Graduate Research Papers

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Open Access Graduate Research Paper

Abstract

The American Cancer Society is a volunteer driven organization. The purpose for this study was to learn what motivates volunteers and what keeps them satisfied with their role in the organization. There were two secondary purposes of the study: to see if there were any differences between volunteers who are in a metro, rural, or college environment and to find what would make the volunteer experience more rewarding. These purposes tied into the main goal of the study which is to highlight ways to improve the overall experience for volunteers.

A comprehensive literature review was conducted to create a framework for the study of volunteer satisfaction and motivation. A web survey was developed based on this literature review and was then sent out via email and postal mail to volunteers that were on three different Relay For Life committees: a metro event, rural event, and college event. There was a 66% response rate with all 53 surveys completed anonymously.

Two main conclusions can be drawn from the survey. First, the American Cancer Society is doing a remarkable job overall with volunteer recruitment and retention; yet, there are still areas that could be improved to make the experience more rewarding. These include providing more training and information about volunteer roles and more tools to facilitate volunteer work. Second, three motivating factors stood out to all three groups as being most important: wanting to help people, the opportunity to make a difference in the community, and having cancer affect their life.

Based on the information from the study, several recommendations can be made. First, it is important for staff to find out what motivates each individual and tailor their message accordingly. Second, many volunteers have volunteered for more than 10 years, and many put in over 20 hours a month volunteering for the American Cancer Society. It is important to identify these individuals and provide as much assistance as possible to make their experience more rewarding and to ensure that these volunteers do not feel burned out or distressed. Lastly, it is recommended that this study be refined and replicated with every Community Relations Staff person in Iowa. It will help them to better assess their individual portfolio and to find ways to improve the volunteer experience for volunteers in their communities.

Year of Submission

2013

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

School of Health, Physical Education, and Leisure Services

First Advisor

Christopher Edginton

Comments

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Date Original

2013

Object Description

1 PDF file (55 pages)

Language

en

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