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Why do older adult volunteers stop volunteering?
- Authors:
- TANG Fengyan, MORROW-HOWELL Nancy, CHOI EunHee
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 30(5), July 2010, pp.859-878.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
This is a follow-up study, to a parent study of programmes that use older adult volunteers in the United States, which gathered voluntary sector experiences and personal data from 207 individual, older people active in 10 programmes in 2005-2006, via telephone interviews and postal surveys. Four tables of data detailing socio-demographic characteristics and volunteer experiences of current and past volunteers, factors relating to volunteering turnover using the Generalised Estimating Equations analytical method and reasoning given for stopping volunteering activity, presented by these authors show aspects of the volunteer experience, such as duration of involvement, volunteering in other programmes, type of activity, the adequacy of on-going support and the availability of stipends, influence volunteering retention and turnover. Volunteers who, committed for longer time periods, were committed to other programmes, felt better supported and received a stipend were less likely to quit volunteering in a designated programme. Public safety programmes had low rates of volunteer turnover also. Reasons given for volunteer withdrawal included a higher priority of another productive activity or commitment, declining health, or problems with the programme administration, with those with extensive experience least likely to withdraw. The authors recommend the provision of stipends and on-going support by voluntary organisations who wish to engage and retain older adult volunteers, particularly older Americans with low income, in the longer term.
Organizational support and volunteering benefits for older adults
- Authors:
- TANG Fengyan, CHOI EunHee, MORROW-HOWELL Nancy
- Journal article citation:
- Gerontologist, 50(5), October 2010, pp.603-612.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
This study aimed to develop and test a theoretical model of volunteering benefits. In particular, it examined the mechanism through which volunteering benefits older adults, investigating whether organisational support is associated with increased volunteer commitment and socioemotional benefits, and whether socioemotional benefits are related to mental and physical health among older volunteers. A total of 253 older adult volunteers serving in 10 volunteer programmes completed mailed surveys in 2005 and 2006. Structural equation modelling was used to define the latent variables and to test direct and indirect relationships among organisational support, socioemotional benefits, and self-reported health. The results showed that organisational support, measured by choice of volunteer activity, training, and ongoing support, had significant direct associations with two latent factors of socioemotional benefits, that is, perceived contribution and personal benefits. Perceived contribution was significantly related to mental health. Additionally, older volunteers with lower socioeconomic status committed more hours and perceived more personal benefits than higher socioeconomic peers. The findings suggest that volunteer programmes can provide various organisational supports to older volunteers, especially to low-socioeconomic volunteers, in order to promote the socioemotional and health benefits of volunteering to older adults.