“Personal growth through volunteering” : A qualitative study on the psychological needs of volunteers

The objective of the study is to examine psychological needs of individuals working as volunteers. The needs can then be understood in relation to the structure of the organisation they are a part of. The results of the empirical study are based on twelve qualitative interviews, where three individuals per organisation were chosen from four different organisations in the south of Sweden. The result shows three important motives. The first one is the identification of the interviewees’ psychological position, and what factors were expressed as essential. The second motive presents a description of the needs, and the character profiles. The third motive describes the organizational structure’s impact on the individuals’ dedication to their commitment. Based on the analysis of the empirical results, the interviewees working as volunteers have a similar conception of needs. The analysis also shows that a majority of them have similar character traits. The volunteers in this study value the characteristics and values of non-profit commitment. They also value how their primary and secondary needs become satisfied through their volunteering, which they bring forward as something that their paid work does not provide. The choice of organisation, to which they are committed, has been of prime importance. The analysis shows that the non-profit commitment fulfils the purpose of self-realization. However, in order to satisfy the needs of volunteers, the form and structure of the organisation have to function properly. External factors that are not maintained may influence the motivation, which can lead to a lack of drive force and abandonment of the commitment. Keywords: Volunteering, non-profit organisations, needs, motivation, organisational structures, leadership