A program evaluation examining the motivations behind student volunteerism in AIDS Walk Atlanta 2004, 2005

This study examines the motivations of student volunteers participating in AIDS Walk Atlanta 2004. Hundreds of volunteers are needed to make AIDS Walk Atlanta 2004 a success. Volunteers participate in the AIDS walk in many different capacities. Volunteers helped with mailing, canvassing, phone banking, data entry, registration, and much more. The number one function of a volunteer is to participate in the fundraising walk-a-thon in order to raise money to benefit AIDS research, AIDS education, AIDS awareness, and AIDS patients. Motivations of volunteerism include, but are not limited to, educational/work related requirement, social support, self-fulfillment, increasing HIV/AIDS awareness, and honoring victims of AIDS. A sample of 237 participants completed a questionnaire examining the motives behind their volunteer efforts. The Exchange theory is used to describe the needs that humans have for one another, with exchange being the medium through which the need is satisfied. Finally, this evaluation provides implications for social work practice that assesses the motivations of student volunteerism in AIDS Walk Atlanta 2004, as well as in other community service projects