Appendix A
Interview Guide
Note. Questions below which are in red are “mandatory” ones. Those not in red are asked on a need-be basis, for elaboration purposes.
- Ask participants to introduce themselves (name, age, nationality, organisation they work for etc.)
- Ask questions related to:
- Lifestyle - getting to know them
- Context - becoming acquainted with volunteering
- Could you tell us about your journey as a volunteer?
- If I need more elaboration…
* How long have you been with the organisation?
* Why did you choose the organisation?
* Do any of your friends/family volunteer as well? Did they inspire you?
- Reasons for volunteering
- How did you feel about your life/yourself when you took up voluntary work? (can possibly change to how were you doing at the time)
- Why did you start doing voluntary work?
* Have any personal experiences led to you becoming a volunteer?
* What were you expecting to get out of volunteering once you started? - How did volunteering change you as a person? What did you learn from it/what is your biggest take away?
- Were there any skills you needed to learn, or any challenges you had to overcome when you started with volunteering?
- What are the practical skills you learned from volunteering
* Has your attitude towards volunteering changed from when you began? (How has volunteering changed you?) - What does volunteering mean to you/give you?
If need more elaboration:
* Why do you continue to volunteer?
* How do you feel when you help someone?
* Do you close off your emotions before going to volunteer?
- Miscellaneous
- How has volunteering affected your social life?
- Do you think all volunteers experience volunteering the same way, and how do they experience it?
- Do you think there is a certain personality characteristic that you need for volunteering
- Do you think there is a difference between young and old volunteers?
- Do you think there is a shortage for young volunteers?
- How is volunteering in the disability sector different from other sorts of volunteering?
- Do you think the volunteering sector is doing enough to attract young volunteers?
- What can the volunteering sector change to attract young volunteers?