Motivation and emotion/Book/2024/Functional approach to volunteerism

Functional approach to volunteerism:
How does the functional approach explain volunteer motivation and how can it be applied?

Multimedia presentation (3 min)

Overview

Case Study: Sarah's Volunteer Journey

Sarahs[grammar?] Story: Sarah, a 35 year old marketing professional that has recently begun volunteering at a local animal shelter. Initially, her involvement was motivated by her love for animals (Values Function), she then realised that the experience also allowed her to network with like-minded indivduals[spelling?] in her field as well as gain new skills in event management (Career Function). After a year of volunteering Sarah had started to feel disengaged as the tasks no longer matched her evolving interests and needs. This case study highlights the importance of understanding and matching volunteer motivations ensure a more longer term engagement model.

What exaclty[spelling?] is the functional approach when looking at volunteerism? The functional approach approach to volunteerism to simply define it, would be the exploration of the vast amount of different motivations an individual has when they decide to choose to volunteer (Clary & Snyder, n.d.). While other perspectives would typically view volunteering as purely altruistic or self driven, this approach acknowledges that individuals volunteer for a vast amount of reasons, whether it is for personal growth, social connections or career advancements. When it comes to understanding these motivations it is crucial for effectively managing and retaining volunteers, as well as for designing volunteer programs that align with their diverse needs.

Focus questions:

What are the primary functions or motivations that drive individuals to volunteer?
How does the functional approach to volunteerism differ from the other?
Why is matching volunteer motivations with opportunities?
What are the practical implications of the functional approach for volunteer?
How can organisations assess and cater to the diverse motivations of their volunteers?
What is the relationship between motivation and success? (open-ended)

Introduction

- The functional approach to volunteerism is a psychological theory that focuses on understanding the diverse motivations behind why a certain individual would choose to volunteer.
- This volunteer approach is significant as it provides a more overall view of volunteering as a behaviour, moving beyond the traditional notion of volunteerism as a concept that's solely altruistic.
- By addressing the specific needs of motivations of volunteers and organisation can enhance volunteer satisfaction as well as commitment.

Origins of the Functional Approach

- An early concept that can be traced to early psychological theories of motivation and behaviour.
- Key Theorists:
- -William James, emphasised the importance of understanding the functions of behaviours that layed the groundwork for later theories on motivation that influenced the functional approach (Cherry, 2006).
- -Kurt Lewin: Known for his work in social psychology. His work on on motivation and emotion behavioural therapies provided a framework that looks at understanding how an individuals goals and needs drive actions, which also includes therapy (Roşca, 2020).
- -Vlary, Synder, and Ridge: These researchers were an important aspect in applying the functional approach to volunteerism. They developed the Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI), a tool that assessed the various motivations behind the concept of volunteering. Categorised them into "distinct functional motivations" concepts such as values, understanding and social enhancement.
- -Daniel Katz: Worked on functional theories of attitudes that also contributed to the development of the functional approach. his approached highlighted how different attitudes serve different psychological functions for individuals. This is a concept that parallels what it means to understand the different motivations that are in volunteering (Katz, 1960).

Theoretical Framework

- Definition/Purpose:
- Identification of Motivational Functions: Values, understanding, social, career, protective functions
- Motivation Matching Concept: Success and satisfaction shows how volunteers are influenced by how well the volunteering opportunity matches their personal motivations.
- Comparisons of Other Approaches: Altruism theory, exchange theory, and social identity theory (Nickerson, 2024).

How can a Functional Approach be Applied to Volunteering?

- Assessing Volunteer Motivations: What tools can volunteering organisations can use tools like the VFI to identify the specific motivations of volunteers.
- Customising Volunteer Roles: By matching volunteering opportunities with identifiable motivations organisations can then create roles that satisfy volunteers needs. This can thanked to volunteers with greater satisfaction while they are volunteering.
- Improving Retention of the Programs: Regularly evaluating and adapting volunteers programs to meet the changing motivations of volunteers. This can help in enforcing volunteers for longer engagement as well as long-term retention (Hynes & Nykiel, 2004).

Influence on Policy and Practice

- Evidence Based Decision Making: organisations can use the functional approach to make more data driven decisions that would make an impact on volunteer management practises as well as being both efficient and responsive to volunteer needs.
- Enhanced Volunteer Management Policies: Policies that have a functional approach focus can ensure that volunteering roles would continue to align with the evolving motivations and needs of volunteers (Silverberg et al., 2000).
- Informed Volunteer Program Design: Policies that incorporate the functional approach influence can help in encouraging roles and tasks that cater to many different motivations. This can help in fueling a moor4e effective and fulfilling experience for the volunteer

Critiscms/Limitations

- Potential Oversimplification of Motivation: Using a functional approach can lead to oversimplification of volunteers motivations as it sets them in to category's. Usually emotions are seen as a concept that is interwoven, the functional approach leads to volunteers not consciously be able to differentiate between them.
- Focus on Individualism: This approach focuses more on individual motivations that can sometimes not considering other factors that influence the volunteerism.
- Challenges in Applications: Applying it in practice can be challenging.

Key points

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Conclusion

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References

- The Functional Approach to Volunteerism(External Site)
- Motivations for Volunteering and Giving: A Functional Approach(External Site)

Cherry, K. (2006, April 18). William James Biography (1842-1910). Verywell Mind; Verywellmind. https://www.verywellmind.com/william-james-biography-1842-1910-2795545

Clary, G., & Snyder, M. (n.d.). The Functional Approach to Volunteers’ Motivations. https://generosityresearch.nd.edu/assets/13636/clary_snyder_volunteer_function_inventory_scale.pdf

Houle, B. J., Sagarin, B. J., & Kaplan, M. F. (2005). A Functional Approach to Volunteerism: Do Volunteer Motives Predict Task Preference? Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 27(4), 337–344. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15324834basp2704_6

Hynes, R. A., & Nykiel, A. I. (2004). Maximizing Outcomes of Volunteer Programs Through a Functional Approach to Motivation. Journal of College and Character, 5(9). https://doi.org/10.2202/1940-1639.1400

Katz, D. (1960). The Functional Approach to the Study of Attitudes. Public Opinion Quarterly, 24(2, Special Issue: Attitude Change), 163–204. https://doi.org/10.1086/266945

Motivation - Wikiversity. (2011). Wikiversity.org. https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Motivation

Motivation and emotion/Book/2011/Work motivation and work satisfaction - Wikiversity. (2011). Wikiversity.org. https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Motivation_and_emotion/Book/2011/Work_motivation_and_work_satisfaction

Nickerson, C. (2024, February 13). Functionalist Perspective & Theory in Sociology. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/functionalist-perspective.html

Roşca, V. I. (2020). Implications of Lewin’s Field Theory on Social Change. Proceedings of the International Conference on Business Excellence, 14(1), 617–625.

Silverberg, K. E., Backman, S. J., & Backman, K. F. (2000). Understanding Parks And Recreation Volunteers: A Functionalist Perspective. Loisir et Société / Society and Leisure, 23(2), 453–475. https://doi.org/10.1080/07053436.2000.10707539

Synder, M., Clary, E. Gi., & Stukas, A. (2000). The Functional Approach to Volunteerism . ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271446228_The_functional_approach_to_volunteerism?channel=doi&linkId=54c812200cf22d626a38f84e&showFulltext=true

Wikipedia Contributors. (2019, December 4). Self-determination theory. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self_determination_theory

External links

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Six top tips for writing a great essay (University of Melbourne)
The importance of structure (skillsyouneed.com)