Abstract

This paper examined the motivational factors influencing students' participation in community volunteering activities at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (UAF), in Pakistan. The instrument for data collection was the Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI) framework, administered as a structured questionnaire to a sample of 300 students, using a quantitative, descriptive-correlational design. The paper has examined five dimensions of motivation, including Values/Altruism, Career and Skill Development, Religious/Cultural Motives, Social Motives, and Academic/Curricular Incentives, as well as demographic/contextual variables. The results indicated that intrinsic motivation factors that affect participation in volunteering were altruistic values and moral satisfaction (M = 4.42), as well as career and skill development motives (M = 4.18). The gender variables, academic year, and past volunteer experience were found to have a significant effect on motivation and the rate of volunteering (P<0.05). Academic workload (68%), the absence of institutional support (50%), and financial pressure (42.7%) are the most significant barriers. The study concludes that the sustainability of young people's engagement and civic engagement at the university can be achieved by integrating volunteer programs with their personal values, academic ambitions, and career aspirations.