Determinants of motivation and commitment amongst Volunteer care-givers. A survey of OVC care-givers

In the Diocese of Kumbo; North West Province

IAS 2008 • August, 2008

Presented byKenneth MukoCRS CameroonCatholic Relief

Services

IAS • August 6, 2008

Rationale for Study

•High rates of volunteer attrition•Care programs for OVC increasingly use volunteers

•Motivating volunteers is vital to high retention rates and volunteer commitment

•Retention important to – Program quality through continuity of

services– Efficient use of financial resources

IAS • August 6, 2008

Strategies to increase motivation

• Training and working materials• Incentives (e.g. food, transportation allowance) • Access to credit and income generating

activities• Recognition by community• “Caring for the caregiver” activities• Regular supportive supervisionRESEARCH QUESTIONS1. What keeps volunteers motivated?

2. How can volunteerism be measured?

IAS • August 6, 2008

Study Methods

• What keeps volunteers motivated?

• Focus group discussions to finalize hypothesis

– Two groups of OVC Volunteers(10/group)

• A questionnaires(structure and unstructured questions)

– Administered to 130 OVC volunteers

2. How can volunteerism be measured?

• Volunteer Commitment Score (VCS) was designed and tested

IAS • August 6, 2008

Example of VCS

Kumbo OVC Volunteer Commitment & performance Score (VCS)

VariableScore

0 1 2 3 4 5

Length of time ever worked as a volunteer NA Between 2 months to 1 year

Between 1 year to 2 years

Between 2 years 3 years

3 years and more

NA

Number of formal visits per child per month (sum of number of visits carried out / number of formal visits expected to be carried out in a given month).

0 0.1 – 1.0 1.1 – 2.0 2.1 – 3.0 3.1 or more NA

Percentage of children volunteer saw in one month (number of children seen irrespective of location / total number of children assigned to volunteer in a given month)

0 0.1 -29.9 30 – 49.9 50 – 59.9 60 -69.9 70 and more

Supervisor’s score of level of connectedness with the orphan (score on 5)

0 -0.9 1.0 – 1.9 2.0 – 2.9 3.0- 3.9 4.0 -4.9 5.0

Minimum Score = 1 Maximum Score = 18

NA: Not applicable

IAS • August 6, 2008

What keeps volunteers motivated?

Statistically significant factors related to high volunteer commitment:

1. Previous experience of caring for orphans 2. Positive quality of the volunteer’s

childhood 3. Higher levels of education 4. Regular supervision with feedback5. Proximity to OVC

Factors not predictive of commitmentReligiosity, Gender, Biological Relationship,

Economic status

IAS • August 6, 2008

Next Steps: IMPLICATIONS

FOR PRACTICE

• Volunteer selection criteria should include:

- prior experience- level of education

• Supervision should be participatory

• Criteria for commitment should be a combination of indicators

FOR RESEARCH

• Validate VCS tool• How do OVC

perceive volunteer commitment

• Why did volunteers leave; challenges?

IAS • August 6, 2008

Thanks