Volunteer work is performed by an individual for the benefit of others or for the general good, and in return, they do not expect any material benefit for themselves. It is carried out in their free time, in accordance with their free choice. The most numerous organized volunteer activity in Slovenia is volunteer firefighting. It also holds the title of being the oldest such activity. Volunteer firefighters in Slovenia are organized in volunteer firefighting associations and together with professional firefighters make up the public firefighting service. The purpose of the master's thesis was to determine the possibilities for involvement and motivation of individuals in volunteer firefighting associations and based on the results of the research, to formulate recommendations for designing appropriate programs for maintaining the number of volunteers and finding solutions for recruiting new operational members of volunteer firefighters involved in the volunteer firefighting association Firefighting Association Maribor. A literature and source study was carried out and a survey was conducted.
Based on the results of the research, it was found that individuals most often choose volunteer firefighting work because they like to work in a stressful environment that involves risk and danger. Volunteer firefighters in the Firefighting Association Maribor most often choose volunteer firefighting work because of personal contact with a firefighter and proximity to their home to the fire station. An important factor for staying in the firefighting ranks is the support of family, the camaraderie that develops among volunteer firefighters and serving the local community. The most common reason for leaving the firefighting ranks is conflict with members and disagreement with the leadership's policy and their incompetence. It was also found that the assumption that family tradition is a more important motivator in Slovenia than in the USA is incorrect.
Based on the results of the research, it is suggested that leaders do more in the area of involving volunteers in the decision-making process. By allowing autonomy, volunteers will be more actively involved, they will feel more seriously treated, and therefore be more motivated to do their work. They must also respect their friendship and encourage it, and be aware of how important it is to cooperate with the local community.
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