Volunteer Motivation for Serving in Veterans Service Organizations: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how individuals describe their initial and continued motivation to volunteer at a Texas Veterans Service Organization (VSO). The literature review indicated a gap in understanding the motivations of those who volunteer to support VSOs. The ABCE model of volunteer motivation was used as the theoretical foundation, which consists of four motivational directions and nine motivational functions. Three research questions guided this study. The questions explored how individuals describe their initial and continued motivation to volunteer at a Veterans Service Organization. How do individuals describe their motivation to volunteer at a VSO utilizing the ABCE model direction of beliefs (prosocial, religious, and organizational motives)? How do individuals describe their motivation to volunteer at a VSO utilizing the ABCE model direction of egoistic (enhancement and protective motives)? The sample consisted of 22 participants. Sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted along with a focus group with six participants. The data was hand-coded and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, which resulted in the development of seven themes. The volunteer's connection to the military and wanting to serve others through volunteering were two important themes for this study. They demonstrated that the participant's connection to the military and prosocial values consistently motivated their initial and continued volunteerism. Additionally, feeling fulfilled through volunteering was a theme that expressed how volunteering benefited the participants. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]