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 :)