The Volunteering: Motivations at Community Sport Events in Surabaya, Indonesia

Abstract

This qualitative descriptive study explores why people volunteer at community sports events in Surabaya, East Java. We conducted interviews with local event volunteers (e.g. organizers of fun runs, sports festivals, community leagues) and identified key motivation themes. Volunteers most often cited community and altruistic values (wanting to help neighbors, promote health, or uphold the Indonesian gotong royong tradition), personal development (gaining experience, skills, or resume-enhancing credentials), social connections (making friends and feeling part of a team), enjoyment of sports, and recognition (earning certificates or local recognition). These findings echo global sports-volunteer research for example, volunteers often report altruism and a strong sense of community as core motivators (Michalska et al., 2025) and align with Indonesia’s high volunteer culture (over 65% of people volunteer (Institute for Statistics and Socio-Ecological Development, 2024). Volunteers also noted that clear organization and support from event organizers are crucial: when management falters, satisfaction drops and motivation wanes (Djohan et al., 2025; Angosto et al., 2021). Our results suggest that Surabaya sports events can attract and retain volunteers by appealing to these intrinsic and social motivations and by respecting local values of mutual aid.