Increasing male volunteering one motivation at a time

Abstract

Much research had shown that men volunteer at a lesser rate than women
do. Additionally, research had shown that the motivations to volunteer differ for each
gender. Two samples of college students who participated in single day service
projects were surveyed using the Volunteer Functions Inventory-an instrument that
assesses the importance of six possible motivations that range from a focus on
others to a focus on gains for one's self-by the Student Community Service office.
The data from the VFI was divided along gender lines to see to which motivations
millennial males adhered. In an effort to further understand the motivations for
collegiate men to volunteer, focus groups of males and females were held. This
study aimed to depict and understand motives for volunteering among collegiate
males as portrayed by both quantitative and qualitative methods. In contrast to
previous studies, the principle investigator (Pl) found that means of the six Volunteer
Functions Inventory scales were similar for men and women based on a two-tailed tTest
of independent means. However, rank order of the scales differed between
men and women. The values and understanding functions were ranked first and
second among the six motivations by both men and women. Men ranked the social
function in fourth position, while women ranked the social function in fifth position.
The relative value among men of volunteerism's social aspect also emerged in the
qualitative data generated from three follow-up focus groups.

Date of Award	2011
Original language	American English
Awarding Institution	Eastern Illinois University
Supervisor	Charles G Eberly (Supervisor)