Reconsidering the Role of Training in Event Volunteers’ Satisfaction

The demand for volunteers to help plan and run sport events continues to rise. In order to better recruit and retain volunteers, there is a need to identify the means by which to enhance their overall satisfaction with the volunteer experience. One hundred and forty-seven non-specialist volunteers from the Sunbelt IndyCarnival completed questionnaires measuring their job satisfaction, evaluation of their training, organisational commitment, sense of community at the event, and satisfaction with their opportunities to share opinions and experiences during training. ALISREL model was formulated to test the relationships among the variables. Their sense of community had a positive effect on their commitment to the event organisation, and their commitment to the organisation had a direct effect on their job satisfaction. It is argued that the training of event volunteers should be conceived and designed as an opportunity to build a sense of community among volunteers and staff so as to enhance volunteer commitment and satisfaction.