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Dissertation
A qualitative phenomenological study of motivation, recruitment, and retention of volunteers and organizers' lived experiences while serving in non-profit sports events
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Drexel University
16 Sep 2022
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00001402
Abstract
The main goal of this qualitative phenomenological study was to create a better atmosphere of communication between non-profit multisport volunteers and event organizers, so that both sides would be able to articulate what each side needs and expects to create an atmosphere of cooperation and event sustainability. The purpose of this study was to identify what factors affect the motivation, recruitment, and retention of volunteers in entities that organize non-profit sporting events. The researcher used a qualitative phenomenological research design, individual interviews, focus group interviews, and observation journals to collect data for the study. The population used in this study were multisport volunteers and organizers from Northeastern Pennsylvania with varying degrees of experience in non-profit multisport events. The following research questions were used to drive this study: The overarching question for this study was: How does motivation and satisfaction result in retention among volunteers in a non-profit-sporting event setting? There were two sub-questions for this study: 1.) How do non-profit sports volunteers, based upon their personal lived experiences, describe perceptions of their own motivation, recruitment, and retention in a non-profit sports event? 2.) How do non-profit sports event organizers describe perceptions of volunteer motivation, recruitment, and retention in a non-profit sports event? This study shows that volunteers are a valuable resource for non-profit sporting event organizations. They provide manpower and other skills that can help the organization become prosperous and sustainable. Volunteers like to be recruited through direct contact, although some respondents would accept an online request to volunteer. They are motivated by the level of satisfaction they get from volunteering by being given some autonomy to complete their tasks, being offered help if they run into challenges, and the opportunity to voice their experience to event organizers after the event concludes. Their retention is based on how positive their experience was and how they are valued by the organization. Organizations can enhance volunteers' experiences with non-profit sporting events through communicating and learning about their volunteers. Organizations can gain an edge in recruiting skilled and unskilled labor for their events by addressing the recommendations supported through this study.
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Details
- Title
- A qualitative phenomenological study of motivation, recruitment, and retention of volunteers and organizers' lived experiences while serving in non-profit sports events
- Creators
- Christopher Michael Mochin
- Contributors
- Harriette Rasmussen (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- xii, 89 pages
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- School of Education (1997-2026); Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991019104807804721