Volunteer service accounts for a substantial percentage of America’s workforce and GDP. Numerous organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and the American Red Cross have come to rely heavily on volunteer service. Due to the recent economic downturn and resulting budgetary cuts in the government sector, non-profit organizations have had to assume greater responsibility for providing services such as health care and education. Considering the importance of volunteer service to society, this literature review seeks to identify the key functional motives for volunteers. With a particular focus on the functional motivation theory and the six most prominent motives – values, enhancement, understanding, career, social, and protective – this paper explores the general trends, gender difference, and age differences in volunteer motivation. In addition, it discusses the practical implications of knowledge about volunteer motivation on recruiting and retaining volunteers.

U.S. volunteer-dependent organizations continue to look for more effective ways to support their volunteer recruitment, training, and retention efforts. No prior research has evaluated what variables support sustained volunteerism for CASA volunteers. The purpose of this study was to investigate sustained volunteerism by evaluating the relationships between trait emotional intelligence (trait EI) measured using the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire, motivation to volunteer using the Volunteers Functional Inventory, volunteer work engagement using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, and intended retention of CASA volunteers. One hundred fifty five CASA volunteers from different CASA organizations responded to an on-line survey. Correlational and regression analysis of survey data showed global trait EI to be significantly related to volunteer's intent of finishing their current case and their intent to take a new case within six months after completing their current case. Trait EI and functional motivations to volunteer were significantly related to volunteer work engagement. High values and understanding motives to volunteer were significantly and negatively related to the volunteer considering quitting their current case. Social motivation to volunteer was significantly and positively related to the intent of taking another case within six months after completing the current case. This research is designed to benefit CASA organizations in moving closer to their goal of having a CASA volunteer for each child in the challenging state child welfare foster care systems.

Inequality of power between the global North and the global South are negative aspects of globalisation, leading to increasing inequalities, disregard of human rights and impeding human development. Voluntary work is considered to play an important role in the local and global enforcement of human rights. This dissertation focuses on the importance of voluntary civic engagement in the social justice sector. An empirical study was carried out on the basis of qualitative research among German volunteers of the human rights NGO International Justic Mission (IJM) Deutschland in order to identify motivating factors that contribute to civic engagement. Social justice, the concept of IJM and faith were identified as most important motives. The opportunity of flexible, self-determined involvement and the provision of good support foster volunteer engagement. The study helps human rights NGOs to gain a deeper understanding of how volunteering for human rights can be encouraged. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)