"Tonight I made a difference": explorative research on volunteer experiences at Youthline

Abstract

Volunteers are an important and active part of society, contributing in hundreds of ways to a variety of organizations. Wellington Youthline, a telephone counselling organization, relies on volunteers to maintain their service to the youth of Wellington. This thesis explores the experience of volunteers at Youthline, and the factors that influence them to stay as volunteers or to cease their involvement. It identifies why volunteers become involved with Youthline, and documents expectations and realities of volunteer experiences at Youthline. Also included, is background information on volunteering and volunteer retention from a variety of overseas and New Zealand literature. Two different questionnaires were completed by a total of 70 past and present Youthliners, providing the information on which this study was based. Recurring themes mentioned in the literature review emerged through respondents replies. For example, this study supports accumulating evidence from International researchers that volunteering is not purely altruistic. It also illustrates that the original motivating factors which influenced a person to volunteer, go through a process of adjustment to the realities of volunteering and contribute to the volunteer deciding to continue or cease their involvement. Implications are discussed and recommendations proposed for enhancing the service of Youthlines volunteers.