VOLUNTEER - KEY TO THE FUTURE

Malta: Report

Problems identified:
Reverse programme
Critical management (not thinking!)
Training
Recruitment
Motivation of volunteers
Gaining money for projects
Finding volunteers
Continuous engagement
Continuous engagement of volunteers (same as the one above)
Time

Time
Secondary Causes:
            Work / study commitments
            Family commitments
            Engagement in other organisations
Primary Causes:
            Time conflicts

Turning down commitments at the last minute

Abusing fellow volunteer trust

Lack of interest

Silent members

Primary effects:
            Few people at meetings
            Less volunteers
            Less space for more ideas
            Lack of respect
Secondary effects:
            Lack of respect between members
            Lack of interest breeds lack of interest
            Less productive meetings
            Losing originality
            Losing credibility

Motivation

How to identify problems:
            Direct observation

Asking for feedback

Talking informally

Notice tension

Lack of interest

Silent members

Absence of people at meetings and activities

            Noticing if one is happy or not
            Hearing negative gossip
            Good communication (informal talks)

Identifying what’s wrong:
            Lack of identification with the particular organisation
            No goals
            Lack of contribution
            Wrong reasons for joining
            Over-supply of non-voluntary opportunities
            Lack of recognition for work
            Not enough challenges

Verbal demotivation

To be liked by friends


Recruitment of volunteers
           
Problems identified:

There may be many candidates but the right volunteers may be few

Volunteers may be afraid that the organisation may be too religious

Lack of publicity

The group may be closed to outsiders

Lack of appreciation

Lack of education on voluntary work

Benefits of volunteering are not shared

Lack of linking of old and new volunteers

Same people breeds lack of creativity, attracting less new volunteers


Continuous engagement

Problems identified:

Idea of adventure only for volunteering projects

Not having a structure for ex-volunteers to engage in

Lack of specific roles for the volunteers once they return to their home country

Difficulties in planning since in one given year there may be an amount of volunteers, and the following year there may be less/more

Less volunteers may be willing to go abroad  



Gaining money for projects
Problems identified:
- some organisations are preferred than others
- hard economic climate leads to less money available for such projects
- difficult to apply for funding due to complicated application forms, and inadequate staff
- difficult to find out where to get the money from

Reverse programme
- difficult to find specific programmes and partners
- financial problems
- Visa problems
- cultural problems

Critical engagement
- lack of training
- no personal reflection
- apathy
- no support from people and financial support
- fear
- under valued (arrogance)
- feeling helpless