Elderly Volunteers Participate In Community Volunteer Service Continuity Study

Since its emergence in Heping District of Tianjin in 1988,Chinese community voluntary service has experienced 35 years of development and made certain achievements.However,the current situation of community volunteers is that there are more volunteers registered and fewer actually serving.The sustainability of volunteers is a major problem facing the development of volunteer service.Elderly volunteers are an important part of community volunteer service.Elderly volunteers’ continuous participation in community voluntary service can help solve the problems faced by current volunteer service.Based on this,this paper combines quantitative research with qualitative research to study the factors that elderly volunteers continue to participate in community voluntary service,so as to enrich and expand the theory of voluntary service and promote the development of voluntary service.Taking D Community in Shandong Province as an example,this paper collected data through a questionnaire survey of 142 elderly volunteers in this community,as well as indepth interviews with 7 leaders of voluntary service organizations,12 long-term elderly volunteers,and 6 staff members of community neighborhood committees.This paper comprehensively applies theories and models such as social learning theory,social exchange theory,role identity theory and community voluntary service process model to establish the analysis framework of this study,which takes this as the guidance to understand the current situation and characteristics of the development of community volunteer service,deeply explore the dynamic and sustainability strengthening factors of elderly volunteers’ participation in voluntary service,and puts forward suggestions to promote the elderly volunteers to participate in community voluntary service continuously,promote the sustainable development of community voluntary service.This paper found that the factors that promote the elderly to continue to participate in community volunteer service can be divided into initial motivation factors and reinforcement factors.Individual subjective motivation and objective conditions,the mobilization of community workers and voluntary leaders at the community level,as well as the support of social policies and regulations and the propaganda and influence of social culture are the initial driving factors for the elderly to participate in community voluntary service.In terms of reinforcement factors,the individual level mainly includes the matching and realization of participation motivation,positive emotion and interactive experience.Management level mainly for appropriate service management system,appropriate supportive management measures;The level of social support system mainly includes the role support of important others,the external support of important organizations and the community atmosphere of helping neighbors.Based on the above conclusions,combined with the problems existing in the development of community volunteer service,this paper puts forward four suggestions to promote the elderly volunteers to continue to participate in community volunteer service:At the individual level,elderly volunteer should improve themselves,improve their own ability and support from relatives and friends;At the organizational level,it is necessary to promote the joint efforts of various parties and build a diversified voluntary service system;At the community level,resources should be actively linked to enhance the atmosphere of community mutual help;At the social level,the complementary role of the government and society should be given full play to provide all-round support.