Sheltering hearts in the midst of flooding

perceptions, motivations and effects of volunteering

Abstract

Motivation for volunteering can come from the external context or result from the individual's internal motivations in the quest to satisfy psychological needs. The aim of this study is to reflect on the motivational and socio-affective factors and the perceived effects on the individual of volunteering with children affected by the floods in Rio Grande do Sul. This is an exploratory and descriptive study with a qualitative approach. The theoretical framework deals with volunteering, motivation and socio-emotional development. The empirical part of the research presents the perceptions of 19 participants on their experience of volunteering in a toy library with children in a flood shelter context. The data was collected descriptively through an online questionnaire protocol with volunteers. The information was analyzed using categorical content analysis, according to Bardin (2020), and three thematic categories emerged: The perception of volunteer work; Motivations for volunteering; Impacts and effects of volunteering. The results show that volunteering in the toy library provided experiences of human connection and purpose, personal growth and fulfillment, contributing to building a fairer and more humane society. Volunteering is a path to personal growth and social transformation, promoting the development of self-knowledge and socio-emotional skills that are essential for individual and collective well-being.