The Life-Course of Volunteers

This bachelor thesis analyses the life course of volunteers who engage in voluntary work in hospitals. The research sample comprises five volunteers four women and one man within the age range of 40 to 55. The objective of the study was addressed using a qualitative research methodology involving a narrative interview. The theoretical part of this paper discusses the concept of a life course, its development and new approaches to this concept and the inter-relations between the course of one's life and volunteering. It also examines volunteerism in general as well as volunteering in hospitals together with the activities it involves, and gives an overview of volunteers' motivations. The practical part presents research results. The main purpose of the research was to analyse the life course of volunteers. Partial objectives were to examine the relationship between the course of volunteers' lives and their volunteer work and the impact of volunteering on their lives. The respondents gave account of their history (family background, education, career path and personal situation, free-time activities). The research results indicate that while the life course of individual volunteers differs, some similarities and overlap can be found. Also, despite that the links between one's life path and volunteering were perceived differently by each volunteer, certain similar patterns (psychological predispositions and personality traits, having achieved a certain age, difficult life events, the need to do something meaningful) were also observed. The same applies when exploring how volunteering affected the lives of volunteers. The results of the research may benefit coordinators of hospital volunteer programmes and other interested parties. Further research could focus on volunteers involved in other areas of volunteering, or a similar study could cover a larger research sample