Southeastern University

Motivating Factors and Levels of Commitment in Guardian ad Litem Volunteers

The Guardian ad Litem Program is an essential part of the dependency court process in the state of Florida. Without a Guardian ad Litem representing the best interest of the child, it can at times become very unclear as to who the case is actually about. With such an important role, which is filled by mostly volunteers in the state of Florida, it is very important that substantial efforts are made to recruit volunteers who have high levels of both competency and commitment. This research study focuses on the activities of the current volunteers and inquires about how the motivational factors behind their reasons volunteering play a part in their level of commitment to their role as a Guardian ad Litem.