AbstractsPhilosophy & Theology

This project aims to investigate in the profiles of volunteers and their motivations. It further intends to create an ethical discussion about said motivations to generate a broader understanding of motivational factors and the ethical perspectives of them. In order to find the profiles and motivation, an interview and questionnaire were conducted of respectively an employee of MellemFolkeligt Samvirke and volunteers about to go abroad with the organisation. With the use of Abraham H. Maslow, Michael Babula and Ulla Habermann, the profiles of the volunteers will be outlined and analyzed in an attempt to find their main motivations which then will be analyzed and discussed by the use of theories from utilitarianism and its followers Peter Singer. Using our main analysis as our point of departure, we feel adequate equipped to state the tendencies of the group of volunteers that there is a difference between genders and where they desire to travel to, as the boys wish to travel to destinations where more physical work or adventurous spare time is possible and girls wish to work where they can be more caring. Additionally, we can state that the main motivations for doing volunteer work across borders is the desire to get a remarkable experience, cultural awareness and to help those less fortunate.