Examining Strategies for Undergraduate Student Volunteer Engagement and Management in a Community-Based Sport-for-Development Program

• Published in: Recreational sports journal 2024-04, Vol.48 (1), p.75-84
• Main Authors: Simms, Jake, Trad, Alyssa M., Richards, Kevin Andrew, Woolf, Jules
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1558-8661; 1558-867X
• DOI: 10.1177/15588661241236407

Volunteers play a crucial role in sport organizations, particularly in the nonprofit context, but there is a need for theoretically informed studies to improve their experience and intentionally develop their skillsets. This study aimed to examine strategies for undergraduate volunteer engagement and management in a community-based sport-for-development (SFD) program. The strategies evaluated in this study were reflective journaling, daily debrief meetings, and autonomy-driven task design and responsibilities, guided by self-determination theory (SDT). Through analysis of semi-structured interviews with volunteers (n = 25) and their reflective journals, findings revealed that these strategies enhanced undergraduate volunteers’ experiences by increasing their perceived competence, relatedness, and autonomy. This study highlights the importance of using SDT-aligned strategies to enhance volunteer engagement and program delivery. These findings have implications for student volunteer recruitment and retention, as well as improving the overall effectiveness of SFD organizations.