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Volunteers can be a valuable human resource for disaster risk management. In the aftermath of natural hazard events affecting vulnerable communities, there are many situations where there is an urgent need to properly match volunteers to volunteering tasks in order to fully harness their capabilities. Our study explores the relationships between volunteers' capabilities and their perceived satisfaction and performance in conducting volunteering tasks. We carried out a cross-sectional study recruiting a convenience sample of 170 volunteers (spontaneous and affiliated volunteers) who previously participated performing volunteering tasks during socio-natural disasters in Chile. We collected information on sociodemographics, experience in volunteering activities, capabilities (i.e. competencies and relatively stable psychological attributes), and perceived satisfaction and performance in volunteering tasks. Predictive models based on stepwise logistic regressions were fitted, with areas under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) being estimated to assess the discrimination capacity of the predictive models. A heterogeneous set of sociodemographic characteristics, experiences in volunteering activities, and capabilities were statistically significant predictors for each of the assessed volunteering tasks. Most of the predictive models had an adequate discriminatory capacity (AUC >0.70), with models predicting performance (AUC >0.80) exhibiting the best discriminatory capacity. Knowledge of volunteering tasks – a competency – was the most consistent predictor of perceived satisfaction and performance in volunteering tasks. Our findings are a step forward in matching volunteers to volunteering tasks during emergencies from socio-natural disasters. In addition, some of the observed characteristics (e.g. knowledge) could be trained to improve volunteers' satisfaction and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An instrument for selecting spontaneous volunteers can facilitate efficient decision making and management in large scale natural disasters. This study aimed to design and validate an instrument for selecting spontaneous volunteers during natural disasters in Chile. A mixed-methods study was realized. In the qualitative component, the instrument's items were derived from a competence profile for spontaneous volunteers, which was defined through interviews with disaster risk management experts. In the quantitative component, content validity was assessed measuring inter-rater (expert) agreement, and construct validity was determined by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in a sample of 117 volunteers in Chile, who answered the instrument. The instrument's preliminary version comprised 45 items and 5 dimensions of competence (knowledge, skills, behavior, motivation, and social desirability). The expert raters had a good degree of agreement (ICC = 0.581, p < 0.001), suggested the elimination of 10 items and the modification of 9 items. Finally, the CFA confirmed the 5-dimension structure for a total of 18 items. Fit was found to be adequate (χ2(125) = 145.38, p = 0.1027; RMSEA = 0.039; CFI = 0.938; and TLI = 0.924) and internal consistency was deemed acceptable (α = 0.74). The reliability and validity of the proposed instrument for selecting spontaneous volunteers suggests that it can be used to support the efforts of local humanitarian relief organizations. • An instrument for selecting spontaneous volunteers in natural disasters was devised and validated. • We assessed five competencies: knowledge, skills, behavior, motivation, and social desirability. • Confirmatory factor analysis results verified our 5-dimensional competence structure model. • Model fit and internal consistency for the instrument were found to be adequate. • This instrument is suitable for assisting managers in volunteer selection processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]