Volunteer Support: what makes the
difference?
Natalia Szafran-Kozakowska (WMPL) and Veronika Krämer (WMDE)CEE Meeting 2017, Warsaw
Our role as volunteer supporters: it’s all about
motivation...
It’s all about motivation...
→ Motivation is what drives people to do something (in our case, volunteering for Wikimedia projects).
→ Without motivation, people would stop volunteering or actually wouldn't even start.
Volunteer Support can have positive (and sometimes also negative) effects on a volunteer’s motivation.
This is why it is important for Volunteer Supporters to understand what motivation is and how it works.
What is motivation?Motivation can be described as the totality of motives and influences which impact a decision or action.
In other words: motivation = motives + situation
Cactus26 (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:VenedigerSeilschaftAmGipfelgrat.jpg), „VenedigerSeilschaftAmGipfelgrat“, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/legalcode
The difference between motives and motivation
Motives:
- are the initial reasons for doing something or wanting to do something- usually stay rather constant over long periods of time- can be categorized as intrinsic (from within oneself) and extrinsic (from
outside the subject)- usually occur in combination with other motives (people rarely just have one
motive for doing something)
Motivation:
- a current state that is caused by motives and dependant on the situation- is something rather fluent that can quickly change
Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motives / motivation
Intrinsic motivation is key when it comes to long-term voluntary commitment. But: Intrinsic motives are practically impossible to influence.
Extrinsic motivators can have positive effects, but can also be dangerous.“Motivating kills motivation” - the overjustification effect.
→ extrinsic motivators should be avoided for “ordinary” tasks and for activities that people already find intrinsically highly rewarding
→ extrinsic motivators should not lead to making an activity seem more like “work” and less like “hobby” / “voluntary work”
→ praise or certain forms of appreciation can help increase intrinsic motivation
Volunteer Supporters and motivation
If intrinsic motives cannot really be influenced, and extrinsic motivation is such a delicate topic, what else can we as volunteer supporters do to help our volunteers stay motivated?
Since motivation is the result of motives and the current situation in which an individual acts, we can try to influence the situation in order to have a positive effect on someone’s motivation.
Of course, volunteer supporters can’t influence someone’s personal situation (family, job, health etc.).But: we can shape the situation surrounding the voluntary work by creating the best possible conditions and frameworks for volunteering.
A positive framework for volunteering
Factors contributing to a “motivating situation” for volunteers include:
- interesting and suitable activities for someone wanting to contribute- flexibility of the voluntary work- possibilities of participation in the organisation- low hurdles for participation (bureaucratic, technical, etc.)- availability of necessary tools, skills and information- low financial hurdles (reimbursement of expenses)- adequate support (technical, emotional, financial etc.) and existing structures- appreciation and a generally positive environment- ...
For the motives of volunteering, also see https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Volunteer_Functions_Inventory and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Conference_2015/Programme/10
Theory put to practice: examples, the dos and don’ts of
motivation & discussion
communicatean easy
accessible framework of possibilities
The Photographer (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Capsicum_baccatum_in_Saúde_flea_ma
rket,_São_Paulo,_Brazil.jpg), Cropped, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode
learn aboutwishesneeds
expectations
The Land (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beppo_sightseeing.jpg), „Beppo sightseeing“, Cropped,
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/legalcode
expect changes in motivation
TheDasherz (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Art+Feminism_Wikipedia_Edit-a-thon_2
015,_The_Museum_of_Modern_Art,_New_York_11.JPG), Cropped, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode
thedynamic
volunteer
Pascal Hassenforder from Ronchamp, France (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Amazona_leucocephala_-Havana,_Cuba
_-pet-8a.jpg), „Amazona leucocephala -Havana, Cuba -pet-8a“, Cropped, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode
theflexible
volunteer supporter
Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Father_and_Son_by_Ablutions_Pool_-_J
ameh_Mosque_-_Abyaneh_-_Central_Iran_(7453794368).jpg), „Father and Son by Ablutions Pool - Jameh Mosque - Abyaneh - Central Iran (7453794368)“, Cropped,
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode
appreciationlearning patterns on Meta:
1. give individual feedback2. make it tangible3. let others know4. towards a culture of
appreciation
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Volunteer_Supporters_Network#Learning_patterns
WWWeb.pics (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wikimedia_Hackathon_2017_Vienna_90
01w.jpg), Cropped, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode
VOLUNTEER SUPPORTERS NETWORKmeta.wikimedia.org/wiki/VSN
Facebook: Wikimedia Volunteer Supporters Network
Next meeting: Nov 10-12, Berlin
Thank you for your attention :)