Benefits to University students through volunteering in a health context: A new model

Individual interviews explored 50 British University students’ accounts of sustained volunteering within health settings and a model was developed using grounded theory. Phase one - 'Getting involved' outlines 'motives and catalysts' for students starting to volunteer wherein altruistic motives of compassion for others are juxtaposed with perceptions of enhanced employability. Phase two - 'Maintaining commitment' includes three components ('Making connections' 'Developing resilience' and 'Keeping the balance'), which represent important aspects of continuing volunteering participation. Phase three - 'Reaping the rewards' focuses on the benefits of volunteering including self-development. Our findings have implications for the training and support of student volunteers