Why do People Volunteer?

It will take time and page space to answer this question accurately, since different people volunteer for different reasons. In fact, the reasons vary so much that it is almost impossible to cover all the things that motivate individuals to work hard for some cause, without significant monetary compensation (money)!

There are individuals who have devoted entire lifetimes to a particular cause for one reason: they believe in that cause completely. For example, there are individuals who have made a life’s work out of helping to protect the environment, showing up for clean-up days, writing letters, speaking in publicly and so on. During this entire time they may not have received any pay. In fact, they are lucky to have some of their expenses covered.

Other people may volunteer for personal reasons. For instance, there are many mothers and fathers who spend hours every day caring for a handicapped or sick child. Many of these people take a child to a day-care center and stay to help as one of the “full-time” workers. The only difference between them and staff members is that the family members don’t receive a paycheck. Their dedication is probably stronger than most of those who are on the payroll.

This situation occurs at hospitals and elder-care centers, as younger family members recall the fine care that was provided to a parent. In some cases they volunteer for one of the unpaid positions, such as gift-shop worker or nurse assistant. It also happens with adults who have had a good experience in a youth group, perhaps connected with a church or with one of the recognized programs like Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts. In many cases, these adults want nothing more than to contribute to a program that had a positive effect on their lives.
There are other reasons that may not be so altruistic or personal, in a family way. Some people volunteer to help with group activities or community activities as a way to meet others and socialize. This may happen with a family that is new to a small town or to a neighborhood. Family members might volunteer to help with the annual bake sale or craft fair, not because they bake or make things but because they can get to know others. They may also become involved in this type of activity because they want to contribute to the town or neighborhood in the same way they did in their former home.

Younger people sometimes volunteer to help with a particular group or a specific company because they want to learn a skill or fine-tune skills that they developed with education. Many times this volunteer activity is a way to build a resume, so that the individual can show experience in an industry or field of work. This has become a popular choice with the difficult economic times of the 21st century.
As we mentioned at the start, the reasons number in the dozens and vary a lot. Some people have two or three reasons that combine to motivate them as volunteers. What’s your reason?