Affordances and Motivations of Guide Dog Puppy Raisers: Reasons for Starting, Continuing, and Quitting Volunteering
Affordances and Motivations of Guide Dog Puppy Raisers: Reasons for Starting, Continuing, and Quitting Volunteering

Summary/Abstract: The article explores the motivations of volunteer guide dog puppy raisers at three key stages of their involvement: beginning volunteering, continuing it, and ceasing the involvement. Drawing on qualitative research conducted with 34 puppy raisers from Poland and Slovakia, the author examines the main internal, external, and organizational factors that shaped their engagement in this form of volunteering. Using the concept of affordances, the study frames volunteering as one of many elements in the participants’ environment – its appeal and availability shaped by their current needs, aspirations, and circumstances. The article demonstrates that combining qualitative methods with the concept of affordances can support both the development of a functional approach to understanding volunteer motivation and the strategic management of affordances by organizations.

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