2.1 ‘Be ready’
If you have 20 volunteers in a room and ask them why they volunteer, you will probably get 20 different responses, as a person’s decision to volunteer will be unique to them. This is because a person’s motivation to volunteer is influenced by their own personal values and experiences.
For example, if a family member with cancer received support from a charity this might lead to the individual wanting to give something back to this charity. Or perhaps someone just wants to take action to improve their local community. They might then have considered what they can personally contribute by volunteering and what they hope to gain from the experience.
People’s reasons to volunteer can be as simple as a desire to keep active or to give structure to their day, through to wanting to share or gain a skill or spend time doing something with friends or family.
In the following videos you can hear from volunteers about why they decided to volunteer.
Transcript: Randi, Volunteer, LGBT Youth Scotland. All rights reserved.
Transcript: Jordan, Volunteer, LGBT Youth Scotland. All rights reserved.
Transcript: Rebecca, Volunteer, GALE. All rights reserved.
Everyone has a set of values, and one of the ways potential volunteers might assess whether a volunteer activity is right for them is whether it complements their values. For example, an elderly person who values friendship may seek out a volunteer activity that provides this. So, it is vital to acknowledge how important it is for volunteers to connect with the group or organisation’s values and for them to become shared values.
2 Thinking about volunteering