What does this research mean for the field?

Adult 4-H volunteers are primarily motivated to begin and continue their service by affiliation with the organization or its members, and are most likely to discontinue service due to physical inability or unfulfilled affiliation motives. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

This study aims to identify the factors that motivate 4-H volunteers to engage and continue in their roles, as well as barriers that may lead to discontinuation.

May 28, 2026

Motivating Adult Volunteer 4-H Leaders

Key Points

This study aims to identify the factors that motivate 4-H volunteers to engage and continue in their roles, as well as barriers that may lead to discontinuation.
Data collected from 279 volunteers using a 35-item questionnaire at a state-wide recognition banquet.
Analysis focused on both positive motivators for service and negative factors leading to discontinuation.
Key motivators for service included strong affiliation with 4-H and its members.
Physical inability or death was highlighted as a major reason for discontinuation of service.
Unfulfilled affiliation motives also significantly impacted the likelihood to stop volunteering.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine factors motivating tenured 4-H volunteers to begin and continue volunteer service to 4-H and to identify potential negative motivators influencing them to discontinue their service to 4-H. Data were collected from 279 volunteers at a state-wide recognition banquet via a 4-page, 35-item questionnaire. Motives for beginning and continuing volunteer service to 4-H were similar and focused on an affiliation with either 4-H or 4-H members. Physical inability (or death) and unfulfilled affiliation motives were identified as most likely to cause discontinuation of service.

Mark Helpful

Bookmark

Relay