7 ways to make your volunteers feel valued
Whether they work hard behind the scenes at events, raise awareness in the local community, or work directly with beneficiaries, volunteers play a critical role in your charity’s success.
Recognising and rewarding them is fundamental to your volunteer retention strategy. They’re giving up their precious time to help you after all.
So, what can you do to make them feel valued? Here are 7 top tips to get you started…
1. Show them they’re part of the team
Volunteers are an integral part of your organisation, not an add-on service, so make them feel that way. This can be done very simply by sending them newsletters, including them in staff emails, and inviting them to staff events.
Also, just as you would have 1:1’s/check in meetings with staff, do the same for volunteers. It can be a short check-in call to check they’re happy and getting the support they need, and it’s a key opportunity to thank them for their hard work.
2. Match tasks to volunteers’ skills
Volunteers shouldn’t be bored. They should feel engaged, useful, and excited to help you out. A way to do this is to place each volunteer in a job that makes use of their talents and potential.
Ask them where their interests and talents lie. For example, if one of your volunteers is artistic, get them involved in the design of posters and flyers to promote your events. If someone else thrives on social interaction, have them make thank you calls to donors, or attend community events that are raising money on your behalf.
3. Show them the impact of their work
Volunteers give up their time as they want to make a difference, so it’s important that they understand the value of what they do. For example, a homeless charity in Scotland puts stickers on the envelopes of letters sent out by their fundraising volunteers. This way, when funds came in, they can tell how much was raised directly through the volunteer’s efforts.
4. Organise social events
Everyone loves a good party, so why not organise them periodically to show your volunteers how important they are? They don’t have to be flashy and expensive. Prosecco and nibbles on a Friday afternoon in the office is a great way to show your gratitude.
Volunteers will appreciate the effort and enjoy the opportunity to get together, particularly if paid employees are there too.
You could also organise lunches for your volunteers to say thank you. You could order in a load of pizza or ask each person to bring in an item to share and have an office picnic.
5. Offer rewards and training
Sign-up for a rewards scheme such as Tempo, and your volunteers can earn digital time credits that can be redeemed for rewards, such as free cinema tickets or exercise classes. A handy little perk, these rewards are funded by businesses that want to give back to their local communities, so it won’t cost you a penny.
You can also help your volunteers develop their skills with training. Alongside in-house seminars, mentoring and on-the-job training, the Open University has a wide selection of useful courses, including one on working in the voluntary sector.
6. Give and receive feedback
Asking volunteers for feedback is extremely worthwhile, as they’re in a great position to see things that paid members of staff might not, such as improvements to processes. Don’t forget to ask if there’s anything they need to perform their roles better.
Volunteers are often very close to beneficiaries as well—sometimes they have used your charity’s services themselves or have a loved one or close friend who has been affected by your cause. So, if you have volunteers with long service who have the right experience, it could be valuable to ask them to join key meetings to share their opinions and feedback.
It goes without saying, if you do this, make sure they’re taken seriously, and take their ideas on board where possible.
7. Write LinkedIn endorsements
LinkedIn endorsements are the online equivalent of letters of recommendation. By writing these, you can highlight specific skills the volunteers have demonstrated, and this will be public on their profile for future employers. Encourage your staff to endorse them as well to make them really feel appreciated.
Final Word
You can recognise and reward volunteers in many ways. But make sure you have a proactive, consistent plan and don’t let it be an after-thought. Be fair in your treatment of volunteers and, above all, be sincere in your appreciation.
Volunteers are exceptionally valuable to charities, so celebrate them as much as you can.
If you want more advice on finding volunteers, or you’re looking for talented, paid fundraisers for your team, give us a call on 0203 750 3111.