Between fun and obligation. The motivations of volunteers in Poland
Between fun and obligation. The motivations of volunteers in Poland

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this paper is to facilitate understanding of the motivations of volunteers working in Poland. In the theoretical framework of the analysis we have applied the so-called functional approach, which recognizes six types of volunteer motivations: social, protective, enhancement, career, understanding and value-expressive. The thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with 26 volunteers addressed three objectives. First, we investigated how motivations of volunteers in Poland corresponded to the functional typology, then sought to identify distinct aspects of particular functions, and finally, tried to find new types of volunteer motivations. In the analysed interviews we found references to all six types of volunteering motives. We also identified new types of motivation (social integration and utilitarian) as well as aspects of the existing functions, which had not been recognized in the original theoretical framework.

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