It has been well known that many of social welfare volunteers drop out. Thus, this study is purposed to identify what are the reasons of retaining or dropping out voluntary activity and what are the effective volunteer program management methods that ...
It has been well known that many of social welfare volunteers drop out. Thus, this study is purposed to identify what are the reasons of retaining or dropping out voluntary activity and what are the effective volunteer program management methods that social welfare volunteers retain voluntary activity. Theories and experimental analysis results related to this study were extensively investigated through previously studied reports in this field. From this investigation, it was found that whether volunteers retain or drop out voluntary activity is greatly dependent on the followings' personal characteristics as the factor of social welfare volunteers (personal factors) and organization characteristics as the factor of social welfare agencies (organization factors).
We put a question to social welfare volunteers educated in home service volunteer training centers from June, 1999 through May, 2000. The total of 448 volunteers' data was obtained. Half of the volunteers in this sample was persons who had dropped out. Thus, this sample was thought to be appropriate for this study. Followings are analysis results.
First, the difference of the personal factors was analyzed. The social welfare volunteers who retain voluntary activity (they will be called as the stayers from here) are older than the volunteers who drop out activity (they will be called as the leavers from here). The ratio of the marrieds is higher in the stayers than in the leavers. The percent of working status is lower in the stayers. The stayers spontaneously participate in voluntary activity on altruistic motive and also their activity are supported by their neighbors.
Secondly, the difference of the organization factors between social welfare agencies of the stayers and the leavers was analyzed. There are great differences in the organization factors. The stayers work in social welfare agencies which are bigger in the size of organization, have higher community knowing, are amicable in organization ambience, and have organization climate that social welfare volunteers intensively feel a sense of belonging. And also, the stayers work in social welfare agencies which are positive in job management and reward management and harmonious in the networking of organization as compared to the leavers.
Thirdly, the logistic regression analysis of the personal factors was done. It was identified that only the following three personal characteristics affect significantly whether social welfare volunteers retain or drop out: the years of age, whether married or not, and motive of voluntary activity. Others in the personal characteristics scarcely affect the voluntary activity.
Fourthly, the logistic regression analysis of the organization factors was done. It was identified that the following organization characteristics affect significantly whether social welfare volunteers retain or drop out: work itself-task, job satisfaction, reward management (the actual thing reward and the spiritual reward), and the networking of organization (correlation with staffs in business and emotion) etc.
Consequently, the effective volunteer program management methods are suggested as followings from this study. It is certified that the present method of the volunteer program management does not entirely reflect the organization factors. Namely, in motive management, the motive and desire of the social welfare volunteers has been focused, but the organization factors have been neglected. Therefore, it is needed that a practice management model should be newly constructed.
The role relation management is that focused on the various kinds of the role relation formed between the volunteers working in a social welfare agency. It systematically affects the organization factors. Thus, it can be thought to be a suitable practice management model that the social welfare volunteers retain voluntary activity. Therefore, there is great and positive need for the role relation management to be modeled and constructed by social welfare agencies and human service agencies. Finally, analysis of the organization factors affecting the stayers and the leavers is left to further study.