunteering activities, and 3) explore the types of learning that motivates volunteering. The sample group consisted of 223 Thai Red Cross Society volunteers aged 25 years and above who were officially registered for at least one year. The tools used in this study include questionnaire and interview forms while analyses were conducted using arithmetic mean, standard deviation and modified priority needs index (PNImodified). This study found that: 1) Volunteering programs that reflected personal values were ranked the highest as the motivation for participation in volunteerism (M = 4.67); 2) Related papers suggested that promotion of self-development through training on relevant knowledge and skills, as well as activities that match the volunteers’ competency help keep volunteers motivated, and 3) Participatory learning was ranked the first as the type of learning most needed among volunteers with PNImodified = 0.19.