Participation in the community visitors scheme in the Sydney metropolitan area: A study of volunteer characteristics and motivations

Abstract

The aim of this descriptive study is to investigate the characteristics and motivations of volunteers participating in the Community Visitors Scheme (CVS) in the Sydney metropolitan area and to determine if previous difficult life experiences influence a person's decision to participate in the CVS. Volunteers in the CVS are recruited and trained, by sponsoring Community Based Organisations (CBOs), to visit on a one-to-one basis isolated and lonely people living in nursing homes. Research into this scheme will assist in the understanding of the use of volunteers in nursing homes, add to the literature on the characteristics and motivations of Australian volunteers, and provide data on a recently implemented government scheme. A self-administered questionnaire was randomly distributed to 140 CVS volunteers through the CVS Coordinators of fourteen CBOs representative of all localities within the Sydney metropolitan area. The data gathered were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The results of the study are based upon the 64 questionnaires returned. Overall, the results of this study indicate that an average CVS volunteer is likely to be a married woman, aged 53, with children, who is retired and owns her own home. She is likely to live with her spouse in Northern Sydney or the Inner areas of the city and volunteered over three years ago for altruistic reasons. She continues to visit because of the developing friendship with her resident and finds the experience as a CVS volunteer personally rewarding. Over a quarter of all volunteers (N=17) were influenced by a past experience they had found difficult to deal with. Generally, CVS volunteers find participation in the scheme a rewarding experience. A number of recommendations have been made based upon the results of this study. These recommendations relate to the areas of recruitment, support and retention of volunteers, appropriate skills development of CVS Coordinators, and specific areas for future research.