Action Research Project
Reviving the Relay for Life:
Motivational Factors to Plan a Cancer Related Fundraiser
Karen Pilarski
Pauline Robert College: Fall 2012
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………………..3
INTRODUCTION 4
CONTEXT 7
LITERATURE REVIEW 11
Definition of needs 12
Theatrical Framework: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs…………………………… 13
Impact of Motivation on Retention of Volunteers 16
Retaining Volunteers: Individual and College Gains 17
Retaining College Volunteers 19
Strategies to Engage Volunteers in Fundraising Activity 23
Planning a college Event 23
Event Promotion 24
Breast cancer movement: Research study on volunteering 27
METHODOLOGY 32
POPULATION AND SAMPLE 32
RESEARCH METHOD 33
DATA SOURCES 34
PROCEDURES 34
OPERATIONALIZATION OF CONCEPTS 36
TRUSTWORTHINESS 40
Credibility 40
Applicability 41
Consistency/Auditability 41
ETHICS 42
DATA ANALYSIS 43
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………….69
APPENDICES 70
REFERENCES 79
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ABSTRACT
Research indicates that in order to retain and recruit volunteers it is important to
understand the importance of motivational factors. The purpose of this research was to find out
specifically what motivational factors are prevalent among members of Pauline Robert College.
In finding out the motivational factors, it is possible to draw up some motivational strategies.
The strategies determined will be used for the recruitment and retaining of potential volunteers
for the Relay for Life event. The use of the data is helpful in deciding how gain involvement
from potential participants, planners and donors. Furthermore is the question of how to market
the actual event in order to revive it once again.
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For three consecutive years the Relay for Life event has been held at Pauline Robert
College. The Relay is a cancer fundraiser event created by the American Cancer Society. The
two day event includes a survivor walking lap, luminary ceremony and family friendly activities.
Examples of activities include a disc jockey, face painting and games. A fundraising method
used is to sell white bags for participants to decorate. The luminary bags are used as candles
during a ceremony. Names are read in memory of loved ones who have passed away from
cancer. The The Relay is required to be an overnight event. The Relay at Pauline Robert was
previously scheduled in April since there are fewer students around during the summer. The last
year it was held was in September, 2010. Relay is a large scale event that requires a huge amount
of time, organization and collaboration between students, staff, faculty and Pauline Robert
community. Without time, organization and collaboration amount the Pauline Robert
Community, the Relay for Life may never be planned again.
Problem Statement
According to a memo to the 2010 Relay Team members from the Dean of Students
(10/6/10) it was cautioned that the Relay event could possibly no longer be offered. The reasons
were a lack of volunteers to plan/coordinate the event. The planning is broken up into
committees and is under the direction of two appointed chairs. In a conversation with the Office
Manager of Division of Student Affairs, she stated “After three years of the same people
planning the event, people just got burnt out and didn’t want to continue to take on large amounts
of planning” (5/20/12). A student and a student group both volunteered but were unable to
recruit volunteer coordinators. The lack of volunteers has resulted in no Relay for Life being held
at Pauline Robert College in 2011. Other noted challenges were weather, recruiting teams and
fundraising. Weather has been a challenge because the last two years of the Relay it was very
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windy and cold. In April, 2009, the weather was so windy the participants had to sleep indoors.
Recruiting teams is tied to fundraising. When a team member is recruited he or she pays a fee for
their registration to the event. If enough teams are not recruited then there is a decrease in the
amount of money the event takes in.
Rationale for Continuation of Relay
The Relay for Life is important to me because my aunt Pauline passed away from
pancreatic cancer in 2008. My uncle Robert “Butch” passed away in August 2012 from cancer.
In October 2012, my sister-in-law was diagnosed with stage two breast cancers. I have had other
relatives, friends and colleagues survive and lose battles with cancer. Having a cancer walk or
Relay is a personal way for me to remember my loved ones. As important is the opportunity for
the Pauline Robert community to do the same. As an alum and staff member, I’m invested in
Pauline Robert College and the development of the community.
Cancer related fundraising events have potential benefits for the Pauline Robert
community. It creates an opportunity for students to have social interaction and build
relationships. Since the event is open to the community, there is a chance to meet new people
(alums, staff members and friends of students). With each new relationship a tie to the
community is made. A student may meet an alumnae or someone who works in the community.
Not only does social interaction occur but the possibility of networking for a job or other
volunteering opportunities. Social interaction is one of the core eight abilities at Pauline Robert
College. The Relay or smaller form of it would be a great outlet to practice the ability.
Fundraising events have the potential to gain attention of the media. This is positive
publicity for Pauline Robert College. Through news stories the Pauline Robert name is put out in
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the media (local news stations, social media, and blogging). This type of attention could impress
potential students and invite them to learn more about the college.
The current economic state is unstable. There are high unemployment rates throughout
the United States. To register for the Relay event the individual has to pay a fee to participate.
The donations benefit the American Cancer Society. Due to the economy it may be difficult for
the community to donate money. Especially college students who have to deal with job
uncertainty, financial aid challenges and higher tuition costs. In a conversation (7/5/12) with the
Dean of Students, it was expressed there is concern students are donating or volunteering
elsewhere. The concern is if students are participating in another charity, they may feel there is
not a great need for this fundraiser. Instead of having a two day Relay event, it could be
beneficial to have a smaller scale event. A one day event may be easier to plan and less of a
commitment to participants. Also a one day event could decrease the financial burden for
students worrying about paying a fee to participate.
Development of Research Question
In feedback conversations with the Office Manager and Dean of Students, the possibility
was raised of designing a smaller scale cancer event at Pauline Robert College. It was felt that a
one day event might have a better response from the Pauline Robert Community. The research
question which guided the action research project is: What motivational strategies are effective
in recruiting and retaining college volunteers so that cancer fundraisers can be successfully
designed and implemented?
First I found literature that defines what motivation is. This helped me build a foundation
of understanding. I researched literature that helped answer the following questions: What are
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benefits for students to volunteer? How can this information be used to gain involvement and
commitment? In addition I researched reasons that prevent college students from staying
involved.
Secondly, I researched the history of the breast cancer movement. Breast cancer is
prevalent especially in a population of mostly women, although men can have breast cancer as
well. “Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. It is estimated that more
than 1.6 million new cases of breast cancer occurred among women worldwide in 2010”
(komen.org)
Pauline Robert College is primarily a woman’s college and the community might respond
better to a breast cancer event. Through the use of surveys and a focus group to Pauline Robert
community, I found data to support the need for the Relay for Life. I also found data to support
the desire to have a breast cancer awareness event held on campus.
Lastly, I determined good strategies to engage volunteers in fundraising activities. My
literature research also pinpointed some attributes that make volunteers succeed in planning
cancer fund raising events. It is important for a sensitive topic such as cancer to be held in a
compassionate and delicate manner. Time management skills are necessary to complete any task.
In addition it is imperative for volunteers to have adequate problem solving skills. What is a
good screening process to recruit and retain potential volunteers? For example what type of
benefits would encourage volunteers to commit to this fundraising event?
Context
Pauline Robert College is a private four-year, liberal arts, and Catholic college. It is
located in Milwaukee, WI. Pauline Robert College strives for the successful development and
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education of women. The academic institution is primarily a women’s college. With the addition
of Master’s degree programs, men are able to enroll at Pauline Robert as well. As of spring 2012,
there are 1641 weekday students, 245 weekend college students and 377 graduate students.
Pauline Robert College has 357 full time employees and 173 part time employees.
One aspect of Pauline Robert College is to have an ongoing collaborative learning
environment. Faculty, staff and students work together to create a supportive network in which to
learn from each other. Learning doesn’t end when the class ends. Knowledge can be applied to
the real world.
Pauline Robert College has an acclaimed ability based program. Unlike other higher
education institutions, Pauline Robert College does not measure students by grades but by
ability. Pauline Robert College ranked first in the Midwest for doing "the best job of educating
undergrads," in U.S. News & World Report. (Pauline Robert College website, 2012). The
education at Pauline Robert is not based on competition nor letter grades. The education is well
rounded by gaining knowledge that spans different fields of study. A personal example is taking
a creative writing course and then I used those skills in a paper for a religious studies class. The
assignment asked me to provide my own definition of what heaven is. I used creative writing
techniques and applied them to the assignment.
Pauline Robert has eight core abilities that undergrad students need to master. They are
communication, problem solving, social interaction, effective citizenship, analysis, valuing,
developing a global perspective and aesthetic engagement.
The community is committed to creating ties to the community. As part of college’s
mission, Pauline Robert continues to develop and foster relationships with businesses,
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non-profit organizations and professionals in various industries. These relationships help
understand and meet the needs of a changing workplace, effectively preparing you to not
only enter a career, but to become a leader. (Pauline Robert College website, 2012, para.
7)
2012 is a landmark year for Pauline Robert. The prestigious college is celebrating its 125th
anniversary. As a way of acknowledging the anniversary, an initiative called Caring Counts was
developed. The community is encouraged to volunteer and log in hours spent giving back to the
community. The goal is to record 125,000 hours by December 31, 2012. As of June 2012, 156,
365 hours have been recorded. Students are the current top volunteer contributors followed
closely by the School Sisters of St. Francis. The goal of the Caring Counts initiative has been
surpassed. The initiative doesn’t have to end on December 31st, 2012. Planning and organizing a
cancer related event would support the Caring Counts initiative by encouraging the college
community to keep volunteering.
For my research project, the initial collaborators were the Pauline Robert College Student
Affairs department. The Dean of Students has been an employee since 1980. The Office
Manager has been an employee since 2002. Both are alums of the college. They have been part
of the Relay for Life event from the start. Both women bring a wealth of knowledge and
organization that is needed to plan events for the community. Student Affairs works with the
community to create and deliver programs and services to support students. The department
office is located by the athletic office and fitness center. On the Pauline Robert website the
following is stated as the resources the department offers:
Advocating for students when appropriate
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Communicating College policies and procedures
Serving as a resource and providing information about the College and campus
Assisting with student grievances, behavior issues, sexual assault, harassment,
violence, and crisis situations
Provide leadership and support for the departments within Student Affairs
“Student Affairs prepares students personally and professionally for success at Pauline
Robert College and beyond. We encourage students and their families to take advantage of
our various programs and services” (Pauline Robert College website, 2012, para 2). The key
ingredient is to understand how the community can be persuaded to volunteer and take an
active role in planning of programs that supports the Pauline Robert atmosphere.
Student Affairs consists of seven employees and four student workers. There is the Dean,
Assistant Dean (who also works in Residence Life), Student Affairs Office Manager and
Administrative Assistant. I work in Admissions Office as a Document Secretary. My role in
Student Affairs is voluntary for this research project.
The results of my research project will be presented to the Dean of Students and Office
Manager of the Division of Student Affairs. The purpose of this presentation is to help plan and
design a cancer related fundraising event that fits the needs of the Pauline Robert College
community. The action part of my research seeks to determine what type of event should be
created.
For my research design I used a mixed methods approach. First I conducted a survey to
the Pauline Robert Community. I asked them to respond to questions about cancer related events.
Based on responses from the survey, I facilitated a focus group. In the focus group(s) I discussed
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the survey results. I asked participants of the focus group to give feedback on common responses
from the survey. In order to get a better idea of the thoughts of the Pauline Robert community, I
engaged them in group activity.
The goal of this action research was to gain an understanding of the needs of the Pauline
Robert community in relation to volunteering opportunities. Pauline Robert College is a
collaborative learning environment and by encouraging reflective responses it aligns with that
core value of the college.
LITERATURE REVIEW
The research question which guided this action research project was: What motivational
strategies are effective in recruiting and retaining college volunteers so that fundraisers can be
successfully designed and implemented? The following literature review consists of scholarly
articles that define what motivation is; how motivation is related to the retention of volunteers in
general and in the college community; and what constitutes a successful design and
implementation of a fundraiser. In addition, there is a brief history on breast cancer, which is the
inspiration for developing a fundraiser at Pauline Robert College. The cancer fundraising event
will bring awareness to this deadly disease. I used Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (1954) as a
framework to understand what motivates people and how physiological and emotional needs
effect motivations.
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Definition of Needs
Needs or motivations are reasons that make a person act. Mannell and Kleiber (as cited in
Gage & Thapa, 2012) describe a motivational model that explains four components: needs
(motivations), behaviors (activities), goals (satisfaction), and feedback. Motivations are factors
that trigger a person to do an action. An example is a person wanting to meet new people. The
motivation is for social reasons. The activity or behavior is volunteering through an organization.
The goal would be to make relationships. The feedback would be shown through continuing of
the activity. If the person didn’t make friends the feedback would most likely be negative. If the
feedback is negative then the person would not continue with volunteering at the organization.
The reason is because the goals were not met.
There are two stages of motivations that cause a person to act. “First disequilibrium is
created that causes a desire to correct the imbalance” (Gage & Thapa, 2012, p.408). The
disequilibrium is an imbalance. The imbalance could be from hunger or thirst (physical
reactions) or sadness. Another example is a college student who feels sadness over a family
member having cancer.
The second stage is when the college student realizes or thinks a certain action will
satisfy the imbalance. Gage and Thapa (2012) further explain that only after the need is realized
can the individual do the action to ‘satisfy’ the need. An example would be the college student
dealing with a family member with cancer. She or he may seek out ways to feel better. Some
ways could be finding a support network or volunteering for an event that honors the loved one.
After the person does the action, the satisfaction of completing the action can be measured.
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When an action is completed, the action satisfies a need. The authors state “The
individual will feel satisfied and will show positive feedback” (Gage and Thapa, p. 408). Positive
feedback could be performing an action such as volunteering again in the future. If the action
(behavior) fails to satisfy a need, the individual will have a negative reaction. In terms of
volunteering, a negative reaction could be losing interest in the activity. In summary, it is
important to understand volunteer participant physiological and emotional needs in order to
satisfy them. When a volunteer’s needs (emotional or physical) are met, they will be more
motivated to stay committed to an organization.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Hierarchy refers to stages of a feeling, person or thing arranged in a ranked order of
importance. Physiological drives are biological impulses that have been with a person since
birth. “The needs that are usually taken as the starting point for motivation theory are the so-
called physiological drives” (Maslow, 1954, p. 35). Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs framework
describes the emotional and physical needs of a person. The model is typically displayed in a
pyramid with psychological needs on the bottom and self-actualization at the top of the pyramid.
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The specific needs are:
1. Psychological Needs
2. Safety
3. Love
4. Esteem Needs
5. Self-Actualization
Examples of psychological needs are sleep, food, sex and thirst (Maslow, 1954). The
psychological need can be satisfied by getting a good rest, eating, being intimate or drinking a
beverage. Similar to the motivation model (Gage and Thapa, 2012), when there is an imbalance
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of needs, a person tries to correct the imbalance by an action/behavior. “In a human being who is
missing everything in life in an extreme fashion, it is most likely that the major motivation would
be for the physiological need rather than others” (p. 37). Maslow uses the example of a person
who is lacking food, safety, love and esteem would want and seek food over anything else.
Maslow states that “if needs are not satisfied then they are ‘dominated’ by the physiological
needs, all the other needs may become simply nonexistent or pushed into the background” (p.
37).
The safety needs are stability, security and freedom from anxiety and fear (Maslow, 1954)
Maslow says people want a safe, orderly and lawful world. People want the feeling of peace.
They do not want to be afraid of being murdered or going to jail. Participants in cancer
fundraisers do not want to be scared of getting cancer. The point of having a cancer event is to
raise awareness not fear.
“If both the physiological and safety needs are fairly well gratified, there will emerge the
love and belongings needs.” (Maslow, 1954, p. 39). Some reasons for college volunteerism have
to do with making friends or feeling like a part of the group. Maslow explains that a person who
met the psychological and safety needs will feel saddened by the loss or lack of friends. “He will
hunger for affectionate relationships with people in general, namely for a place in his group or
family, and he will strive greatly to achieve this goal” (p. 39). For people involved in breast
cancer walks, they may seek relationships with people who are dealing with cancer in their lives.
They want to be around people who are going through similar experiences.
Maslow (1954) says all people in our society have a need for a stable vision of
themselves which relates to the esteem need. He also says people want others to think highly of
them too. He describes two types of the self-esteem needs. The first type of self-esteem need is
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the desire for strength, achievement, and confidence to face the world. The second type is
reputation of one’s self. People want recognition, attention and appreciation. When someone
feels they are making a difference or having an impact (measured through appreciation) on a
cause they feel a personal connection. Providing that connection is a good method to motivate
the college community to keep volunteering.
Maslow cautions that “if all these needs are satisfied, we may still often expect that a
new discontent and restlessness will develop, unless the individual is doing what he is fitted for”
(Maslow, 1954, p. 46). He uses the example of a musician and how he must make music to feel
satisfied. His philosophy of doing what you are ‘fitted’ for can be applied to volunteerism. If
college student is good at art, then she could design posters for a cancer fundraiser. A college
student who loves to write could help write out meeting minutes or a press release. It is important
to find one’s fit in order to feel satisfied and have self-actualization. Understanding needs and
motivations will help to gain retention of volunteers. Volunteers don’t want their time wasted
just standing around. There needs to be an inventory of skills among volunteers to determine the
appropriate fit. Lastly, putting the right people in the right role is a good motivational strategy to
keep volunteers invested in an event.
Impact of Motivation on Retention of Volunteers
In order to retain volunteers it is important to understand the impact of motivations.
Unlike a job, volunteering is unpaid and takes up personal time. “Attracting and retaining
volunteers are two great challenges facing agencies that are dependent on individuals to give
their time and talents without financial remuneration” (Harteian & Lilly, 2009, p. 97). The
authors discuss underlying motivations and the effect on volunteer retention. Altruistic and
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egotistical motivations are noted as two types of motivation to volunteer. Altruistic motivation is
defined as “concern about other’s welfare and engage in behaviors designed to help others, often
at a great personal expense” (p. 97). Egotistical motivation is defined as a reason to improve
one’s welfare. Due to the desire to improve one’s welfare, egotistical reasons are generally seen
as negative. The authors explain because more concern is for a person’s own agenda (e.g. getting
a raise, making friends, looking good in front of coworkers) the motivation is seen as negative.
Harteian and Lilly (2009) clarify that personal reasons for volunteering are not
necessarily selfish. Both altruistic and egotistical motivations can reside in the same person.
“When a person volunteers, he or she simultaneously fulfills an external need to help others” (p.
98).
Gaga and Thapa (2012) agree with Harteian and Lilly (2009) that in order to
retain volunteers there needs to be an understanding of reasons that push people to volunteer.
Gage and Thapa state “Although altruism may lead a person to volunteer initially, self-interested
motivations are more important for continued participation” (p. 40). Self-interested motivations
are potential personal rewards such as praise from a boss or a potential job opportunity. Laverie
and McDonald (2007) also discuss personal rewards or benefits. “Enduring involvement is
motivated by the volunteer’s experience of personal benefits including social, service, self-
confidence and self-esteem” (p. 276). Pinpointing the potential benefits to motivate a person to
volunteer could help increase recruitment and retention of volunteers.
Retaining Volunteers: Individual and College Gains
The relationship between volunteers and non-profit organizations such Pauline Robert
College is mutually beneficial (Garner & Garner, 2010). Pauline Robert College receives
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positive publicity such as broadcasted news stories. The volunteer gets his/her needs met such as
making friends or gaining a potential job skill. Garner and Garner caution that when something
goes wrong the volunteer may not stick with the volunteer activity. The reason is the volunteer is
not being paid for their service and there is no set incentive like a paid employee would have. As
Galindo-Kuhn and Guzley ( As cited in, 2010,) discuss four dimensions of satisfaction. The first
two are satisfaction with organizational support and satisfaction with participation efficacy.
Organizational support is when the volunteer is satisfied with training, planning and support for
the tasks that they do. Participation efficacy is the feeling of making a difference from the tasks
that are completed. The third dimension is empowerment which is the freedom of completing the
tasks as the volunteer sees fit. The fourth dimension is satisfaction with group integration. This is
how content volunteers are with relationships within the volunteer activity. The authors explain
that volunteers have to choice to give feedback or state reasons for lack of satisfaction. They
state “when volunteers are dissatisfied they have the option to voice their dissatisfaction, to leave
the organization, silently live with the dissatisfaction, or reduce their effort they put into their
duties” (p. 816).
Garner and Garner (2010) discuss that motivation is an important variable in
understanding the relationships between communication and satisfaction of the volunteer. They
ask the question of how a person is motivated to volunteer without a reward of being paid.
Garner and Garner (2010) state that non-profit organizations should consider motivations
when recruiting volunteers. One strategy to screen volunteers is to use an intake questionnaire or
interview. The questionnaire or interview asks about motivations of volunteers. The purpose of
such a questionnaire is to put volunteers in the right volunteering position that has the best fit the
organization and the volunteer’s needs. Organizations should place volunteers in positions that
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provide them the ability to make relationships. Constructive feedback about the volunteer’s
experience should be encouraged. The feedback will assist in retaining the volunteer in the
organization. Receiving feedback helps organizations understand frustrations and constraints of
volunteers in order to address them. This is similar to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. The
motivations represented show more emphasis on self-esteem benefits (recognition). Providing an
outlet for volunteers to air frustrations can be a tool in retaining them as volunteers.
Retaining College Volunteers
“Burnout in college students is an issue of concern due to the various demands of
college life and the probable adverse impact on their learning as well as their well-being” (Kao,
2009). Kao references a study done by Dahlin and Runeson (2007) of medical students who felt
burned out. The conclusion of the study states that “to feel self-worth, students feel compelled to
achieve extraordinary accomplishments” (p. 3). A lack of self-worth leads to exhaustion and
disengagement. There is an ‘emotional payoff’ in the form of new skills that will provide job
recognition. Job recognition means students can increase their employability by gaining skills
such teamwork or problem solving to their resumes. This puts college students in a good position
to gain a better job. This type of motivation or benefit will keep students committed to the
volunteer activity.
There are also constraints that can hinder student volunteers (Kao, 2009, p. 3). A possible
constraint is that volunteering may take time away from the student’s studies. How students
measure their workload (studies, work, and relationships) is subjective. If college students feel
they have too much to do, students will feel burned out. Garner and Garner (2010) discussed the
need for constructive feedback of volunteers who feel burned out. “Students who are aware of
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their emotions can use that awareness to apply constructive strategies to reduce the tension and
stress caused by demanding situations” (p. 3). Sharing feelings and perceptions influences the
group morale. Expressing frustrations helps release stress. The authors discuss how the freedom
to give feedback creates an atmosphere where people feel safe to share feelings. The more
positive the group is the higher the morale is. The positivity of the group will help decrease the
feeling of burn out among students.
Gage and Thapa (2012) say “many people seek out opportunities to help others as a way
to satisfy their own needs” (p. 406). They point out that self-interested (egotistical) motives are
important for retention of volunteers. Egotistical reasons are what Kao (2009) stated as
‘emotional payoff’ or incentives to stay invested in the volunteer activity. In a study by Gage and
Thapa (2012), the purpose was to investigate the motivational factors of undergraduate students
to volunteer. The study researched volunteer characteristics, scope of volunteerism, and type of
contributions of volunteers. In addition, the researchers looked at constraints of volunteers. The
respondents in the study were selected from a beginning level undergraduate course with three
sections at a large university. The university was located southeastern United States. Each
section had 100 students. The study was conducted in spring 2009. The respondents consisted of
freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. This university had a large student body and was
located in a rural area. There were an abundance of volunteer opportunities around and on the
campus. Students had access to parks, human service organizations and other volunteer options
near the campus.
Gage and Thapa (2012) developed an online survey on motivations for volunteering.
The survey had four sections: volunteer participation, volunteer motivations, constraints in
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volunteer participation, and socio demographic characteristics such as age, gender, and race, year
of schooling, major, and city of residence. There was no credit offered for doing the survey.
The researchers used a seven point Likert-type scale to measure the responses of the
survey. The scale that was used ranged from one (not at all important) to seven (extremely
important). The response rate was 88.5%. The respondents consisted of 62.1% women; and
78.3% were 21 years and younger. Of those who responded 60.6% were seniors in college. The
results of the survey indicated that in 12 months prior to the study 80.0% of the respondents had
volunteered for an organization. Of those who responded 40.2% said family introduced them to
volunteerism.
The second set of questions of the survey asked about motivations of volunteers (Gage &
Thapa, 2012). A descriptive analysis with mean scores of each item was conducted. Responses
regarding motivations to volunteer with the highest mean scores were “I feel it is important to
help others;” “I am concerned with those less fortunate than myself.” Some responses with the
lowest mean scores were “By volunteering, I feel less lonely” or “Volunteering is a good escape
from my own troubles.” One highlight of this study is that college students were found to be
more interested in furthering their career paths through volunteerism. The researchers suggested
this could be the result of the fact that many college students are not being employed on a full
time basis. Students seeking full time employment may volunteer because it could possibly lead
to a job.
The third research section consisted of questions on constraints of volunteers. The
mean values were calculated. Some of the highest mean responses were “I have too many
commitments;” also “I have no time to volunteer.” Fewer respondents indicated “I have an
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injury; handicap or ill health” or “I do not feel safe at volunteer sites.” The most common
objection college students had toward volunteerism was that it took up too much time. The time
would be better spent doing academic activities such as homework, reading and studying.
Gage and Thapa (2012) indicated that findings are not general in terms to the general
population of college students; the reason is because the sample was drawn from only one
university. Another limitation was the research was conducted in a state where volunteerism is a
standard or highly encouraged in high school. This could have produced some bias in the
responses.
Gage and Thapa (2012) concluded that volunteer managers on college campuses should
make good use of the student’s time. They encourage managers of volunteers to provide
programs that add an element of socialization and advancement of career goals. Both would be a
reward for volunteer participants. “Programs should highlight the importance of the program and
offer awards or recognition to volunteer” (p. 425).
Students often feel compelled to do great things such as volunteering or getting good
grades. If students feel a lack of self-worth, it may lead to exhaustion (burnout). Burnout in
college students is an issue of concern since it has negative effects on volunteerism. One way to
decrease the feeling of burnout is having volunteer activities that have some type of benefit. An
example of a benefit is acquiring a job skill to their resume. Another benefit is social relations
such as making friends. These two benefits satisfy the self-esteem and love and belonging need
(Maslow, 1954). The key to retaining volunteers is to make good use of student’s time and meet
their needs. In the following section are strategies on how to engage volunteers in fundraising
activities.
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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Strategies to Engage Volunteers in Fundraising Activity
Planning a college event. In 1987 the National Girls and Women in Sports Day
(NGWSD) was created to honor Flora Hyman, a former Olympic athlete and supporter of girls
and women in sports. She passed away in 1986 from an undetected heart condition. Idaho State
University held the annual event starting in 1998. In 2009, NGWSD gained its largest number of
participants. Three hundred girls participated (Appleby & Pemberton, 2010). The purpose of the
event was to provide participants with an opportunity to sample sports and wellness activities. In
addition the purpose of the event was to “to create positive role-model connections between
young girls and college students and student-athletes” (p.34).
Pemberton was one of the creators of the event (Appleby & Pemberton, 2010). She
recalled challenges of planning an event such as seeking support, resources and volunteers. The
event creators spent time calling the college community to ask for volunteers. Calling the college
community is a personal way to communicate. Another strategy that was used was to provide a
potential gain/benefit. The first year they lowered the participation fee to not discourage
participation. The method used appealed to participants that may have had a financial strain. The
result was an increase in the number of participants. The strategies used to encourage persons to
volunteer for this event were to provide a potential gain to participants such a chance to build
relationships and do a healthy activity. Strategies such as these are important to planning events
which need volunteers in order to be a successful event.
Event planning. Appleby and Pemberton (2010) describe core tasks related to the
planning of fundraising or awareness events. The first step is deciding on a day and appropriate
location to hold the event. The significance of the month may drive people to volunteer and
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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participate in the event. Secondly, volunteers need to be recruited to help plan, manage and
promote the event. The creators of the National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) were
able to successfully recruit volunteers by word of mouth, personal connections, and
announcements in college classes.
Another step used is creating a committee. The National Girls and Women in Sports Day
NGWSD recruited a core planning committee of ten people. The committee consisted of a
faculty event coordinator, undergraduate and graduate coordinators and students. The planning
meetings were held monthly. The frequency of meetings increased as deadlines and tasks became
more urgent. Appleby and Pemberton recalled when the event was planned. The volunteers were
informed two months in advance of when the event would occur and their specific duties. The
volunteers were contacted two weeks before the event and then during the week of the event to
remind them of their commitment. Organization is a useful strategy to plan a fundraiser event.
Additionally, marketing or promotion of the fundraiser event is important to get potential
participants and volunteer’s attention.
Event promotion. Appleby and Pemberton (2010) state that to promote a successful
event such as National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) various media need to be
considered. One method is the use of flyers. The flyers should have contact information, event
time and date and place of the event. Appleby and Pemberton also discuss the importance of
using a specially designed t-shirt to promote an event. The same design and color has been used
for the National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) event for ten years. The shirts are
given to all participants and volunteers. “This branding serves to further promote the event when
repeat participants and volunteers accumulate and wear their NGWSD shirts not only during the
event, but as every-day wear” (p. 37). the t-shirts can be used as moving advertisements.
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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Students may wear the t-shirts around campus and while doing day to day activities such as
going to the store or while working.
When planning an event such as National Girls and Women in Sports Day or any activity
it is important to understand risks. Appleby and Pemberton (2010) say it is important to
understand possible risks and take them into consideration (p. 38). One risk the authors use is a
risk of injury. They say a qualified person in the sport or activity needs to be in place to safety
lead participants. Another risk for the National Girls and Women in Sport Day was that special
equipment or precautions might be needed. For example if there are activities such as swimming
or rock climbing.
In summary, various steps the National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) used
have been utilized by Pauline Robert College. An example is the use of a proclamation strategy
for the Caring Counts initiative. Wisconsin Mayor, Tom Barrett, signed a proclamation on April
20th
, 2012 that the date was to be considered “Pauline Robert College Day.” April 20th
is to
acknowledge the 125th anniversary of Pauline Robert College. This helps raise awareness and
promote the Pauline Robert College community. Using t-shirts is another strategy used in the
Relay for Life event. Participants are given a t-shirt with the Relay for Life logo and lists
sponsors of the event. In terms of risks, the Relay for Life or one day event does not have
strenuous activities. The event would consist of walking.
The action research project conducted researched: what motivational strategies are
effective in recruiting and retaining college volunteers so that fundraisers can be successfully
designed and implemented? The specific voluntary event to be researched is the Relay for Life or
creation of a one day cancer fundraiser event. The intent of the cancer fundraiser event is to raise
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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money for breast cancer research. To complete this section on engaging volunteers in fundraising
activities, a brief history on breast cancer research is given. The following sub section describes
breast cancer research history and includes fundraiser strategies specifically usable in such
activities as breast cancer events.
The Breast Cancer Research Movement
“Breast cancer advocacy in the United States did not simply begin when someone
decided to change something” (Braun, 2003, p. S101). Not only is this true of cancer advocacy
but breast cancer research as well. Thirty years ago “the big C,” was shrouded in secrecy. “The
breast is an external symbol of femininity” (Harvey & Strahilevitz, 2009, p. 27). Although there
are other female cancers such as cervical and ovarian, the breast is a body part that is external.
Cervical and ovarian cancer occurs inside the body therefore can be hidden from the naked eye.
A woman’s breasts can be seen especially by a loved one. Harvey and Strahilevitz (2009) state
that there is an emotional response to the plight of women because they are seen as ‘family.’ The
family life is “threatened” when a woman discovers she has breast cancer. (p. 27). Due to the
outpouring of brave people who have shared their stories, breast cancer has become less hidden
and more out in the open.
In 1982 Nancy Brinker started the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
This was in memory of her sister Susan “Suzy” Komen who lost her battle with breast cancer.
The movement gained momentum and popularity through the sharing of stories about “many
who already suffered personally or with loved ones through breast cancer” (p. 101). Public
figures such as Nancy Regan and Betty Ford helped shed the veil of secrecy by speaking about
their diagnoses and battles with breast cancer. The funds raised during cancer events go toward
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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breast cancer research. The Komen foundation through races and walks provides an opportunity
for men and women to do healthy activities. Also volunteers and participants become educated
about breast cancer (Braun, 2003). “The event spotlighted breast cancer survivors, allowing
women who had gone through breast cancer, to stand and be counted (p. S102).
Breast cancer movement: research study on volunteering. Blackstone (2004)
conducted a qualitative study during which she observed participants in Komen Foundation
events. She also observed the people who planned Komen Foundation events such as races and
walks. The study was conducted at a state affiliate office of the Komen Foundation from January
1999 until June 2000. Her study was initially part of project for a field’s method practicum and
later part of her dissertation. The purpose of the study was to analyze of the constructions of
activism and gender. Her analysis of data was based on field notes she took while volunteering at
the Komen office.
During the first six months of the research she was involved in monthly steering
committee and planning meetings to organize various Komen events. The affiliate office where
she volunteered was made up of mostly white, middle to upper class women volunteers. Most of
the volunteers were in their late 30’s to 60’s. Blackstone (2004) states “Komen’s work is about
empowering women to believe in themselves, and their rights, so that they will take initiative to
advocate for their own health and ensure that their doctor’s assist them in this endeavor.” (p.
359).
Through the use of observations noted in field notes, Blackstone used her field notes to
capture statements by participants. Her notes came from three months of participation in various
Komen events. In Blackstone’s study she found support for the idea that breast cancer events
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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provide a sense of relationships. In June 1999 she arrived on her first fundraiser event. She
recalled how a participant hugged her and said “welcome to the family” (p. 355). She observed
that some volunteers felt the event was fun and that their different tasks didn’t feel like work. A
participant was asked why she volunteered and she said “You meet so many neat women here.
They all care, are nice and just a great group of girls” (p. 357). Another response observed was
that the participant volunteered to “get out and have a good time” (p. 357). The sense of
relationships in a breast cancer fundraiser event satisfies the need for love and belonging.
She explains how gender is also used to appeal to the sense of belonging. She discussed
the Komen organization newsletter which used mothers, sisters and wives to gain support for
breast cancer events. An advertisement in the newsletter said “For our mothers, daughters,
sisters, we will support the Race for the Cure too” (p.359). She further points out in one
newsletter, the National Football League sponsorship advertisement appealed to women. The
advertisement was decorated in pink ribbons. The pink ribbon is the symbol of breast cancer.
The tag line read “NFL players always pay tribute to their biggest fans-their moms” (p. 359). The
researcher explains that the women volunteer as a way to feel connected to other women who
share common breast cancer experiences.
Similar to Blackstone’s (2004) research study, Edwards and Kreshel (2008) did a
qualitative case study of the 2001 Avon Breast Cancer Three Day Walk in Atlanta. The purpose
of the study was to find what the experience of the Avon walk meant to participants. Her data
sources included interviews of past Avon walkers and attending the closing ceremony of the
2000 day walk in Atlanta as observer. In addition, Edwards and Kreshel read Avon three day
communications such as newsletters and email communications. One interview participant in
particular provided her journal from the 2000 Atlanta Avon Walk. From looking at the journal
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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the researchers found the use of journaling was an effective data collecting tool. The journal
provided thoughtful feedback from the participant.
From the interview pool, eight participants were asked to keep an audio journal on their
experiences of participating in the 2001 Avon Walk. The participants varied in age, race and
gender, number of walks and relationship to breast cancer. Six journals were completed.
Participants were asked to return the audio journals within three weeks after the walk.
Edwards and Kreshel (2008) say “to begin to understand participants lived perception of
the walk, it is important to start with their motivations for walking and their perceptions of
themselves as participants in the experience” (p. 208). The researchers found the walk satisfied a
personal need. “For some it was a need to fight against a disease that had taken something from
them, their loved one, and their self-confidence” (p. 208). Other participants did the walk to find
self-esteem and feel good about themselves. One research participant said “Each year right
before the walk, I get the point where…I don’t like my life again and I kind of go through that
cycle. And then it is time for the walk and then I completed that walk and. Boom, I am renewed
and refreshed for another year. So in a way that is what keeps me coming back to do it each
year” (p. 209).
Edwards and Kreshel (2008) observed that the walk and training for the walk “provided
storytelling, friendship and bonding” (p. 214). She further noted that as participants walked
together and they also talked together. As one participant, Adelaide, recalls “We walked in the
rain one weekend, in the pouring rain and we walked the whole thing in the rain. This one girl,
she gave us this entire great recipe for broccoli slaw, and was walking up this really hard
hill…We were like “give us another ingredient. So now every time we hit a hill, we are like
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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‘broccoli slaw.” (p. 214). From the audio journals the researchers found collected statements to
mean the participants felt they were part of something important. Participant Mary Katherine
said “I think it was the first time in those three days I actually realized how many people came
together to do the same thing. It was kind of an overwhelming experience to know that many
people’s lives have been affected in some shape or form and I was just one person helping to
take on such a big cause” (p. 230).
Edwards and Kreshel (2008) and Blackstone (2004) both demonstrated that different
motivations bring participants to a fundraiser walk. There are different needs and experiences
such as to feel secure, feel good about one’s self and the need for social interaction. In addition,
qualitative data sources such as audio journals and observation notes provide an emotional
analysis of how breast cancer walks or events meet those specific needs. What brings people
together is the realization that they are all bringing awareness to breast cancer.
In summary, in order to attract and retain volunteers there needs to be an understanding
of reasons that push people to volunteer. Two motivations of volunteering are altruistic and
egotistical (Harteian & Lilly, 2009). Although egotistical reasons are considered selfish, this is
not necessarily the case. Both altruistic and egotistical motivations can reside in the same person.
Egotistical reasons may help in the retention of volunteers because it is considered a gain or
benefit.
In Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs framework (Maslow, 1954) there are five levels to
describe the emotional and physical needs of a person. The needs are psychological, safety, love
and belonging, esteem and self-actualization needs. Similar to the motivation model (Gage &
Thapa, 2012) when there is an imbalance of needs, a person tries to correct the imbalance by an
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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action/behavior. Even if all needs are met, there may be some lingering discontent and
restlessness. In order to alleviate the discontent, people need to feel they are in the right ‘fit.’ For
volunteers in an organization they need to be placed in a role that fits their skills and interests.
Sharing feelings and perceptions influences the group morale.
Another issue is the feeling of burnout (Kao, 2009). A way of addressing burnout is the
sharing of frustrations. Expressing frustrations helps release stress. Additionally, the open
feedback creates an atmosphere where people feel safe to share feelings. The more positive the
group is the higher the morale is.
The first step of planning a fundraising event is deciding on a day and appropriate
location to hold the event (Appleby & Pemberton, 2010). The significance of the month may
influence people to volunteer and participate in the event. An example of this is holding a breast
cancer event in October (breast cancer awareness month). Organization is a useful strategy to
plan a fundraiser event. A committee should be formed and tasks given out to volunteers. Lastly,
event promotion needs to be considered. T-shirts may be a good marketing tool to increase
awareness of the event, the cause and sponsors of the event.
In both Blackstone (2004) and Edwards and Kreshel (2008) the study had a qualitative
approach. Blackstone conducted observations of participants and Edwards and Kreshel had
participants keep an audio journal. The researchers in both studies gained valuable feedback that
provided insight of the participants. Feedback included what motivates people to volunteer for
breast cancer events. The feedback from the audio journals and observations show how breast
cancer fundraisers influence other participants. The strategies from the literature review can be
utilized to determine motivational factors that could be used to recruit college volunteers. The
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end result is so fundraisers can be successfully designed and implemented at Pauline Robert
College.
Methodology
The research question which guides this action research project is: What motivational
strategies are effective in recruiting and retaining college volunteers so that fundraisers can be
successfully designed and implemented? I have chosen the naturalistic paradigm. Naturalistic
paradigm is qualitative and applies to interviews, focus groups, participant observation, and case
studies. (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). The following section describes the population, sampling,
research method, procedures, and data sources. Rationale for the methods is discussed under
each sub section.
Population
The population for this research study is faculty, staff and students at Pauline Robert
College. Enrollment for the college as of spring 2012 was 1641 weekday students, 245 weekend
college students and 377 graduate students. The college has 139 Faculty and 258 staff members.
Sample and sampling strategy. For my research I conducted a census survey using
survey monkey. The purpose of the survey is to find out what are motivations of volunteers at
Pauline Robert College. The Dean of Students used a network user list for students and emailed
out the link for my online survey. The Director of Human Resources used a network user list for
employees (staff and faculty) and sent out the link for the survey.
I work in the Admissions Office at Pauline Robert College. The reason I sent out surveys
to a large number of people is because it increased the probability of gathering responses. By
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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conducting a census, I had hoped to get enough responses for each population (students, staff,
and faculty and alumnae). From the pool of survey respondents, I did determine a realistic
number of participants for the focus groups. I had nine people who wanted to participate in a
focus group. This determined how many sessions I had. Creswell (2009) suggests six to eight
participants per group. My focus group had eight participants. The focus groups provided a
setting for Pauline Robert staff, faculty and students to express their own thoughts on the results
of the surveys. Also the focus groups provided a platform which allowed participants give their
opinions on the Relay for Life event. Through the use of the data sources I listed, I expected to
get an idea of what are motivational factors that influence people to volunteer. I gained feedback
about perceptions of the Relay for Life event and if the Relay should be condensed into a one
day event.
Research Method
For my research design I used a mixed methods approach. My specific method was an
online survey that asked Pauline Robert College community to respond to questions about what
motivators that cause them to volunteer, how frequently do they volunteer, what types of cancer
fundraising events would fit their needs, what are constraints to volunteering. The use of a
survey helped me to gain a picture of the current state of the problem, which is lack of
participation in the Relay for Life event. The email survey assisted in a quicker turnaround time
since people did not have to worry about turning in paper surveys. The survey was only sent out
and conducted once. Depending on availability and interest, the focus group was offered during a
lunch hour on a Friday. I did plan for one focus group to be held on a weekend but due to the low
interest only one was planned.
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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Data Sources
I used several data sources for my research project. The first data source was my
literature review which defined the following: What are different types of motivations (Gage &
Thapa, 2012), why people volunteer (Harteian & Lilly, 2009) and (Garner & Garner, 2010), what
are constraints of college students who volunteer (Kao, Y, 2009) and Maslow’s Hierarchy of
Needs (Maslow, 1954).
Secondly, I used the results of the electronic survey on motivations for volunteering and
the results of focus group discussions to pinpoint what motivates and hinders volunteerism at
Pauline Robert College. Once I had data from the survey responses, I applied that information to
determine motivational strategies to get participants to volunteer for cancer fundraiser. Lastly, a
journal was kept during the research project as a qualitative tool. The journal was used to capture
my thoughts, reflections of the survey and focus group processes.
Procedures
To obtain data from the Pauline Robert College community, I conducted a survey of
students, staff, alumnae and faculty to understand what motivates them to volunteer and focus
groups to discuss responses of the survey.
Pre-implementation procedures. The first task that I completed was to gather data
through conversations with past Relay for Life committee members and coordinators. The
conversations allowed me to gain insight into suspected reasons why the Relay is no longer
offered and potential solutions to the problem. In addition, I had conversations with the Dean of
Students and Office Manager in Student Affairs to discuss the rationale behind my research and
creation of survey questions. The next step I did was review the rationale of my study with the
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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Director of Human Resources. I needed to gain permission from the Dean of students and
Director of Human Resources before proceeding with emailing faculty, staff and students.
Therefore I need to write the letters of consent (See Appendix C-D).
The final step before implementation was to email the link and text of an email to both
the Director of Human Resources and Dean of Students. They used network user lists to send my
email out to everyone at Pauline Robert College.
Implementation procedures. I administered the surveys using survey monkey in the
fall, 2012. The use of survey monkey kept responses confidential and private. Results were
accessed through the survey monkey website. There was no indication of who the responses
came from. Furthermore, no questions were asked that gave specific clues to participant
identities. The last question of the survey asked if the respondent would be interested in a focus
group. The respondent was asked to email me. This kept the identity on the survey confidential.
A time frame of two weeks was given before closing the online survey. The rationale for two
weeks was so people who had different schedules especially students could respond. There are
students who attend Pauline Robert on the weekend, weekday or evenings. Additionally, faculty
has a variety of office hours. Prior to planning the focus group(s) results of the survey was
discussed with the Dean of Students. The focus group(s) was conducted in fall, 2012. The focus
group was a platform for participants to discuss responses of the survey and if they agree with
the findings. After the discussion of the survey results a group activity occurred.
The following questions were asked during the focus group session. I displayed
newsprint on the walls for participants to write suggestions under each heading. Participants
were allowed to freely move around and write responses on the wall to the following questions:
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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1. What motivated you to participate in this focus group?
2. What type of support do you need to stay committed to planning an event?
3. What are your thoughts on the Relay for Life event?
4. How can Pauline Robert make the Relay event better in the future?
The focus group questions tied into the survey by having related questions about
motivations and cancer fundraisers. The focus group asks specific questions about the Relay
event such as ways to improve the Relay in the future.
Operationalization of Concepts/Variables (Measurement)
In the literature review, I found that in order retain volunteers for any organization that
it is important to understand the impact of motivation (Harteian & Lilly, 2009). Motivation is
based on needs or impulses. There are several levels of needs a person needs to achieve in order
to be satisfied. The different needs are psychological, safety, love, esteem needs and self-
actualization (Maslow, 1954). Altruistic (selfless) and egotistical (self-centered) reasons are two
types of motivations that influence volunteerism. Although altruistic motivations usually are
reasons for initial volunteering, egotistical motivations are what keeps people committed (Gage
& Thapa, 2012). Burnout or the feeling of excessive workload is a constraint for college
students (Kao, 2009). A method to decrease this feeling is to plan an event that makes good use
of the student’s time (Gage & Thapa, 2012). In two research studies (Blackstone, 2004; Edwards
& Kreshel, 2008) they noted that different motivations bring participants to a cancer fundraiser
walk. What holds people together is the realization that they are doing the same thing which is
bringing awareness to breast cancer. The research question for my study is: What motivational
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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strategies are effective in recruiting college volunteers so that cancer fundraisers can be
successfully designed and implemented? To design the survey and focus group topics and
questions, I needed to base these on the following specific terms from my literature review:
Table 1: Operationalization of Terms
Term Concepts Indicators (See what appendices for
the full survey)
Needs
(Maslow, 1954)
Psychological, safety,
love, esteem needs and
self-actualization
Survey question 3: In the past three year
have you volunteered?
Focus group question 2: What type of
support do you need to stay committed to
planning an event?
Motivation
(Gage & Thapa, 2012)
Altruistic -improve
other’s welfare,
Egotistical-improve
one’s welfare,
Survey question 4: If no, what was the
reason for not volunteering?
Survey question 5: In the past year how
many times have you volunteered?
Survey question 6: What motivates you
to volunteer?
Motivational Factors
Harteian & Lilly
(2009)
Understanding personal
rewards or benefits such
as social (making
friends), service, self-
confidence
(recognition) and self-
esteem (feeling good
about one’s self)
Survey question 4: If no, what was the
reason for not volunteering?
Survey question 5: In the past year how
many times have you volunteered?
Survey question 6: What motivates you
to volunteer?
Survey question 7: How do you choose
where you volunteer?
Focus group question 1: What
motivated you to participate in this focus
group?
Focus group question 2: What type of
support do you need to stay committed to
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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planning an event?
Volunteering
(Gage & Thapa, 2012)
Investigate the
motivational factors of
undergraduate students
to volunteer. Volunteer
characteristics, scope of
volunteerism, and type
of contributions of
volunteers
Survey question 3: In the past three
years, have you been a volunteer?
Survey question 4: In the past year how
many times have you volunteered?
Survey question 8: What types of
organizations have you served as a
volunteer?
Volunteer Retention
(Harteian & Lilly,
2009)
(Garner & Garner,
2010).
(Gage & Thapa, 2012)
Understanding of
reasons that push people
to volunteer
Four levels of
satisfaction (organizational support,
satisfaction with
participation efficacy,
satisfaction of training,
participation efficacy,
and empowerment)
Making good use of
student’s time.
Survey question 3: In the past year how
many times have you volunteered? What
motivates you to volunteer?
Survey question 10: Think about the
most recent volunteer experience where
you actually stopped volunteering. What
was the main reason why you stopped?
Survey question 11: What factors do
you think could have encouraged your
continued involvement with the
organizations?
Focus group question 2: What type of
support do you need to stay committed to
planning an event?
Constraints to
volunteering
(Kao, 2009
Potential blocks to
volunteering such as
school work, family
responsibilities or
exhaustion
Survey question 6: What is the main
reason that has caused you to stop
volunteering in the past?
Cancer fundraiser
(Blackstone, 2004)
Types of cancer
awareness events
wanted at Pauline
Robert College
Survey question 7: Have you
participated in a cancer related fund
raiser event before?
Survey question 14: To what charity or
non-profit organization did you last
donate?
Survey question 3: In the past year how
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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many times have you volunteered? What
motivates you to volunteer?
Survey question 13: What type of
cancer awareness event would you like to
see held at Pauline Robert College?
Focus group question 3: What are your
thoughts on the Relay for Life event?
Focus group question 4: How can
Pauline Robert make the Relay event
better in the future?
Breast Cancer
(Blackstone, 2004)
(Braun, 2003)
(Harvey &
Strahilevitz, 2009)
Breast cancer events
provide a sense of
relationships
walks provides an
opportunity for men and
women to do healthy
activities
A cancer walk
“provided storytelling,
friendship and bonding”
Survey question 13: What type of
cancer awareness event would you like to
see held at Pauline Robert College?
Survey question 14: To what charity or
non-profit organization did you last
donate?
Planning Events
(Appleby &
Pemberton, 2010).
Challenges of planning
an event such as
seeking support,
resources and
volunteers.
Identify gains to
participants such a
chance to build
relationships and do a
healthy activity
Marketing or promotion
of the fundraiser event
Survey question 9: Would you be
interested in participating in a focus
group to discuss planning a cancer
related fund raising event at Pauline
Robert College?
Focus group question 1: What
motivated you to participate in this focus
group?
Focus group question 2: What type of
support do you need to stay committed to
planning an event?
Focus group question 3: What are your
thoughts on the Relay for Life event?
Focus group question 4: How can
Pauline Robert make the Relay event
better in the future?
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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The table above shows themes in the literature review and how I planned to
operationalize specific terms used in my survey and focus group. From looking at my literature
review I have found that these nine terms guided my survey and focus group questions. The
terms are needs, motivations, motivational factors, volunteering, and volunteer retention,
constraints to volunteering, cancer fundraiser, breast cancer and planning an event.
Trustworthiness
The central question of trustworthiness defined by Lincoln and Guba (1985) is “How
can an inquirer persuade his or her audiences (including self) that the findings of an inquiry are
worth paying attention to, worth taking account of?” I am working from the Naturalistic
paradigm. Naturalistic paradigm is qualitative and applies to interviews, focus groups,
participant observation, and case studies. My data sources which are open ended surveys, a
focus group, a journal and literature review fall within this paradigm .There are three parts to this
paradigm which are truth value/credibility, applicability/transferability, and consistency/audit
ability. The following section describes these three components.
Creditability
Credibility means producing a study that has a thick description or interpretations that the
people having the experience would immediately recognize as their own. (Lincoln &and Guba,
1985) The research used a triangulation of data sources which are surveys on volunteerism and
motivations. My literature review includes terms such as needs, motivations, motivational
factors, volunteering, and retention of volunteers, constraints of volunteering, cancer breast
cancer fundraisers and planning an event. The literature review assists in building the argument
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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that there needs to be a cancer related fundraiser at Pauline Robert College. I did also use a
journal to record reflective thoughts on survey and focus groups observations. I had the Dean of
Students and Office Manager of Division of Student Affairs as peer collaborators. Both peer
collaborators had a meeting with me to discuss the survey and focus group questions. They
provided me with useful feedback and gave a different perception of the past Relay for Life
event. By playing ‘devil’s advocate’ both peer collaborators provided different viewpoints that
may have been initially missed.
Applicability/Transferability
Lincoln and Guba state that “the researcher has a responsibility to provide a “thick
description” about the context of the setting, human experiences in it, findings so that a
reader/audience can decide if the research context and findings are similar enough to the reader’s
situation to warrant transferability” (1985, p. 4) My research provided an introduction and
context of my research study. Also included in the introduction is a rationale for why my study
was conducted. The introduction gives a description of Pauline Robert College and the Relay for
Life event. The context gives a basic overview of the number of Pauline Robert College students,
staff and faculty. Creswell (2009) says when a researcher provides a detailed description of the
setting that the results become more realistic and richer. Due to these factors the research and
qualitative methods used can be transferred to other contexts.
Consistency/Audit ability
Lincoln and Guba (1985) discuss how a study and its findings are considered ‘consistent’
when the readers can follow the path or audit trail. “In a nutshell, if the researcher provides
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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insufficient evidence or draws unfounded interpretations or conclusions, the consistency is
weak” (p. 4). My research study provided a path or trail by first explaining my research
question, then providing a literature review based on concepts related to my question. Then I
used the concepts to create survey questions. The survey responses were discussed in a focus
group. Furthermore the use of a journal was a great tool to back up my interpretations. The
journal documents my reflections during the focus group. This was used as supporting evidence
of my data findings.
Ethics
Due to my relationship to Pauline Robert as an employee I have access to confidential
information such as email addresses, names and student identification numbers. I protected
anonymity by using pseudonyms for participants. Additionally, pseudonyms were used for both
survey and focus group responses. Using pseudonyms for participants allowed for privacy to
remain intact. It is important to state risks in research. Creswell (2009) states “Do not put
participants at risk, and respect vulnerable populations” (p. 89). Creswell also discusses that
researchers need to be aware of potential harmful or personal information being disclosed. One
risk was participants may fear being identified in the focus group and survey. Using pseudonyms
built trust with my participants. The participants will feel their personal information and
responses are safe and will not cause harm.
I did not share results of information I gathered from survey and focus group responses.
This includes anyone who isn’t affiliated with my research study. Survey responses were
gathered through surveymonkey.com. The survey generator keeps all responses confidential. As
previously stated, no questions were used that purposely gives away a participant’s identity.
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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To obtain consent I used an informed consent form (See Appendix B-D). The consent
form disclosed my identity and reasons for the study. The form was signed by participants. The
Office Manager of Division of Student Affairs signed a consent form as well.
The benefits of this research study were based in the fact that we at Pauline Robert
needed to create a cancer related fundraiser that meets the needs of Pauline Robert College. The
Relay for Life event is an important activity that takes a lot of work and collaboration. One of the
goals of this research is to determine if a smaller scale event would be more practical. The
benefits will hopefully outweigh any potential risks. The findings were shared with the peer
collaborators in order to decide the next steps of the planning process.
Data Analysis
Creswell (2009) uses a six step process to help researchers analyze qualitative data. The
first step is to organize and prepare the data. The data was initially organized by responses from
the survey, responses from focus groups and journal entries. The second step Creswell explains
is to read through all the data. The second step is where I made general conclusions about my
survey and focus group responses. This step involved the use of my journal to make additional
notes to capture the tone of the focus groups and participant responses. The third step was to
begin detailed analysis with a coding process. I organized survey responses by the following
categories: perceptions of motivations, constraints of volunteering, potential benefits, and
possible ideas for cancer related fundraisers. I typed up a transcript of my notes from the focus
group. The use of direct quotes from participants was sorted by the categories listed previously.
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According to Creswell (2009) Step four is using a coding process to generate a
description of the setting or people, categories or themes for analysis (p. 189) Creswell defines
coding as a “process of organizing the material into chunks or segments of text before bringing
meaning to the information” (p. 186). From looking at responses I developed a chart of common
similar key words or ideas participants used. The chart helped me to sort direct quotes into the
proper categories. Through this step a narrative of the responses was created.
Step six (2009) is to make an interpretation or meaning of the data (p. 189). Creswell
suggests that researchers find what lessons were learned from the information collected. This
could be done by comparing information from the literature review such as the results of
previous studies on motivations of volunteers (Gapa & Thapa, 2012) and breast cancer events
Blackstone (2004) and Edwards and Kreshel (2008) to my survey results. A question that could
be raised is if any new information was obtained from my study regarding the question: What
strategies are effective in recruiting college volunteers so that fundraisers can be successfully
designed and implemented?
Using my data sources allowed me to come up with several themes from responses. The
following are volunteer populations at Alverno, motivations, motivational factors, volunteering,
and volunteer retention, constraints to volunteering, cancer fundraisers and Relay for Life.
Findings
Volunteer Population at Pauline Robert College College
An online survey was sent out to all network users at Pauline Robert College. The online
survey was kept open for two weeks. A total of 118 responses were tallied from survey monkey.
In order to understand the culture of Pauline Robert College in relation to volunteering, it is
important to look at varying aspects. Such aspects include the frequency of volunteering, and
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what motivates the college community to volunteer. Of the 118 survey participants the
following results were found.
According to the survey results 27.1% of respondents were ages 50-59 years of age. 23.7% were
40-49 years of age. 16.9% of both 30-39 and 60+ responded. Only 11.9% of 21-29 year olds
responded. The lowest response rate was for 18-20 year olds at 3.4%.
Chart 1: Age Bracket
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Of the 118 responses, 55.9% were staff members. 31.4% were faculty members.
Surprisingly 15.3% of community members (alums, friend of the college) responded while only
12.7% were students. The survey was not conducted during midterms or during a major holiday.
However, due to the low response of the younger age group, it was predicted that there would be
a smaller amount of student responses.
The survey participants were asked, have you been a volunteer in the past year? Ninety
two percent of respondents said yes while only 7.6% percent said no. It can be assumed that a
Chart 2: Affiliation with Pauline
Robert College
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lack of volunteering is not the issue. In fact from the findings it is safe to conclude that the
college community volunteers on a regular basis.
In the past year 40.7% of participants said they volunteered between 8-10 times. Twenty
nine percent said 1-3 times a year. 23.7% answered 4-7 times a year. Only 8.5% of participants
said they didn’t volunteer. The survey asked what the main reason for not volunteering, if they
Chart 3: Volunteering Frequency
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answered no or none to the previous two questions. 12 responses indicated time constraints.
Time constraints are from work, no free time or family obligations.
In the literature review, one of the major themes or ideas is that motivation is key to
recruiting and retaining volunteers for any organization. Also it is important to understand the
impact of motivation (Harteian & Lilly, 2009). Two motivations of volunteering are altruistic
and egotistical (Harteian & Lilly, 2009). Although egotistical reasons are considered selfish, this
is not necessarily the case. Both altruistic and egotistical motivations can reside in the same
person. From the responses to the first survey question it is apparent that there are often multi-
faceted reasons for volunteering or not volunteering.
Motivations
The top two motivations to volunteer are helping others, believing in the mission and
improving the community. The themes are presented in Table 2 with direct quotes to illustrate
their meaning. Approximately one third of the participants were motivated by either helping
others or believing in the mission.
Table 2 What Motivates You to Volunteer?
Themes Responses
Helping others
37 of the 118 responses
“What motivates me knows that I've done
something good for others. Volunteering is
truly rewarding, and I love seeing people's face
light up or hearing the 'thank you’d'.” Staff
member age 20-21 years old
“I love helping others. I volunteer with kids
mostly because I love to see the excitement
they get when they get an answer right or if
they accomplish something new.”
Community member age 20-21 years old
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“Awareness of how lucky I am and feeling of
guilt because of most people not being so
fortunate.”
Faculty member age 30-39
“A desire to give back; to right my wrongs; to
set the example for my son and other children
in my life.”
Staff member age 40-49
“Giving my help to someone/someplace that
needs it makes me feel so good. I am here to
help. We are all here to help each other. That
makes the world a better place.”
Staff member age 50-59
“I receive so much more than I give. I learn
from each volunteer engagement.”
Staff member age 60
Believing in the Mission/Personal
Connection
35 of the 118 responses
“I enjoy giving my time to worthy causes
because I have seen the impact it has on
people's lives.”
Staff member age 21-29
“Caring for the cause, personal cause.”
Student, age 21-29
“Providing support to a cause or an
organization I respect and believe in.”
Faculty Member age 50-59
“Commitment to the vision and mission of the
organization. Also, it's a grass-roots
organization that needs assistance. Plus, it
creates opportunities for me to learn.”
Staff Member age 60+
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The next highest motivations were improving the community reported by about 17% of
participants.
Improving the Community
18 of the 118 responses
“I love to help people, and also love to see my
community strive to be better every day.”
Student, age 19-20
“Commitment to contribute to my community,
engage with others, develop
personally/professionally, fun/social
connections”
Staff Member age 30-39
“Building a strong community & to give back
because I am very fortunate.”
Staff Member, age 40-49
“Giving back to the community is an
expression of thanks for my good fortune.”
Staff member, age 60
The next three motivational factors were religious reasons, knowing someone who was
affected by cancer and social reasons were given by approximately 6% of participants.
Religious Reasons
7 of the 118 responses
“To help the less fortunate and to follow Jesus'
teachings.”
Staff member age 40-49
“To help at my church and get involved with
the youth ministries.”
Staff member, age 50-59
Knowing someone who is affected by the
cause
6 of the 118 responses
“Motivation for me comes from having a close
family member having died from cancer.”
Community member, age 30-39
“Know someone who is part of an event and
he/she has asked me to help also. If I have the
time and interest, I will help.”
Staff member. Age 50-59
Social Reasons
6 of the 118 responses
“Work with friends and colleagues, mission of
the work.”
Staff member age 50-59
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Other motivations reported were undecided, career personal benefits, a sense of belonging to a
community. Two participants said there were unsure what motivates them to volunteer.
Career
2 of the 118 responses
“Resume experience and knowing I am making
a difference/helping others.”
Staff Member age 21-29
“Career opportunity.”
Community member
age 21-29
Not sure
2 of the 118 responses
N/A
Personal Benefits
2 of the 118 responses
“Better myself.”
Staff member age 40-49
Sense of Belonging
2 of the 118 responses
“The feeling of being part of a community. “
Staff member age 21-29
Family
1 response of 118 responses
“My family did volunteer work, my mother
especially: part of what I think is important:
think that service to community is part of my
responsibility.”
Faculty member age 50-59
Motivational Factors
The survey also asked how the participant choses where they volunteer. From coding the
responses I found the common themes in the survey responses. One of the motivational factors in
choosing where to volunteer has to do with personal connections and the organization/cause.
From the literature review, a major framework was Marlow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
Maslow (1954) says all people in our society have a need for a stable vision of themselves which
relates to the esteem need. He also says people want others to think highly of themselves too. He
describes two types of the self-esteem needs. The first type of self-esteem need is the desire for
strength, achievement, and confidence to face the world. The second type is reputation of one’s
self. People want recognition, attention and appreciation. When someone feels they are making a
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difference or having an impact (measured through appreciation) on a cause they feel a personal
connection. Providing that connection is a good method to motivate the college community to
keep volunteering. The survey question was asked how a participant choses where they
volunteer. The responses were coded and sorted by categories such as personal connection,
organization, location etc.
The top two factors of how the participant choses where they volunteer were personal
connection/making a difference and the organization/cause. The themes are presented in Table 3
with direct quotes to illustrate their meaning. Approximately one third of the participants were
motivated by either having a personal connection or making a difference and organization/cause.
Table 3
Themes Responses
Personal Connection/Making a difference
33 of the 118 responses
“I often choose places or causes to which I
have a personal connection or where I can give
the most because of my skills and abilities.”
Staff member age 50-59
“I choose based on the opportunities that
present themselves to me. A lot will be based
on what the volunteer activity is, since most all
volunteering is going for a good cause
anyways. As I mentioned prior, I choose to
volunteer at events that have meaning to me!”
Student age 21-29
“I have to care about the issue. The event has
to be "personalized” (I don't do mega runs) * I
have to find the activity interesting.”
Staff member age 50-59
“Organizations that align with my personal
values or have solid track record of success in
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providing beneficial services to my
community”
Student age 21-29
“The mission is consistent with my values. I
volunteer only when I think I can make a
difference. It helps to instill a value system in
the home.”
Staff member age 40-49
Organization/Cause 24 of the 118
responses
“Organizations that have large portions of their
proceeds to directly to research and helping
families affected.”
Community member age 30-39
“Organizations that I am involved in or my
family is involved in.”
Staff member age 40-49
“Organizations i am passionate about, fit with
my available time and convenient location.”
Faculty member age 50-59
“The organization's need and my level of
interest/commitment to the mission and
vision.”
Faculty member age 60+
The next highest factors in deciding where to volunteer was location. Location was reported by
about 22% of participants.
Location 10 of the 118 responses “Location is definitely something I take into
consideration. If the volunteer event has
something to do with raising money for a
cause/cure, I love participating. I love
volunteering for events when children are
involved.”
Student age 21-29
“With not having a car, I am very picky where
i need to volunteer, but I decide based on the
organization how well organized they are.
What the organization does to help others.”
Staff member age 21-29
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“Close to work or home or on the way home.”
Staff member age 40-49
“Depending how far I live and if I have a ride
to the place.”
Student age 18-20
The next two factors in deciding where to volunteer were family influence, asked, time and
interest. The responses were given by approximately 7% of participants.
Family Influence 9 of the 118 responses
Asked
Time
“In the past, I've typically volunteered when
asked. I sometimes have a hard time knowing
where to go or who to approach to volunteer.”
Staff member age 30-39
“Being asked by someone I respect or seeing a
need I can fill.”
Staff member age 40-49
Interest 8 of the 118 responses “My interests and where I feel there's a need. It
also helps to know a lot about the organization
(i.e., whether they've advertised and requested
help).”
Staff member age 30-39
The lowest factors in deciding where to volunteer were religious and social, skill and talent
reasons. Approximately 3% of participants responded with the above reasons.
Religious 4 of the 118 responses “My main choice is helping at my church.”
Staff member age 50-59
“I generally work through my parish.”
Faculty member age 60+
Social 2 of the 118 responses
Skill/Talent
“I hear about it through friends or school.”
Student age 18-20
From the responses I received the college community tends to volunteer where there is a
personal connection and where they feel they can make a difference. Many of the responses
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could be coded in more than one category. Because participants want to volunteer where there is
a personal connection, it is not unusual to see that people tend to volunteer mostly within school
and church. The reason could be because school is where college students spend much of their
time. I coded responses by type of organizations. Church and school reflected responses that
identified a church or school event such as working at a child’s school. Cancer was identified
through responses such as breast cancer walks, Relay for Life and childhood cancer events. The
‘in need’ code is a category that was reflected with answers such as food collections, women’s
shelters and peace activities. The health category had references to Blood Center of Wisconsin
and Aids Resource Center. Nonprofit category reflected answers that used the term ‘nonprofit.’
Youth groups represented quotes that used the term ‘youth groups.’ Walks were any type of non-
cancer walk such as mothers against drunk drivers or child abuse prevention walks. Environment
meant community day or cleaning up liter in the local parks. The category of animals was mostly
reflected in responses such as the Humane Society or donating to an animal shelter. Elderly was
used a code for responses such as veteran’s hospitals. Political code was used for donations to a
political party or helping with a campaign. Education code was used for such activities as
literacy groups. Fundraisers codes were assigned based on responses that used the term
‘fundraisers.’ Finally sports, music and media were coded for responses such as theatres,
National Public Radio and donating to a sports team.
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43
16
10 10
7 6
4 4 3 3 3 3
2 1
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Types of Organizations Where People Volunteer
Volunteering and Volunteer Retention
Chart 4 Organizations
The survey also asked why people would stop volunteering or what made them stop
volunteering. 43 responses indicated time was an issue. Time deals with satisfaction in terms of
volunteers feeling the organization conflicts with activities such as family, children’s school
events and school. Common responses included “time restrictions, “limited time” or “Too busy.”
Lack of organization in the volunteering cause also can decrease volunteerism. Ten responses
said a reason was the cause was not organized well. Some responses included “The leaders had
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no leadership! Disorganized and nobody knew the clear outcomes.” Another said “Very
disorganized situation, not enough to do.” In relation to the last comment is the feeling that
volunteers aren’t being utilized fully. As one response said “I wasn’t fully utilized. I don’t want
to stand around if I volunteer my time. I do take initiative to find tasks that need to be done, but I
want to feel that I have helped and my time is valued and I am being used fully.” Seven
responses were coded in the category of feeling not appreciated. Although some of the responses
had elements of other categories such as not organized or time. Some responses said “My
contribution of time and effort were not recognized.” Another person responded “The
organization didn’t recognize me or thank me individually.” Other categories were change of
plans such as changing schools or location. Another had to deal with health and family issues
such as dealing with an elderly parent. Another category was that the activity was a onetime
thing. Another pattern is the feeling of being stretched too thin. As one staff member says
“Couldn't continue to serve as the co-chairperson due to time constraints and lack of new
volunteers to sustain large event.”
From the survey findings, the general theme is time is valuable and shouldn’t be wasted.
Maslow (1954) suggested people should be doing what they are ‘fitted’ for can. This can be
applied to volunteerism it is important to find one’s fit in order to feel satisfied and have self-
actualization. Understanding needs and motivations will help to gain retention of volunteers.
Volunteers don’t want their time wasted just standing around. There needs to be an inventory of
skills among volunteers to determine the appropriate fit. Lastly, putting the right people in the
right role is a good motivational strategy to keep volunteers invested in an event.
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Constraints to Volunteering
Chart 5 Levels of Appreciation
Satisfaction plays a big role in the retention of volunteers. From chart 5 it shows the
survey participants felt extremely appreciated. 39% of survey participants felt extremely
appreciated. 38.1% indicated they felt much appreciated. On the lower scale only 0.8 % said they
didn’t feel appreciated at all. People have a need to feel appreciated and valued. In my literature
review I described levels of satisfaction. Kuhn and Guzley (As cited in, 2010) The first two are
satisfaction with organizational support and satisfaction with participation efficacy.
Organizational support is when the volunteer is satisfied with training, planning and support for
the tasks that they do. Participation efficacy is the feeling of making a difference from the tasks
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that are completed. The third dimension is empowerment which is the freedom of completing the
tasks as the volunteer sees fit. The fourth dimension is satisfaction with group integration. This is
how content volunteers are with relationships within the volunteer activity. The authors explain
that volunteers have to choice to give feedback or state reasons for lack of satisfaction. They
state “when volunteers are dissatisfied they have the option to voice their dissatisfaction, to leave
the organization, silently live with the dissatisfaction, or reduce their effort they put into their
duties” (p. 816). The next survey question asked what factors could have encouraged continued
involvement with the organizations? The responses were coded and sorted into the following
themes/categories.
The top two factors that would have influenced to continuing to volunteering
volunteering are juggling commitments and organization of the volunteering activity. Thirty four
percent of responses indicated these two reasons. The themes are presented in Table 4 with direct
quotes to illustrate their meaning. Approximately one third of the participants indicated juggling
commitments and organization were two constraints of volunteering. The themes are presented
in Table 4 with direct quotes to illustrate their meaning.
Table 4
Themes Responses
Juggling Commitments 27 of the 118
Responses
“My schedule is the biggest challenge. I have
young children, so my evenings/weekends are
very precious and to give up that time on a
regular basis is very difficult at this stage in my
life.”
Staff member age 30-39
“Offering a variety of volunteer opportunities
to accommodate different schedules and time
commitments.”
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Staff member age 30-39
“Allowing me some time off or providing me a
way to stay involved with limited time (smaller
tasks, etc.).”
Faculty member age 40-49
“More flexibility, different date/time, etc.”
Staff member age 40-49
Organization 13 of the 118 Responses “Additional volunteers were needed to help
with distribution of event responsibilities.
Existing volunteers were becoming burned-out
by the amount of time needed to run a large
fundraising event without enough help.”
Staff member age 50-59
“New leadership of the organization.”
Staff member age 60+
The next factors that would have influenced to continue to volunteering were reported as
relationship/social, outcome of service and appreciation and more personal. 15% of responses
indicated the above mentioned factors.
Relationship/Social 7 of the 118 Responses “I think having friends in the organizations
would have helped. I've always found
volunteering experiences slightly awkward
because I (typically) don't know anybody at the
volunteer site, and other people already know
each other, etc. I felt kind of isolated and
uncomfortable and finally stopped going. It
would be helpful if volunteer organizations
would put more focus into making people feel
like they're part of the team.”
Staff member age 30-39
“After a couple of years doing the small
fundraiser I felt there was a lot of tension
between the participants, and then it was not an
enjoyable experience and not worth the stress
on relationships.”
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Staff member age 40-49
Outcome of Service 6 of the 118 Responses
Appreciation
“Having encouragement that even a little bit of
time would be helpful. Not having the feeling
that if I can’t contribute the amount of time or
money they set as a goal, what I can do would
still be contributing in a positive way.”
Community member age 30-39
“Certainly more sense of being needed and
valued.”
Faculty member age 60+
“Knowing that my help was appreciated. I felt
like no one on the board of the organization
even knew or cared that I was there.”
Staff member age 40-49
More personal 5 of the 118 Responses “If they actually used my talent - or even said
"hello" or "thank you"
Staff member age 40-49
“Personal greeting from organizers.”
Staff member age 60+
“I haven't experienced a time where I stopped
volunteering. What encourages me to continue
is how welcoming people are and the amazing
interactions that occur?”
Student age 21-29
The lowest factors that would have encouraged continuing volunteering were good use of
volunteer’s time, transportation/location, less pressure, continuation of the cause and money.
Approximately 6% of participants indicated the above mentioned factors as ways that would
have encouraged them to continue volunteering.
Good Use of Time 4 of the 118 Responses “Better organization with specific tasks to do.”
Staff member age 30-39
“The organization could assess volunteer
expertise and determine whether they can make
better use of individuals as projects change.”
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Faculty member age 40-49
Transportation/location 3 of the 118
Responses
“If I was closer to the area to continue going
there, also if work did not affect the
volunteering as well.”
Student age 18-20
Less pressure 1 of the 118 Responses
Continued the Cause
Money
From the survey findings it is shows that survey participants need more flexibility to
juggle time constraints. For example offering an activity during time frames or allowing time off
from heavy tasks to decrease the feeling of burnout among volunteers. In addition, participants
feel that more organization is needed. This means that more volunteers are needed to help share
the assigned tasks. As with the other responses to previous survey questions, volunteers want to
make the most of their time and feel appreciated.
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Cancer Related Fundraisers
Chart 6
The survey findings shows that a high amount of Pauline Robert College members have
participated in cancer fundraisers before. 74.6% said yes and 25.4% said no. According to chart
6 the highest amount was 20 responses that said Relay for Life. Followed by 13 responses that
said a one day event. Of the specific types of cancer noted, breast cancer at the highest amount of
suggestions with nine responses. One suggestion from a participant was “I think a one day Relay
for Life would be great- more manageable for everyone involved. Also joining up with other
organizations to support the event would promote awareness of the college, while making
staffing easier.” Other responses seem to provide good ideas such as preventative events. A
response was “Have a speaker (survivor), panel of healthcare experts on prevention/lifestyle
choices.” A similar response was “Displays concerning early detection. A few suggestions dealt
with competition events. Some responses were “Walk/run or “all-star” game held on campus,
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dance-a-thon.” Another response was “A benefit concert with student/faculty talent may be a
nice vehicle to promote awareness.” Lastly, “Pink Party-Zumba event.”
The last question asked about the last charity or nonprofit organization that the
participant donated money too. The question was to see where people decide to spend their time
and money. The survey result findings were similar to the findings from the question about
where people volunteer at. According to chart 7, 39% responses indicated church and school is
where money is mostly donated to. Followed by 25 responses for community outreach.
Chart 7
Focus Group Findings
A focus group was scheduled in October 2012. The focus group participants were survey
participants who expressed interest in having a focus group. The focus group was scheduled
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Charities
Church/School
Community Outreach
Cancer
Elderly Care
Media/Sports
Health
Animals
Reproductive
Special Olympics
World Outreach
Never Donated
Disaster Relief (9/11)
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during a lunch hour on a Friday. It was conducted in a classroom. This was based on the
availability of interested participants. The participants signed a letter of consent form before
starting the focus group (appendix C-D). There were eight participants. Candy was provided as a
small snack and thank you for attending. A PowerPoint presentation was given that gave an
overview of the survey results. The four focus group questions were listed on four newsprints
that were taped on the chalk board for participants to write in responses.
The responses from the focus group are similar to survey responses. What motivated
people to the focus group were because of personal connections? The type of support people
need to stay committed to planning a volunteering event mostly had to do with feeling
appreciated and supported. The themes are presented in Table 5 with direct quotes to illustrate
their meaning.
Table 5
Question Responses
“What Motivated You to Participate
Today?
“Support my friend and co-worker (2
agreement responses)
“My dad passed away from cancer.”
My cousin passed away a year ago from
cancer.”
“Family impacted by cancer.” (2 agreement
responses)
“Attended Relay in the past-Great event! (2
agreement responses.
“Volunteering is so important for those with a
need/illness and for the volunteers.”
“I’ve seen successful programs at other
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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institutions.”
“What Type of Support Do You Need to
Stay Committed To Planning an Event?
“Group support and volunteerism” (2
agreement responses)
“Feeling appreciated”
“Knowing I made a difference.” (2 agreement
responses)
“Mental Support.”
“Personal connection, being asked to help
specifically using my skills and making
volunteers feel needed.”
“Final product and accomplishment.”
The final two questions were specifically about the Relay for Life event and how to
improve it. According to my literature review (Appleby & Pemberton, 2010) organization is a
useful strategy to plan a fundraiser event. Additionally, marketing or promotion of the fundraiser
event is important to get potential participants and volunteer’s attention. Similar responses
echoed these statements.
What Are Your Thoughts on the Relay for
Life Event?
“Supports a good cause.” (2 agreement
responses)
“Exciting how others think of one another.”
“I was on a committee and it’s A LOT of work.
I would help again.”
“I’d love to help plan in the future.”
“I don’t know a lot about it.”
“A good event that needs better PR and media
attention.”
“Requires participation and motivation from
existing groups to sponsor and staff teams.”
How Can We Make the Relay Event Better “Make it a one day event instead of two.”
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in The Future? “More volunteers to make tasks easier”
“Student organizations should help sponsor
events.”
“Get community involvement. Maybe a
challenge”
“Better advertisement to encourage
participation and involvement.”
“Group based incentives.”
After everyone was done taking turns writing suggestions, I went over what was written
down. I asked if there were any comments people would like to add. A comment by a staff
member was there needs to be more appreciation for the work of volunteers. She said for
example “How about thank you for…” Another response from a staff member was there needs to
be a feeling of value in the service a volunteer provides. She stated “People want to feel their
time and effort are worth it.”
The focus group had excellent ideas for marketing the Relay. In my literature review,
(Appleby & Pemberton, 2010) state that to promote a successful event such as National Girls and
Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) various media need to be considered. One method is the use of
flyers. The flyers should have contact information, event time and date and place of the event. A
student suggested that more campus resources be used such as the college’s online newsletter or
Campus net. One student participant said a way to get student’s attention could be the use of
banners around campus for individuals to see involvement. The student participant said “This
would appeal to students.” Another student participant suggested a list of students to call and talk
about the Relay. This would a good way to follow up with people who expressed interest.
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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This focus group had great ideas on how to market the Relay. Some suggestions
included having a kickoff party with gifts solicited from various organizations. A student
participant suggestion people walk around campus handing out fliers. A faculty member
suggested having a challenge with the middle/high school across the street or another local
school. A faculty member said the college should get alums to help donate. Also put a poster in
the local women’s pavilion to attract nursing alums. A faculty member said a previous volunteer
event she was a part of was successful because of having a celebrity attend the event. This
brought up issues of how much it would cost to get a celebrity to attend. A staff member said it
might be easier to get a local celebrity. The focus group was asked again if that had any closing
remarks. All participants agreed the Relay should continue.
The last discussion of the focus group centered around how to make Pauline Robert’s
Relay better in the future. A faculty member made the point that previous Relays had team
members that didn’t do their appointed walking times. She said “I would be walking and there
would be no one to walk with late at night.” A suggestion was that all the activities that are
scheduled may tire participants out and they may fall asleep instead of walking around the track
during the Relay. One staff member suggested “More activities spread out during the time
frame.”
The focus group responses indicated the desire for the Relay for Life to continue. More
discussions should be planned in the future to specifically ask if the Relay should be a one day
event instead of a two day event. Furthermore a marketing committee might be a good idea to
help get publicity for the event.
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Conclusion
The research study focused on the question: What motivational strategies are effective in
recruiting and retaining college volunteers so that cancer fundraisers can be successfully
designed and implemented? This research is important in terms of having an event at Pauline
Robert College that brings the whole community together. More importantly is the collaboration,
sharing and bonding that happen within the planning and conducting of the event. From the focus
group and survey results I’ve conducted it is concluded that in order to retain and recruit
volunteers there needs to be a sense of helping others and personal connection to the cause.
Personal connection is a highly motivational factor. The fact of the matter is that cancer affects
everyone. Volunteers are attracted to a cause that that have personal experience with. Also the
feeling of making a difference and helping others. Lastly, in terms of personal connection,
people want to feel their contribution is of value. It is as simple as saying thank you or personally
asking another person to volunteer for an event.
Burnout is a common issue facing people with busy lives. Time constraints can
drastically decrease the amount of participation and volunteers in an organization. What is
needed is flexibility and volunteer’s time to use appropriately. This is done through
communication and organization. A possible future tool could be a better screening process of
volunteers and inventory of skills. People want to do what they feel they are ‘fitted for.’ Also
volunteers need to know what is expected of them.
The final portion of this research will be to present my findings to the Dean of Students.
The information provided in this research study may prove to be valuable in the planning of
future Relay events at Pauline Robert College.
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APPENDIX A: Online Survey Questions
1. Which category below your age?
18-20
21-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60+
2. How are you affiliated with Pauline Robert College (check all that apply)
I am a faculty member
I am a student
I am a community member (alum, friend of the college)
3. In the past three years, have you been a volunteer?
Yes
No
4. If you answered no to the previous question, what is the main reason for not volunteering?
5. In the past year how many times have you volunteered?
0
1-3
4-7
8-10
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6. What motivates you to volunteer?
7. How do you choose where you volunteer?
8. What types of organizations have you served as a volunteer?
9. How appreciated did your most recent volunteer supervisor make
you feel?
Very appreciated
Moderately appreciated
Slightly appreciated
Not all all appreciated
Other (please specify)
10. Think about the most recent volunteer experience where you actually stopped volunteering. What was the main reason why you
stopped?
11. Again, thinking about the most recent volunteer experience where you decided to stop volunteering. What factors do you think
could have encouraged your continued involvement with the organizations?
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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12. Have you participated in a cancer related fundraiser event
before?
Yes
No
13. What type of cancer awareness event would you like to see held
at Pauline Robert College?
14. To what charity or non-profit organization did you last donate?
Would you be interested in participating in a focus group to discuss
planning a cancer related fundraising event at Pauline Robert
College?
The focus group is a platform to discuss the survey results and have
an open dialogue about different types of cancer related fundraisers
at Pauline Robert College. Being a part of the focus group does not
mean you are signing up to volunteer for a fundraiser. Please email
me at [email protected] if you would like to
participate in a focus group.
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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Appendix B: Focus Group Questions
“What Motivated You to Participate Today?
“What Type of Support Do You Need to Stay Committed To Planning an Event?
What Are Your Thoughts on the Relay for Life Event?
How Can We Make the Relay Event Better in the Future?
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APPENDIX C: Letter of Consent to Focus Group Participant
Dear Focus Group Participant,
I am currently doing graduate work in education at Pauline Robert College, and I am
preparing to begin work on an action research project. This project is a requirement of an
Educational Inquiry course, and it is designed to help improve my practice as an educator. My
research topic questions are: what are strategies to engage volunteers in fundraising activities?
What are attributes that make volunteers succeed in planning cancer fund raising events? I did be
conducting a focus group. I hope you are willing to participate in my study.
If you agree, you will participate in a focus group to discuss responses to the survey you
have completed. The focus group will take about an hour and be held on campus. In addition the
feedback on survey responses, I hope to get your feedback on developing a specific cancer
related event at Pauline Robert College. The other data I would collect specifically for the action
research project involves my quoting responses from the focus group. During the focus groups I
did ask about student attitudes and behaviors toward volunteering. If you would like to
participate in the focus group please contact me. My contact information is listed on the survey.
Your participation is completely voluntary. If you choose not to participate it is your
right. You will not suffer any consequences if you don’t participate. You may withdraw your
permission at any time.
I will be taking hand written notes as well as transcribing responses from newsprint
during the focus group as well as hand written notes. I will keep all the data I collect completely
confidential, and I will not use students’ names in any research reports. I will not use the
college’s name. Any information that I present will not be linked to any personal information
that could be used to identify individual students, staff or faculty.
If you would like to participate in the focus group please contact me. My contact
information is listed on the survey.
I will probably include some quotes from the survey and focus groups in my written and
oral research reports, which I did present to the instructor and students in my action research
class. I did also be presenting my research report in a public at an event in May 2012. In
addition, I will present my research report to the Dean of Students at Pauline Robert College if
my research would be beneficial to the planning of a cancer related event.
Your participation will help me to find ways to motivate students, faculty and staff to
volunteer for a cancer related event.
If you have any questions about the research, you may reach me at 414-382-6107 or
Karen.pilarski@Pauline Robert.edu.
Please sign below and return a copy of this letter to me indicating whether or not you give
permission to participate in this research project.
Thank you for your consideration.
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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Sincerely,
Karen Pilarski
===============================================================
____ I give permission to participate in the research project describe above.
____ I do not give permission to participate in the research project describe above.
Participant Name (Please print)
___________________________________________________________________________
Signature of Participant____________________
Date: __________________
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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APPENDIX D: Letter of Consent to Supervisor
To: XXXX, Dean of Students
From: Karen Pilarski
Re: A Request to Conduct Action Research at Pauline Robert College
Date: September 2012
Dear Dean of Students,
I am currently doing graduate work in education at Pauline Robert College, and I am
preparing to begin work on an action research project. This project is a requirement of an
Educational Inquiry course, and it is designed to help improve my practice as an educator. As I
understand the Relay for Life event at Pauline Robert College has not been offered this past year.
I am interested in finding out how to motivate students to volunteer for a cancer related event.
My research topic questions are what are strategies to engage volunteers in fundraising
activities? What are attributes that make volunteers succeed in planning cancer fund raising
events? I did be conducting an online survey of faculty, staff and students. In addition I will plan
a focus group with participants to discuss the survey results and specifically ask for feedback
regarding the Relay for Life event. Attached to this letter you will find my survey questions as
well as a guide I plan on using for the focus group.
I will keep all the data I collect completely confidential, and I will not use specific names
in any research reports. I will not use the college’s name. Any information that I present will not
be linked to any personal information that could be used to identify individual students, staff or
faculty.
I will include some quotes from the survey and focus groups in my written and oral
research reports, which I did present to the instructor and students in my action research class. I
did also be presenting my research report in a public event in May 2012.
I assure you that my research was conducted in ways that meet ethical standards of Pauline
Robert College. I have attached the consent letters that I wish to give to participants who will
participate in the survey and focus group.
My proposed research will benefit our organization because it will enable me to determine how
to motivate faculty, staff and students to volunteer for a cancer related event at Pauline Robert
College.
Can I get your approval on this research topic and research activities before implementing my
proposed actions? If so, just sign below—keep one copy for yourself and give me the other.
Your participation will help me to find ways to motivate students, faculty and staff to volunteer
for a cancer related event.
If you have any questions about the research, you may reach me at 414-382-6107 or
Karen.pilarski@Pauline Robert.edu.
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
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Please sign below and return a copy of this letter to me indicating whether or not you give
permission to participate in this research project.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Karen Pilarski
I authorize Karen Pilarski to conduct this action research plan
______________________________________
Signature and Title
______________________________________
Date
Karen Pilarski Reviving the Relay for Life TLA 750
78
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