title: Experiences and benefits of volunteering in a community AIDS organization.
abstract: This qualitative study examines the AIDS service organization-volunteer relationship from the volunteer's point of view. Factors that led to a relationship with an AIDS service organization included personal values and individual characteristics and needs. Volunteers reported many rewards from the work itself and the responses of others. Volunteers also encountered challenges that included role demands, role-ability fit, and stress/burnout concerns as well as limited organizational resources and structural obstacles. These results suggest that care must be taken to ensure that the volunteer role meets the needs, skills, and abilities of the individual volunteering. The need to ameliorate challenges is clear for AIDS service organizations seeking to retain volunteers. Some of the preventive strategies include goal-setting and feedback, individual-sensitive role redesign, opportunity to participate in decisions, and increased communication.
authors.affiliation: Community-Linked Evaluation AIDS Resource Unit, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Crook
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weir
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Willms
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Egdorf
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000533:Altruism; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003142:Communication; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000523:psychology; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009042:Motivation; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009864:Ontario; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012380:Role; D012945:Social Values; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014838:Volunteers / Q000523:psychology*