Studying the causes of volunteer's reduction and suggesting appropriate strategies in order to retain members in Red Crescent society of Charmahal & Bakhtiari

This study aims to investigate the causes of failure to cooperate with Red Crescent society volunteers in Charmahal & Bakhtiari and to suggest appropriate strategies in order to retain and keep members and volunteers. In this cross-sectional study, 350 volunteers were selected and studied in Red Crescent society of Charmahal & Bakhtiari province by accidental sampling in 2010-2011. Data was collected and analyzed by using a self administrated questionnaire (21 questions), inferential and descriptive statistics (chi-square). Descriipttiive sttattiisttiics were as follows: volunteers in participation and support categories had the highest and lowest knowledge about the activities of Red Crescent society respectively; most members joined and attended voluntary to the Society; most volunteers and members believed that attracting new volunteers and inadequate information and advertisement were the main weakness of volunteer's unit; also they mentioned that the main reason of volunteering reduction were lack of proper plan and appropriate organizing in one hand and executing the one-way programs benefit to society and no benefit to volunteers in other hand. Volunteers agreed to pay membership fees as Hamyaran account in Red Crescent society. They highly agreed to attract new members through public calls and the presence of Red Crescent society officials in governmental organizations and departments. In order to familiarize people with Society activities, most volunteers selected production and editing programs common with Islamic Republic of Iran broadcasting. Volunteers mostly accepted the four-groups classifications should be according to their qualifications and tended to hold specialized courses. In their viewpoint, the heads unfamiliarity with related guidelines was the weakness of all four groups. Also, volunteers confirmed items such as participating in blood donation, collecting public donations, and establishing volunteer's bases. Volunteers believed they should be present at the scene of disasters in order to give relief along with Red Crescent Society in unexpected disasters. In volunteer's viewpoints, both plans of Homaye Rahmat and Fereshtegane Rahmat (Angels of Mercy) were very good. According to the inferential statistics there was a significant relationship between occupation, gender and membership (/000=X2 p=/05); there was a significant relationship between membership category and familiarity with Red Crescent society activities (/007=X2Conclusion