Sunday, 16 January 2005 - 10:35 AM

This presentation is part of: Volunteer Service Among Older Adults

Volunteer Recruitment and Retention: Matching Organizational Strategies with Preferences of Older Volunteers

Purpose: Volunteering among older adults is associated with a range of positive outcomes including improved physical and mental health (Morrow-Howell, 2000). The capacity of organizations to create and sustain volunteer roles is essential to achieving these outcomes (Sherraden, 2001). This study explores the relationship between institutional capacity for volunteer roles among older adults and the decision to volunteer. Institutional capacity encompasses several dimensions including expectations, access, information, incentives, and facilitation (Sherraden et. al, 2001; Morrow-Howell et. al, 2003). This paper focuses on how organizations address these dimensions and how older volunteers’ perceptions of these dimensions influence their decision to volunteer.

Methods: The study used a mixed- method approach. First, a survey was implemented with volunteer managers from 22 social service organizations, using older adult volunteers. The purpose was to assess the organizational activities that may relate to institutional capacity for hosting volunteer roles. Second, four focus groups were conducted with 43 older adult volunteers nominated by volunteer managers from the previous stage. The focus groups assessed if and how institutional factors influenced older adults’ decision to volunteer.

Findings: Survey findings indicate that organizations use informal and formal mechanisms for recruiting older volunteers, e.g., newspaper ads. Focus group findings suggest, however, that the older adults responded to informal mechanisms such as friends’ invitations, and personal motivations such as meaningfulness of task when deciding to volunteer. Survey findings indicate that 95 percent of the organizations provided formal facilitation or support, such as skill training, and 91 percent provide recognition to the volunteers. Focus group participants acknowledged these mechanisms, but they expressed that the support received from fellow volunteers and appreciation from their clients were more valuable. Furthermore, with greater levels of facilitation, respondents reported higher perceived positive effects from volunteering which in turn lead to higher levels of satisfaction with the role and increased motivation to continue volunteering.

Implications: This research has implications for the capacity of institutions or organizations to create volunteer roles that successfully recruit and retain older adults. While the volunteer management field has stressed formal, organizational mechanisms for volunteer recruitment and retention, these findings suggest that older adults respond to more informal mechanisms, such as recruitment by friends, respect and appreciation for knowledge and skills in task assignment, and interaction with volunteer peers and clients. More research is needed regarding the most effective recruitment and retention strategies and the potential costs or limitations of their implementation.

References Morrow-Howell, N. (2000). Productive Engagement of Older Adults: Effects on well- being. Saint Louis, MO: Center for Social Development.

Morrow-Howell, N., Hinterlong, J., Sherraden, M., Tang, F., Thirupathy, P., & Nagchoudhuri, M. (2003). Institutional capacity for elder service. Social Development Issues.

Sherraden, M. (2001). Civic service: Issues, outlook, institution building. St. Louis: Center for Social Development, Washington University.

Sherraden, M., Morrow-Howell, N., Hinterlong, J.E., & Rozario, P. (2001). Productive aging: Theoretical choices and directions. In N. Morrow-Howell, J.E. Hinterlong and M.N. Sherraden (Eds.), Productive aging: Concepts and challenges. (pp. 260-284). Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press.

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