What strategy would likely be most effective when encouraging students to participate in a volunteer program?

• A. Starting that participation is required and that students who do not attend the program will be penalized
• B. Explaining that a neighboring school has achieved a 95 percent participation rate
• C. Describing the ways in which participation will promote the students' sense of personal and social responsibility
• D. Describing the ways in which volunteering has enriched the social worker's own life

Answer: (C)

Encouraging participation by showing how volunteering builds personal and social responsibility taps students’ intrinsic motivation and helps them internalize the value of helping others. When students see volunteering as something that strengthens their own character, sense of accountability, and connection to the school and community, they’re more likely to engage willingly and stick with it. This aligns with how adolescents form identities and make choices: they’re motivated by meaning, belonging, and the impact they can have, not just external rewards or expectations.

Coercing participation through penalties tends to backfire, fostering resistance and surface-level compliance rather than genuine commitment. Describing a neighboring school’s high rate might create social pressure but doesn’t connect with the students’ own values or lives. Highlighting the social worker’s personal experiences can be interesting, but it doesn't directly link volunteering to the students’ own goals or community impact, making it less persuasive than framing participation around their development and responsibility.