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As Volunteer Toronto wraps up celebrations of our 50th anniversary in 2023, it’s important that we take a step back and assess where we've come from as a volunteer-engaging sector, to prepare for what comes next in our work. We had a chance to reflect on the past, present and future of volunteering with managers across North America this year, including in Midland, Ontario and Minnesota, USA. This two-blog series will explore insights from these conversations - let's dive in!

Lessons Learned from the Past

1. Barriers to volunteering must be identified and mitigated.

Barriers to volunteering are common, particularly at organizations with well-established volunteer programs. They can include everything from lengthy screening processes (think application forms, interviews,  tests, and/or police checks) to redundant and time-consuming training. While screening and training are necessary, the amount that you do should be proportional to the risk associated with the volunteer role in question. For example, you’ll need to do more screening and training of volunteers who work with hospice patients than you will for volunteers who pack food hampers.

2. Staff Buy-in is essential to a successful volunteer program.

Without staff buy-in, and, in particular, leadership buy-in, volunteer managers may not receive the support they need to foster robust volunteer programs at their organizations. It’s up to you, as a volunteer supervisor, to make the case for allocating more time and resources to volunteer engagement. First, identify who you need to advocate to, within the organization and externally. Then, establish your key goals and clarify how volunteers can help your organization achieve those goals. Set up an initial meeting, with a tangible outcome in mind, and articulate the value of volunteer work using data and testimonials. Following that first meeting, continue touching base to ensure you get the support you need.

3. Accountability and transparency are key to volunteer engagement.

It’s important to give your volunteers insight into how and why decisions about your volunteer program are made. Increased transparency means your volunteers are more likely to be onboard with any changes you institute and are more likely to experience a sense of belonging within your organization. The same goes for accountability. Your volunteers will appreciate it if you acknowledge mistakes you’ve made and involve them in steps to move forward. Just as important is celebrating your wins alongside your volunteers. Was their volunteer work instrumental in your organization achieving a programmatic goal? Let them know!

4. Volunteer recognition should be well-resourced and varied.

Volunteer recognition is incredibly important – volunteers who don’t feel appreciated are more likely to disengage from volunteer work, violate boundaries, or leave your organization. Hopefully, your volunteer group is diverse. If so, they’re likely to have a diversity of opinions on what constitutes meaningful recognition. Some may prefer to listen to a presentation about their impact, others may prefer an informal gathering, still others may simply want to be thanked in person for their efforts. If volunteers are central to the achievement of your organization’s mission, which they should be, then spending on volunteer recognition is a worthy investment.

5. Volunteer Burnout is real.

Volunteer work that is stressful or emotionally demanding can lead to burnout. Volunteers who are burned out may start showing up late or missing shifts. At its worst, they may become so disillusioned that they leave your organization altogether. Luckily, volunteer burnout is preventable with intentional, supportive approaches. Ensure that your volunteers are adequately trained and prepared for demanding work. Touch base with volunteers through regular check-ins so that you can determine whether and when they need breaks. Encourage your volunteers to take vacations. Set up projects to have an end date so that volunteers don’t feel that their work is never-ending. Avoid asking the same volunteers to take on new projects over and over. Employ these tactics and your volunteers will be with you for the long haul – and even if they’re not, they’ll leave with a positive impression of your organization!

These are just a few of the lessons shared by the volunteer managers that we chatted with at this year’s conferences. It’s always worth looking back and acknowledging our shortfalls and challenges, so that we can move forward with renewed focus. Do you have any lessons learned to share? Let us know in the comments!

Next up: what volunteer managers hope for the future of volunteer engagement.

In the lead-up to International Volunteer Managers Day on November 5th, we decided to help the novices in the field with a little advice from those who remember what it's like to be new at Volunteer Management. 


Check out our final installment with advice from Abha Govil, Coordinator, Volunteer Services at Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities.

What advice would you give? Write your thoughts in the comments section below.