Vital advice ahead of Volunteers' Week
A volunteer manager and non profit experts have been sharing their tips for how charities can best support their volunteers and ensure they receive the recognition they deserve.
With charities across the board struggling to recruit and retain volunteers, Volunteers’ Week on 2 - 8 June is a good time for organisations to think about their strategies and how they show appreciation for the volunteers they do have.
Research by the National VCSE Data and Insights Observatory at Nottingham Business School recently highlighted that one in three charities are struggling to retain volunteers, and suggested the charity sector needed to adapt in order to overcome the challenges it's facing in encouraging more people to volunteer.
Professor Daniel King, director of the team behind this research, said: “It’s hard out there, and while some organisations are adapting and having some success, others are experiencing tensions with balancing the needs of the organisation with the needs of volunteers.
“Volunteers’ Week shines a spotlight on the fantastic impact volunteering has for people and for organisations, but longstanding challenges highlighted in our report are requiring the sector to think differently about volunteer participation.”
One charity that has found a good balance of supporting and rewarding its volunteers is Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland (CHSS), which holds regular appreciation events for volunteers, and nominates individual volunteers for awards and certificates to recognise their commitment to the charity.
Elizabeth Wigelsworth (pictured above), head of volunteering, believes introducing a robust volunteer management platform has helped them to nurture better relationships with volunteers and improve communication, which in turn has helped make the recognition process easier.
She said: “Volunteer involvement is woven into the fabric of CHSS. Ongoing 'thank yous', meaningful conversations and celebrating wins are at the centre of volunteer recognition and vital in ensuring volunteers feel valued and supported.
“We believe that our focus on the volunteer experience is an important aspect of attracting volunteers to the organisation and enabling volunteers to continue volunteering for us.”
CHSS volunteer Douglas Sewell (pictured below), chair of the charity’s Volunteering Strategy Group, echoes this and says acknowledgment of a volunteer’s work can be the key to holding onto them.
He said: “CHSS has very kindly put me forward for a number of national volunteering awards, which I did not expect, but filled me with humility and appreciation for such recognition.
“For charities to recognise their volunteers it demonstrates the impact they have whether it's raising funds or supporting service users, and it can be both satisfying and rewarding, while fully justifying the time and effort that they put into their volunteering.”
Wendy Halley, product manager of Access Assemble, a volunteer management software which includes features making it easier for volunteer managers to communicate with their teams and say ‘thank you’, said: “Consistent communication allows managers to thank their volunteers - allowing them to nurture lasting and meaningful relationships and further enthusing them with easily shareable news and updates.
“At a time when it has become increasingly difficult for charities to recruit and retain volunteers - a challenge that is unlikely to go away any time soon - it’s even more important for them to take steps to look after the volunteers they do have.”
For more information about Access Assemble and The Access Group’s not for profit division, visit https://www.theaccessgroup.com/en-gb/not-for-profit/
