Do gooders or do betters? An analysis of the motivation of student tutors

Across the UK hundreds of undergraduate students are volunteering their tim e and skills to assist teachers in local schools. This research investigate s the factors that motivate already pressured undergraduate students to giv e up their precious free time for community work. Specifically, it addresse s the question: are they primarily seeking to better their community or the mselves! This short report argues that the primary motivation for such appa rently community-focused activity among undergraduates, in the south-east, is actually centred on a concept of self-improvement. The volunteer student , by undertaking unpaid community work, is engaged in a conscious attempt t o enhance his/her chances of success in seeking post-education employment. The paper goes on to argue that this finding has significant implications f or the administration of student tutoring schemes, as recruitment and fundi ng are the two major obstacles to establishing and maintaining an extracurr icular activity in higher education (Stadium, 1997). Therefore, when the fa ctors known to motivate undergraduates to undertake additional responsibili ties are incorporated into recruitment and fund-raising strategies, the act ivities can be tailored to maximize potential.