Managing Volunteer Effort

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

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 volunteer’s 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.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
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.............................................................................................................................................17
Conscious 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
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
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......................................................................................................................................36
Volunteer 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?.......2
Did 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...........................................................................................................................................................11
Leadership.......................................................................................................................................................13
Administration Response.....................................................................................................................................15
In your opinion, what are the top three areas of the Health Center that needs improvement?.......................15
What 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
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 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.
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
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 City’s 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 the New York Times and National 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
Hospital is America’s 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 Queen’s 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 people’s 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
facilities weekly on Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings offering the same services inside
the church’s 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 church’s 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 nurse’s station, x-ray room and social
worker’s 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.
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 to
feel connected?
3. Will training increase the overall satisfaction in the volunteer?
4. Will the development of volunteer leadership opportunities increase motivation and

satisfaction?
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 their

motivation and satisfaction.
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 Center’s 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. Today’s volunteer reflects the diversity and complexity of our
population and society (Eagan, 1992).

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, clients…have 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 America’s 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
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 1970’s
does not look like the typical volunteer today, in fact it would be hard to put today’s 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 researcher’s 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
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 Maslow’s work a basic theory
between need and motivation. To simplify Maslow’s 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 Maslow’s 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
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 Maslow’s 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 someone’s 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 hasn’t 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
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 80’s and 90’s 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.

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
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 one’s 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
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
volunteer’s 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 volunteer’s 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.

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
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.

Identifying and addressing the motivating factors that inspire volunteers; seeking to connect each
individual’s 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
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 volunteer’s 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 volunteer’s 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 volunteer’s 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).

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 line…it 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 researcher’s 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 volunteer’s 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 organization’s opportunity to reward and put back into those who are putting into
the organization.
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,
Busler, Bowman and Manoogian’s (2002) research on the effects of training within the 4-H
volunteer base, they concluded that training increased the volunteer’s 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
capable of learning from reflection and self-analyzing. This approach toward the volunteer will
advance the volunteer’s 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 volunteer’s 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
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
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 volunteer’s
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.
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 Center’s 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
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.
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 volunteer’s
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 administration’s perceptions of volunteer needs in the
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.
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 volunteer’s 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.

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 respondent’s 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
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, 17 and 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 27 focus 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
Satisfaction 1
Center
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
Satisfaction 20
experiences I've had
The top 3 areas that need improvement at the Health Center in my opinion
Satisfaction 27
are:
Volunteer satisfaction with communication was addressed in questions 2, 4, 9, 10, 19, 26
and 30.
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

Communication 26
Health Center
The communication at the Health Center could most improve in the
Communication 30
following ways (please choose 3):
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
Training 13
Health Center.
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 volunteer’s satisfaction.
11
Table 5: Leadership Questions

I feel that the level of supervision I receive at the Health Center is just what
Leadership 7
I need
The Health Center would run smoother if we had more leaders there more
Leadership 11
often
If an opportunity to supervise or lead became available I would volunteer for
Leadership 18
it
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
Leadership 24
Health Center
My suggestions for how the leadership of the Health Center could be
Leadership 29
enhanced are:
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?
11
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 researcher is cognitive of the limitations present when only
58.6% of the volunteer population responds. Further questions arise regarding why the other
40% did not respond, and whether or not the 58% who did respond have a positive or negative
bias.
Did the volunteers that responded reflect the broad volunteer experience at The Health Center?
The researcher has identified two concerns regarding the volunteer list that has possible
limitations on the data collected. First, 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
22
included volunteers who had been doing construction at the Health Center over the last year as
well. Given the fact that the questionnaire was designed for those who are working with the
Health Center in the weekly operations and services, those who volunteer on special projects and
construction could impact the responses.
This list also did not include any volunteers who had volunteered four and five years ago
when the Health Center first started yet are not volunteering today. The researcher recognizes
that by not including those who have left the Health Center it is possible that those with
unsatisfactory experiences would not be included in the results therefore causing the results to
have a positive bias.
The researcher also identified an area of concern regarding those who did respond and the
possible implications on the data collected. With only twenty-five volunteers (43%) responding
in the online questionnaire the remaining 9 (15.6%) came from volunteers attending the annual
volunteer recognition and awards dinner on the 23rd of September. The researcher acknowledges
that those volunteers responding are in all probability the more motivated volunteers and will
have impact the results with a positive bias.
33
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS
In Chapter 1, the researcher identified problem areas at Health Center relating to
motivation and satisfaction. The researcher also included how communication with the
volunteer base and the lack of opportunities for training and the development of leadership
impacted the volunteer’s experience. Chapter 2 summarized the literature the researcher
reviewed to help him form a basis for analyzing the effectiveness of the Health Center’s
Volunteer structure.
In Chapter 3 the researcher presented an overview of the research design and the data
collection plan, including its rationale and limitations and the instruments to be used. The
researcher used the data plan to measure the motivation and satisfaction, and determine the need
for increased communication, increased opportunities for leadership and the provision of
training. The measurements were critical to the study of the problems impacting motivation and
satisfaction at the Health Center.
This chapter will provide the results of the data collected from the volunteer
questionnaire and the administrator interview. Of the 58 invited to participate in the volunteer
questionnaire 34 responded (58.6% response rate) and of the two directors serving in
administrative roles both were interviewed. The information collected was tabulated and
presented in a manner that will make possible the interpretation of the responses. The
information for the volunteer response was arranged according to the four main hypotheses and
tables will be included that display the results for all the questions directed toward each
hypotheses. The researcher performed a one-way chi-square analysis for each Likert scale
question and included the results of the Chi-Square analysis with the raw responses in the tables.
Included in the tables are also the comments to the open questions. Analyses of the data in each
table will follow-up each table. The administrative response will record the statements by both
44
administrators according to questions asked and not in table format. Finally, the researcher will
give a summary statement regarding all the results collected.
Statistical Analysis and Display of the Data
Volunteer Response
Motivation and Satisfaction
The first hypothesis “Effective volunteer management designs its program with the
motivation and satisfaction of its particular volunteers in mind” will be discussed in two sections.
The first looks at and measures the overall motivation of volunteers at Health Center and
includes Table 6. The following Table 7 deals with the level of volunteer satisfaction at the
health center.
Table 6: Motivation
Neither Null
Strongly Strongly
Question: Agree Agree Nor Disagree N Hypothesis
Agree Disagree
Disagree
8. I find myself volunteering more hours
recently than I have in the past 2 1 10 17 4 34 Rejected
12. I see things that could be done, but no

one is doing them 3 8 11 9 3 34 Accepted
14. I would like to do more to help out at

the Health Center 10 17 4 1 2 34 Rejected
17. I would volunteer more time if it

would include tasks I enjoy doing 5 12 10 4 3 34 Rejected
22. The Health Center asks me to

volunteer more than I would like to 2 3 6 17 6 34 Rejected
In Table 6 there are five questions that were constructed to measure volunteer motivation.
Questions 8 and 22 were designed to ascertain whether or not the volunteer felt that the amount
55
of time volunteering was adequate for the motivation level of the volunteer. In both questions
the volunteers indicate that the time they give and the time being asked is congruent. The Health
Center seems to have hit on just the right amount of time to ask of its volunteers. Questions 14
and 17 were designed to discover if there was yet untapped energy in the volunteer base.
Question 14 has a strong response in favor of the volunteer’s motivation to do more. Question
17 shows that given the right tasks, the volunteer would be willing and motivated to do more at
the health center. Finally, question 12 intended to draw out from the volunteer whether they
were able or not to see tasks or responsibilities that needed doing in the health center. The
researcher assumed that if there were areas of responsibility that they were motivated to work in
but not available, that they would be able to respond affirmatively to this question. The response
is fairly even and returned with a null hypothesis through Chi-Square analysis.
The results basically state that the volunteer base of the health center is a highly
motivated group. Although, the health center has arrived at an acceptable amount of hours to ask
of the volunteers to give, their volunteers are indicating that there is more that they would like to
do and there are tasks they would like to do but are not being asked of them
66
Table 7: Satisfaction
Neither
Strongly Strongly Null
Question: Agree Agree Nor Disagree N
Agree Disagree Hypothesis
Disagree
1. Based on my experience I would encourage
others to volunteer at the Health Center 18 12 3 0 1 34 Rejected
3. I can see myself volunteering at the Health
Center in the future 20 11 2 0 1 34 Rejected
5. I feel like I am doing something important

at the Health Center 12 12 7 1 2 34 Rejected
6. I feel like my time, talents and gifts are well

used at the Health Center 8 10 9 3 4 34 Accepted
20. I've enjoyed working at the Health Center

more than other volunteer experiences I've had 8 8 12 5 1 34 Rejected
27. The top 3 areas that need improvement at the Health Center in my opinion are:
Number of People Making Comment
Relevant and practical training opportunities 15
More opportunities to serve 9
Better supervision from leadership 3
More consistent and relevant communication 9
Opportunities to do tasks that are more to my
8
gifts and talents
Health Center needs advertisement 5
Additional Comments:
MD/MD assistant present at all times 1
Development of policy & procedures/
1
guidelines
Follow up 2
Having defined roles and duties 1
I don't have the time but more meetings are
1
needed
Fundraising 1
Table 7 lists the results to the questions created to find volunteer satisfaction. A quick
scan of the results in the top of the table show a high level of satisfaction in the volunteers of The
Health Center. Questions 1, 3 and 5 all show a strong favorable response from the volunteers
that not only do they see the value in their work at the health center, but they see the health
center as the place they will continue to volunteer and are satisfied enough to encourage others to
do the same. Question 20 shows a less strong response as the number of undecided responses
increased as well as unfavorable responses. Although it does not have a direct statement on the
77
satisfaction the volunteer experiences at the Health Center it does show that other volunteer
organizations have done as well at providing a satisfactory experience, and that there is room for
the health center to increase the level of satisfaction for the volunteer base.
Question 6 and the open-ended questions at the bottom of the table show less satisfaction.
Even though there is a 50% favorable response in question 5 half of the volunteers felt that they
were either unsure of their gifts and talents being used well by the Health Center or they were
sure their talents were not used well. There is also a sizeable volunteer response to question 27,
which openly and in general asks them to share areas where improvement can be made in the
Health Center (this section received the most responses of any of the open questions 2 through
5). The response to question 5 coupled with the response to question 27 shows a degree of
discontent within the volunteer base.
The results to this section do seem to be a bit conflicted. A strong satisfactory response
from the volunteers to several questions while at the same time openly aware and concerned with
the need for the Health Center to improve indicates an incongruent pattern of thinking. Possible
explanations for that are 1) that the overall experience for the volunteer may be positive and yet
there are specific areas that they are able to identify as needing change for the better, or 2) it is
also plausible that their high motivation level has given them the ability to see the possibilities of
a good situation becoming a great situation.
Communication
In this next section the table and results will address the hypothesis, “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
88
the organization.” Communication plays a role in promoting connectedness for the volunteer,
which in turn has a significant role in the level of satisfaction.
Table 8: Communications
Neither
Disagree
2. I am satisfied with how the Health Center
11 15 3 3 2 34 Rejected
contacts me
4. I feel "in the loop" with what is happening
4 12 11 4 3 34 Rejected
at the Health Center
9. I feel that my suggestions have been heard 7 7 14 2 4 34 Rejected
10. I have made new relationships with other
10 17 3 4 0 34 Rejected
volunteers at the Health Center
19. It is important for me to be updated
weekly about current affairs at the Health 4 13 9 5 3 34 Rejected
Center
26. I have been solicited for feedback 3 16 8 5 2 34 Rejected
30. The communication at the Health Center could most improve in the following ways

Information needs to be more accurate 3
Communication needs to be timely 6
I like receiving regular mail 10
More volunteer meetings to hear input from

3
all volunteer members
Tell more success stories by newsletter/email 1
There should be some quality assurance

1
protocols
Haven’t seen a schedule for next month 1
Make phone calls for those not receiving

1
email
The questions in this section were intended to identify how well the Health Center is
doing in the area of communications. Question 2 asks the general feeling of satisfaction the
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volunteer feels regarding communication and the results are noticeably favorable. Another
strong favorable response comes from question 10 regarding the building of new relationships.
This question was introduced as a means of determining whether a sense of connection is being
developed through relationships. Is the atmosphere conducive to relationships or all business?
There is a strong response showing new relationships are being created at the Health Center; one
of the strongest responses on the whole questionnaire. Although not as strong, both questions 9
and 26 indicate that for the most part the Health Center is providing ample opportunity to get
volunteer feedback and the volunteer is contented that he or she is being heard. All of these
questions would indicate that the Health Center has created an environment where the
communication is valued and is being used to foster relationships and connection with the
volunteer base.
The weakest yet favorable response comes from question 4. In question 4 where it asks
the main question regarding being connected or feeling “in the loop” there was a high response
of neither agree or disagree and several unfavorable results. In regards to question 19, where the
volunteer is asked about regularity of mailing, the reply is mostly in agreement to a weekly letter.
On the surface this may not say much but given the current pattern of monthly mailing, there
seems to be an indication here that that is not enough. In the response to question 30, almost 30%
of the respondents indicate that they would like to receive regular mail as opposed to the current
method of email. Question 30 also reveals that to some the quality of communication needs to
improve.
Similar to the pattern of response in the area of satisfaction, there is a noticeably
favorable response regarding communication at Health Center and yet there is enough response
from the volunteers stating particular issues with the current system of communication, that it
1010
must be noted. With a high level of satisfaction in the Health Centers communication there
should have been a higher level of feeling connected. The results show that even though the
Health Center is doing well in communication, there is plenty enough volunteers who see room
for improvement.
Training
The third hypothesis states, “Training volunteers will increase their level of satisfaction.”
Table 9 displays the questions and results around the volunteer’s perception of training and its
impact on the volunteer experience.
Table 9: Training
Neither
Disagree
13. I understand how my volunteer work fits
9 18 5 0 2 34 Rejected
into the mission and vision of the Health Center
15. I would like to train others to do what I do 7 10 11 4 2 34 Accepted
16. I would try volunteering in new ways if I
9 16 5 4 0 34 Rejected
received training to do them
21. Sometimes I am doing volunteer work and
3 6 9 14 2 34 Rejected
not sure if I am doing it well
25. There are things I would like to do but I
4 12 6 11 1 34 Rejected
don't feel qualified to do
28. If training were offered I would take it in the following areas:
Overall vision and mission of the Health
4
Center
Basic protocols for working in health
13
organizations
Critical response procedures 11
Hospitality 4
File Management/Database Management 4
How to follow up and build new relationships 1
Improving the health maintenance of children 1
Primary care medicine 1
1111
The questions in the area of training were designed to determine how well trained the
volunteer felt and whether or not they felt more training was needed. Question 13 reflects on the
volunteer’s perceived need for additional training in the area of overall vision and mission of the
Health Center. The indication here is that the vision and mission of the Health Center has been
clearly communicated and the volunteer feels that he or she understands how his or her function
fits into the larger scheme. The Health Center has done an adequate job of training in this
regard. However, 9 of 34 volunteers responded that they were not sure that they were doing their
particular tasks well, according to question 21. Though most answered that they were sure of
themselves and their work 20% were not sure and 20% were undecided. This shows that in the
functional areas of the Health Center there is need of training.
Questions 16 and 25 address the desire for training. There seems to be a substantial
number of volunteers who are motivated for more training. Both questions look at the desire to
volunteer in different and desired ways, and in both cases the volunteer response was favorably
high. The Health Center is still very young in operation, and its vision and promise are lofty.
The responses to these two questions show that there is considerable desire on the part of the
current volunteers to be apart of the Health Centers growing future and vision. Furthermore,
question 15 shows that there are many willing to put in the extra time to do the training and
encourage other volunteers to step into more varied and desirable functions. The volunteer reply
to all three of these questions show a high value placed on training by the volunteer base.
Given the high level of motivation that the volunteers expressed in the first area of results
and seen in Table 6, it stands to reason that their desire for further training would be equivalent.
The volunteer response in this area is the first to show cohesiveness and agreement. The
indication of the volunteers is that they are motivated for more training.
1212
Leadership
The final area of volunteer response addresses the fourth hypothesis. “Involving
volunteers in the leadership of volunteer agencies increases their motivation and satisfaction.”
This area addresses the volunteer perception of the current leadership structure and investigates
their possible involvement in it.
Table 10: Leadership

Neither
Disagree
7. I feel that the level of supervision I receive
at the Health Center is just what I need 8 13 7 5 1 34 Rejected
11. I know who to go to when I need to

discuss issues that arise 11 16 3 2 2 34 Rejected
18. If an opportunity to supervise or lead
became available I would volunteer for it 5 14 10 3 2 34 Rejected
23. The Health Center would run smoother if

we had more leaders there more often 6 4 15 8 1 34 Rejected
24. The leadership has made it clear to me in

what capacity I can best serve the Health 2 18 8 4 2 34 Rejected
Center
29. My suggestions for how the leadership of the Health Center could be enhanced are:
Provide opportunities for volunteers to
supervise and lead 5
Be more visible
12
Be less authoritative 1
Show more recognition
6
Identify clearly who the leaders are/roles. 1
Provide relevant training to non-medical
1
volunteer
How to build new cross cultural relationships 1
Interdisciplinary mtgs. to establish protocols 1

Mirroring ourselves after more established
2
Christian clinics
1313
The questions in this section were designed to ascertain the level of satisfaction the
volunteer base felt with the current leadership structure and to determine if the volunteer was
willing to participate in it. Questions 7, 11 and 24 all relate to the volunteer’s general feeling of
satisfaction with the current leader structure. All three questions indicate a favorable response
toward the leadership at The Health Center. In particular the volunteer base is saying that he or
she feels that the leadership is communicating to them regarding their service roles, and that the
leadership structure is both understood and adequate in its level of supervision.
However, there seems to be some concern regarding how many leaders are available. In
question 23 there is 30% response to wanting to see more leaders around and another 45% who
are undecided. It would seem that almost half of the volunteer base is unsure whether having
more leaders around is a positive or negative. This sheds some doubt as to volunteer’s level of
satisfaction. Similarly, in the open question 29, there are 35% of the volunteers saying that
leadership needs to be more visible. Again, the volunteers are expressing some doubt as to
viability of the leadership structure.
In question 18 there is a considerably favorable response from the volunteers to be
willing to get involved in the leadership structure and process. This indicates a level of
motivation in the volunteer base to take part in the positive aspect of the current leadership or
contribute to correcting the things they see needing improvement.
Once again a pattern emerges as in the areas of satisfaction and communication, which
shows a general positive response to the overall picture of the area of leadership, yet shows
volunteer concern about specific functions. It demonstrates an overall positive leadership
experience with room to improve.
1414
Administration Response
The researcher will display the responses of the administration as respondent #1 and
respondent #2 to keep all information confidential. Respondent #1 has the role of Medical
Administrator and oversees the communications, volunteer relations and event planning.
Respondent #2 has the role of Executive Director and is responsible for giving direction and
guidance to the entire organization, including fund raising and oversight of the Administrative
Board. The responses will be listed below each question and a summary statement will follow
each question.
In your opinion, what are the top three areas of the Health Center that needs improvement?
Respondent #1 • The leadership needs to involve volunteers in more responsibility.
• The Health Center needs more visibility. It is a hidden commodity and needs
to be advertised to the community.
• The physical plant needs to be finished.
• Offer training.
Respondent #2 • More volunteer leadership roles need to be developed, and start up volunteer
leadership team
• The Health Center needs to improve communication. You can never
communicate too much.
• Training for administration and volunteers.
Both administrators were in agreement and recognized the need for volunteer leadership
and training. They both talked about how this young Health Center is experiencing growth
pains. The need for leadership and training were direct results of the The Health Center’s
1515
growth. One of the administrators saw the very practical need to finish the physical center as a
critical area and the practical need for advertisement as the next most important step to take. The
other administrator saw the need for improved communication as the next critical step.
What kind of training would you recommend for the administration and volunteers of the Health
Center?
Respondent #1 • Training in leadership and administration.
• People skills “Salient Solution.”
• Basic protocols in Medical Health Centers.
Respondent #2 • Training and oversight for the volunteer leadership team.
• Crisis response procedures for entire volunteer base.
• Training in vision and mission for new volunteers
In regards to training, both administrators listed the need to train the volunteer leaders.
They both agreed that it was a critical need for improving the Health Center. One respondent
saw functional training as the medical realm as the next two important areas to focus on. The
other respondent was more interested in the broad strokes of mission and crisis response as
needing to get addressed.
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?
Respondent #1 • The primary means of communication is through email. He rated the
communication as adequate and did not see any need to change or improve
Respondent #2 • The level of communication is inadequate. It needs to be more accurate,
1616
more timely and more often.
The administrator’s responses were vastly different in this area. One administrator
placed a much higher value on communication that the other.
What are your recommendations for the improvement of leadership of the Health Center?
Respondent #1 • Identify potential leaders from the volunteer base.
• Identify specific roles within the Health Center and begin delegating them.
• Develop a team of volunteer leaders.
Respondent #2 • Administrator roles need to be more clearly defined.
• Get volunteer leaders recruited, trained and released as soon as possible.
• Start up a volunteer leadership team (regular meetings).
Once again both administrators had a high emphasis on the area of volunteer leadership.
For Health Center to improve its leadership structure, both saw the need to identify and train
volunteer leaders, and both saw the need to develop a volunteer leadership team.
Summary of Results
The results are summed up according to the volunteer questionnaire responses and the
administrator interviews.
Volunteer Response Summary
The results of the volunteer responses show a high level of motivation and satisfaction in
the Health Center’s volunteer base. The volunteers show a sense of reward for having
participated in the Health Center’s volunteer experience and indicate a desire to continue serving.
Furthermore, the volunteers feel comfortable encouraging others to be a part of the volunteer
1717
experience. Their motivation shows in the fact that they are willing and even more so looking
for opportunities to do more.
The volunteer response also showed a general satisfaction in the way the Health Center
communicated with them. There was a strong show of confidence that the communication
efforts were sufficient. At the same time the volunteer base also expressed some thoughts and
concerns regarding some functional aspects of the communication effort. Some desire for a
weekly update was expressed and desire for different venues of communication conveyed. The
volunteers also responded with a fairly moderate reply to “feeling in the loop.”
The volunteer response to training was the most cohesive and decisive of any of the areas
covered. There was a substantial and strong favorable response from the volunteer toward
having more training. There was also a considerably favorable response showing not only
agreement but also willingness on the part of the volunteers to assist in and be a part of the
training process.
The area leadership structure was seen by volunteer response to be adequate and
understandable. The volunteer largely agreed that the Health Center was providing an acceptable
level of supervision and on who those leaders were. The volunteer response indicated however
that the Health Center could use more leadership and be more visible. The volunteer also
showed willingness and responded positively toward assuming leadership roles.
As a whole the volunteers showed a great deal of satisfaction in the general and specific
functioning of the Health Center. In several specific ways they were able to identify certain
functions for improvement. They also show a substantial level of motivation. Any question that
asked about willingness to learn or serve was met largely with a positive response.
1818
Administration Response Summary
The administrators were largely in agreement with the core issues facing the Health
Center. In both the interviews and casual contact with the administrators they communicated an
understanding of the unique situation that the Health Center was in. As a young organization the
Health Center was now on the verge of moving into a more significant and demanding mode of
service. With that in mind the administrators could both see the importance of developing a
volunteer leadership team that would guide the ministry into the uncertain future. They both saw
the necessity and importance of training leadership and the rest of the volunteer base in
preparation for the possible growth and expansion of services that they anticipated.
On other issues the administrators were not very cohesive. The administrators had other
concerns for the Health Center that largely fit in with the administrative roles they participated
in. The Medical Administrator (Respondent #1) was more interested in seeing improvements in
the day to day operations of the Health Center such as the construction, advertisement and
administrative assistance for the activities he was involved in. The Executive Director was
interested in the broader vision of the Health Center and seeing critical steps taken now that will
ensure the success of the organization for the future, especially as it pertained to developing
leadership that will guide the organization through the anticipated growth.
1919
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
Interpretations of Findings
The volunteer questionnaire and administrator interview were the primary sources for
gathering data for this project. Even though the researcher was only able to get 34 responses out
of 58 for 58.6%, the researcher believes that there is enough response to draw specific
conclusions regarding the volunteer base at the Health Center. The data collected in this study
supported the researchers original observations regarding the volunteer and the impact that
communication, training and leadership has on his or her level of motivation and satisfaction at
the Health Center.
The data supported the arguments and information set forth in the literature review as
they pertained to volunteer satisfaction. In general the literature suggested that if the volunteer
organization can tap into what motivates the one who volunteer then the level of satisfaction
increases. As a whole, the responses from the volunteers demonstrated that the Health Center
showed value to its volunteers through adequate communication; sufficient levels of supervision;
and appropriate training. The responses from the volunteers confirmed that addressing these
issues impacted the level of satisfaction that the volunteers experienced working at the Health
Center. However, the data also showed that the Health Center had room for improvement.
Volunteer responses were able to identify specific areas in communication and leadership where
they expected more from the Health Center.
The data also revealed a high motivation in the volunteer base at the Health Center. The
data dealing with motivation did not prove or support the arguments set forth in the literature
review. In the literature review it was argued that the organization can increase the volunteer’s
motivation by paying attention to the volunteers needs; providing the volunteer with a useful
2020
opportunity to serve the community; and by offering some benefits through the volunteer
experience. The research did not explore this area in depth; it shows a high level of motivation
but does not show why. The data simply shows a tremendous willingness on behalf of most
volunteers to learn new and desired responsibilities and to serve more.
Conclusions of Study
To summarize the findings of the study as they relate to the volunteer and his or her
motivation and satisfaction, the researcher has concluded that the volunteer base has achieved a
considerable level of satisfaction from serving at the Health Center. Through the literature
review the researcher was able to identify three key areas that affect the experience of
satisfaction by the volunteer. In particular the review focused on how communication, training
and volunteer leadership opportunities affected the motivation and satisfaction of volunteer. In
both the literature review and the research there is strong evidence to show that a volunteer
organization that shows worth to their volunteer base and values them through regular and
consistent communication; through leading them with sufficient levels of supervision; and
through preparing them to serve well by the means of training, will yield a satisfied volunteer
base.
After evaluating the responses from the questionnaire and the personal interviews with
the administrators the researcher has concluded that The Health Center has largely succeeded in
the effort to meet the needs of the volunteers, yet not fully. The findings show that there is still
opportunity for the Health Center to improve and grow. By addressing the areas that have
emerged from the volunteer responses and administrator interviews the Health Center enhances
its efforts for volunteer satisfaction. The researcher has identified from the study five areas he
has concluded need addressing:
2121
1. The Health Center needs to Communicate to the volunteer more often and in more
venues.
2. The Health Center needs to provide relevant training and needs to do more of it.
3. The Health Center needs to increase and diversify the opportunities to serve so that
more volunteers will feel that their gifts and talents can be used.
4. The Health Center needs to have more leaders on hand during operational hours.
5. The Health Center needs to identify, recruit, train and empower more volunteer
leaders.
After further evaluation of the volunteer and administrator responses it is also the
conclusion of the researcher that the volunteer base of Health Center is a highly motivated group.
The literature review illustrates that this is not an easy task given the changing face of
volunteerism in the 21st century. The researcher finds this to be of great interest and believes it
would be of some value to do further research so as to ascertain the reasons for such a
demonstration. There are several areas in which the volunteer response showed significant
motivation:
1. Desire to see more opportunities for their gifts and talents to be used by the Health
Center.
2. Willingness to be trained and to serve in new areas that the volunteer isn’t currently
proficient to serve in.
3. Willingness to train other volunteers in areas where they are currently proficient.
4. Willingness to serve in a volunteer leadership capacity.
2222
It is the researcher’s firm conviction that the Health Center is in the position to take
greater advantage of the volunteer base. Not just for the sake of the Health Center, but also to
keep the volunteer base satisfied, it needs to tap into what motivates the volunteer.
Implications of Research
The volunteer response gives ample indication that changes in specific areas could
improve the overall satisfaction experience for volunteering at The Health Center. The
implications for the Health Center are several.
Improve communications
The literature review argues that communication with volunteers demonstrates value in
them as the volunteer management takes the time to inform and include them in the daily
activities and future happenings of the organization. The Health Center has chosen to
communicate with the volunteers on regular but not consistent basis, mostly as special events are
imminent. Also, the Health Center uses primarily the Internet, and in particular e-mail as its
medium for communication.
As noted in the responses from the volunteer base, the Health Center would benefit from
both going to a more consistent pattern of communication and increasing the methods it uses to
communicate. Many of the volunteers responded favorably to having communication on a
weekly basis. Whether weekly or not the Health Center needs to hear how important it is to
communicate with its volunteers and how much they need that to feel connected with the mission
and members of the organization. The communication needs to come more often and needs to
show regularity.
The Health Center also needs to employ more means of communicating their
information. Email is a quick and efficient means of communication, however it does restrict
2323
those who get the information to those who have access to computers and printers. Regular mail
may seem antiquated by our modern society but it is still a proven and reliable mode of
communicating. Several members expressed specifically to be contacted in this method and still
fewer asked to be contacted by phone. Another attractive method of communicating, though
presents some limits, is the use of the Internet and web pages. It would serve as a positive way
of having information always available, especially information that may be bulky or constantly
changing.
Provide Training
The literature review demonstrates that the value of the volunteer multiplies with training
and that the motivation of the volunteer increases as well. Any volunteer organization would
increase its chances for success through training its volunteers. As a relatively young
organization the Health Center has provided the volunteer base with a clear and tangible vision
and opportunity to bring about its fulfillment. This “orientation” has developed a sense of
drawing in volunteers as members of the organization and giving them a sense of ownership.
The response from the volunteers was substantial regarding the understanding of the mission and
his or her part in it.
As the Health Center continues to draw in volunteers through orienting them in the
mission and vision, it needs to make other training opportunities a priority for its continued
success. The motivation among the volunteers is high regarding their willingness to learn new
functions. The Health Center needs to tap into this energy and design specific training tracks
that enable volunteers more options and venues to serve. Specific training opportunities
mentioned by the volunteers themselves would be in the areas of general health care, hospitality
and administrative/file management procedures.
2424
Other training issues include basic health care protocols and critical response procedures.
Due to the nature of Health Care and its vulnerability to litigation, it is crucial for the Health
Center to train all its volunteers in these basic responses and procedures. Every volunteer needs
to have a clear understanding of what the Health Center expects of them such as how to serve
any person and every type of person who walks through there doors. Similarly, every volunteer
needs to know what to do in case of any type of emergency that could possibly arise out of the
day-to-day operations. Several volunteers expressed this as a concern for the Health Center.
Provide Opportunities to Serve
According to arguments set forth in the literature review, volunteer satisfaction is
impacted by whether or not the volunteer feels useful and needed. Both of these can be
addressed by having opportunity to serve. The Health Center is relatively limited in its scope
due to its limitations in facility and that it is still young. The Health Center has sought to strike a
balance with the amount of services it provides based on the space and volunteers available and
the demand for care. However, the volunteer response indicates that the volunteer base is ready
and willing to increase their involvement.
The literature also argues that those who are not being used and especially not being used
in ways that they are interested in serving that the volunteer organization stands a chance to lose
these volunteers. The Health Center needs to consider creating more times to serve and more
functional opportunities to serve for their volunteer base. The volunteer response indicated that
they felt that the amount time given and asked to give were adequate, and yet there was a
considerable response to be willing to serve more if the occasion surfaced. It is to the advantage
of the Health Center to pursue this issue further with its volunteer base. With the indicated
desire to be trained and serve more, the Health Center should query the volunteers and set out
2525
training opportunities followed with practical venues to use the new skills learned. By
increasing and diversifying the opportunities to serve, the Health Center volunteers will feel their
gifts and talents are being used.
Empower Volunteer Leaders
The role of leadership supervision in volunteer satisfaction is noted in the literature
review. 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 and
shows the volunteer that the organization cares enough to see that he or she is doing an adequate
job. The two areas in the volunteer response regarding leadership where the volunteer base saw
potential for improvement was in the visibility of leadership and opportunities to serve in
leadership roles.
The volunteer response showed some concern for leadership to have a greater presence
and the volunteers expressed a strong willingness to serve in leadership capacity if the
opportunity was presented. By empowering volunteer leadership the Health Center could
address both concerns concurrently. For volunteer satisfaction the Health Center needs to have
more leaders on hand during operational hours. However, the Health Center only has the
Medical Administrator as the only recognized or official leadership role. The Health Center
needs to identify, recruit, train and empower its volunteers for leadership. The Health Center
needs to specify and identify leadership roles, and given definition to those roles so that selected
volunteers can be trained and empowered in them. The volunteers selected for the specific roles
would come together as a volunteer leadership team. The administrator responses indicated that
this is an outcome that would prepare the organization for anticipated growth in the future.
2626
Recommendations for further Research and Evaluation
The focus of the project was to look into the volunteer effort at the Health Center. The
project estimated that communication; leadership supervision and opportunities for training
would impact the level of volunteer motivation and satisfaction. The results of this project did
more to show how communication, leadership and training impact satisfaction and not as much
motivation. The researcher believes that more research is required to determine the impact on
motivation. The project results showed a high level of motivation but do not explore the reasons
for it.
Given that such high levels of motivation, it could be of service to all volunteer
organizations and their management to investigate what is behind the strong motivation. This
study does not record how the vision impacts the volunteer’s desire and it fails to show the value
the volunteer places on being a part of the Health Center’s mission. The researcher sees value in
determining how and why the volunteers are motivated to serve at the health center.
The researcher also sees the value of research into the area of volunteers who are also
leaders. The researcher discovered minimal studies into this area. With the changing face of
volunteerism in the 21st century and volunteers looking for more meaningful ways to participate
in volunteer programs, it would do well to explore what are the best practices in identifying,
recruiting, training and empowering volunteers who will serve in leadership roles.
2727
APPENDIX 1: MISSION AND OBJECTIVES
Mission Statement
Compelled by Christian Faith, in partnership with the church, the Community Development
Corporation and others, we seek to impact lives by providing health care oriented to the physical,
emotional and spiritual needs of immigrants and the under-insured of Central Queens in New York City
Objectives
• To promote health awareness and provide preventative health education to immigrant

and under-insured families
• Encourage health care professionals to work amongst the underserved and immigrant
population in Central Queens
• Establish and develop a primary care facility in Central Queens targeted to serving
immigrants and the under-insured
• Promote and encourage health care professions to indigenous young people from within the
community by providing them with mentoring, scholarships, internships and career
counseling
2828
APPENDIX 2: ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
Community Development Corporation
Community
Partnering Church Development
Corporation
Board of
Directors
Beats n Food and Legal

Blessings Clothing TESL Immigration
Pantry Clinic
Health Center Executive

Administrati
on Team
Director
Medical Admin.
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APPENDIX 3: COVER LETTER
Dear Valued Volunteer,
In an ongoing effort to move toward the mission and vision of Health Center we have
asked Craig Fee to use some of the Organizational Leadership training he has be receiving in
Nyack College’s MSOL program and apply it to our circumstances. As we approach the
completion of the Health Center and foresee the changes that are going to occur as a result of the
full use of the Center, we want to begin to prepare for that. Craig has volunteered to help us with
that process and we are asking you to help him. He is going to need your help in the process. He
has asked that each volunteer fill out a short survey.
Accompanying this (email/letter) is a (web link to a questionnaire / short questionnaire)
asking questions regarding your volunteer experience. It is of great importance that you answer
them in an authentic and timely fashion. The answers will be kept anonymous and confidential.
This questionnaire should not take more than 10 minutes of your time.
The whole survey process was designed for simplicity and not intended to inconvenience
you. The email version will come with a link to an online survey site that has directions for you
to follow and you can answer at your leisure from your computer. The regular mail will include
a self addressed stamped envelope to make this process as easy as possible.
Thank you so much for you cooperation in this matter.
Serving together in Him,
David Jennings
Health Center Executive Director
Rafael Costas
Director of Medical Administration
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APPENDIX 4: REMINDER LETTER
Dear Health Center Volunteer,
This is just a short reminder to encourage you to fill out the survey that Craig Fee sent out
early last week. For the sake of the Health Center and its future success we need your responses.
Just in case you trashed Craig’s email by accident, or maybe your email application put it in junk
mail without you knowing, we are going to include the link for the survey. Just click on the
following link and it will take you directly to the survey site.
(http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB225MBZX5U7U) .
Please do your best to fill out the survey by this Saturday. The Web Host is going to take
the survey down on Sunday and you will not be able to participate further. Also, please answer
all the questions; partial surveys will not be included. If you have any questions please feel free
to write us back.
Thank you to those who have already filled it out.
Serving together in Him,
David Jennings
Health Center Executive Director
Rafael Costas
Director of Medical Administration
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APPENDIX 5: SAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE
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APPENDIX 6: ADMINISTRATION INTERVIEW
In your opinion, what are the top three areas of the Health Center that needs
improvement?
What kind of training would you recommend for the administration and volunteers of the
Health Center?
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?
What are your recommendations for the improvement of leadership of the Health Center?
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REFERENCES
Bellamy, P. A. (2001). Why Volunteer and is Volunteering Worth the Effort? Unpublished
doctoral dissertation, East Tennessee State University, Carter County, Tennessee.
Boyd, B. L. (2003). Identifying Competencies For Volunteer Administrators For The Coming
Decade: A National Delphi Study. Journal of Agricultural Education, 44, 47-56.
Bussell, H., & Forbes, D. (2001). Understanding the Volunteer Market: The what, where, who
and why of volunteering. International Journal of the Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector
Marketing, 74, 244-257.
Claassens, E. (2004). Management of Volunteers in Faith-Based Organizations. Unpublished
doctoral dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Clary, E.G., Snyder, M., Stukas, A. A., (1998). Volunteers’ Motivations: Findings from a
National Survey. Nonprofit Sector Research Fund Working Paper Series.
Clary, E. G., Ridge, R. D., Stukas, A. A., Snyder, M., Copeland, J., Haugen, J., & Miene, P.
(1998). Understanding and Assessing the Motivations of Volunteers: A Functional
Approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 1516-1530.
Corporation For National And Community Service. (2005). Volunteering in America: State
Trends and Rankings (Rep.). Washington D.C.: Corporation for National and Community
Service.
Daiski, I. (2004). Changing Nurses' Dis-empowering Relationship Patterns. Journal of Advanced
Nursing, 48(1), 43-50.
Department Of Labor. (2005). Volunteering in the United States, 2005 (Rep.). Washington D.C.:
Bureau of Labor Statistics.
De Tocqueville, Alexis. (2004). Democracy In America. Penguin Putman Inc.
4747
Eagan, S. C. (1992). Getting the Most From Volunteering. West Virginia University Extension
Service.
Evans, E., & Saxton, J. (2005). The 21st Century Volunteer: A report on the changing face of
volunteering in the 21st Century. NfpSynergy, 1-53.
Fisher, J. C., & Cole, K. M. (1993). Leadership And Management of Volunteer Programs. San
Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass.
Hainsworth, J., & Barlow, J. (2001). Volunteers' Experiences of Becoming Arthritis Self-
Management Lay Leaders. American College of Rheumatology, 45, 378-383.
Handy, F., & Srinivasan, N. (2004). Valuing Volunteer: An Economic Evaluation of the Net
Benefits of Hospital Volunteers. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 33, 28-54.
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High-Risk, Vulnerable Populations. Journal of Community Health Nursing, 10(2), 87-96.
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D.C.: Independent Sector.
Jenner, J. R. (1982). Participation, Leadership, and the Role of Volunteerism Among Selected
Women Volunteers. Journal of Voluntary Action Research, 11, 27-38.
McCurley, S., & Lynch, R. (1997). Volunteer Management. Downers Grove, Illinois: Heritage
Arts.
Muehrcke, J. (1991). How to Attract the "new" Volunteer: [review of At the Heart: The New
Volunteer Challenge to Community Agencies]. Non-Profit World, 9, 27-28.
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Piot, L. I. (1994). Volunteer Training and Development: A Needs Assessment. Unpublished
doctoral dissertation, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
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Development: Addressing the Effectiveness of Training New 4-H Leaders. Journal of
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Managing Volunteer Effort 1

Managing Volunteer Effort

Submitted in partial fulfillment

of the requirement for the degree of

Master of Science in Organizational Leadership

School of Adult Continuing Education

Dr. Claire Henry Lead Professor

Dr. Anita Underwood Director MSOL

leaders to assist in administering its operations and volunteer personnel.

Chapter One: Introduction 9

Chapter Two: Literature Review 14

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

Chapter Three: Methodology 33

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

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

Chapter 5: Conclusions and Implications 20

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

Chapter One: Introduction 9

Chapter Two: Literature Review 14

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

Chapter Three: Methodology 33

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

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

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

Chapter 5: Conclusions and Implications 20

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

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 10: Leadership 13

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

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

administering its operations and volunteer personnel.

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

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

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

the communications, volunteer relations and event planning.

History and Background of the Problem

them to partner with and serve in.

construction of permanent facilities within the church’s building.

Center recognition and State registration.

Importance of the Project

Scope of the Project

Center. The specifics of the examination were:

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

4. Will the development of volunteer leadership opportunities increase motivation and

hypotheses were made:

2. When volunteer management regularly and consistently communicates through a

3. Training volunteers will increase their level of satisfaction.

4. Involving volunteers in the leadership of the volunteer agency increases their

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW