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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. In the first blog of this series, we reflected on the past lessons learned in volunteer management. In this blog, we share the hopes of volunteer managers for the future.

Hopes for the Future

1. We hope to see more flexibility.

While some volunteers still appreciate regular weekly shifts, the demand to adhere to a strict volunteer schedule can turn away many other prospective volunteers. Many volunteer managers we spoke to are reflecting on the need to adopt a more flexible approach to scheduling. This could involve creating project-based volunteer roles with set completion dates, or virtual roles that can be completed anytime, anywhere, for just a few hours each week. Volunteer managers looking to better engage youth volunteers are adding flexible roles to their rosters - and you should too!

2. We hope to empower our volunteers to be storytellers. 

Existing volunteers are some of the best advocates, champions and storytellers of your organization’s work, and can help attract new volunteers. Volunteer testimonials can also showcase your organization’s community impact. If you want to engage one of your volunteers to share their story, start with a one-on-one meeting where you ask them about their experiences. Gauge what formats would work best to share their stories in your community. Maybe you want to give your volunteers the opportunity to participate in a professional photoshoot (this can be a great way to say thanks as well) and then feature them in your annual report. Maybe you want to film a video testimonial to share on social media. Maybe you want to create a landing page featuring a gallery of written testimonials by your volunteers. Regardless of the format, sharing your volunteers’ stories will be a win-win.

3. We hope to embrace technology.

Technology can make the job of a volunteer manager easier. However, there can be a steep learning curve when adopting any new software. It can also be difficult to get buy-in from existing staff and volunteers. That’s why it’s important to take your time and consider all your options before jumping in. Whether it’s project management software (like Monday.com or Asana) or volunteer management software (like Better Impact or Timecounts), you’ll want to first consider what functions and features are essential to your work. Your budget and internal capacity for IT support should also factor into the decision. Once you’ve amassed a list of options, take a look at customer reviews of each site before signing up for trial runs, booking consultation calls, or getting quotes. For a list of volunteer management software options, visit bit.ly/vtvmsoftware.

4. We hope to see more incentives for volunteering.

Just because most volunteers contribute to give back to communities and causes they care about, doesn’t mean that incentives would go amiss. Providing incentives can be a great way to reduce barriers to volunteering. Reimbursing meals on wheels drivers for their gas mileage or providing outreach volunteers with Presto cards can make volunteering more financially viable. Incentives can also be a great way to recognize and reward your volunteers. Perks like free theatre tickets or a group dinner out can make your volunteers feel appreciated and part of a community. Corporations also have a role to play in incentivizing volunteerism. Instead of organizing a group volunteering day for employees, which can be onerous for the beneficiary organization to organize, corporations can provide staff with paid time off to volunteer. Non-profits who engage corporate volunteers have a place in advocating that this becomes a more commonplace practice.

5. We hope to create spaces where volunteers and clients are on an equal footing.

When there’s a huge gulf between the lived experiences of an organization’s clients and its volunteers, clients can begin to feel alienated and patronized. One solution to this is to involve clients as volunteers. Doing so can reduce the sense of hierarchy between clients and volunteers, involve clients more equitably in the organization’s activities, and lower the risk that clients will stop showing up due to negative experiences with volunteers. Volunteers without the lived experience of also being a client will benefit from the opportunity to learn more deeply about the issues affecting the community by working alongside persons directly impacted by the organization’s work. Plus, clients who turn into volunteers can become incredible ambassadors for an organization, communicating its impact on the lives of volunteers and clients alike. To make this possible, it’s important to eliminate as many barriers (such as unnecessary reference checks and travel costs) to volunteering as possible.

These are just a few hopes for the future that struck members of the volunteer manager community. Our final hope is that the future of volunteer engagement looks like volunteer managers advocating that their organizations provide them with the support they need to fulfill the hopes mentioned in this article. What do you hope for the future of volunteer engagement? Let us know in the comments!