How can you engage volunteers in a non-profit organization?

1 Define your goals and expectations

Before you recruit or assign volunteers, you need to have a clear idea of what you want them to do and why. What are the specific tasks and roles that you need volunteers for? What are the outcomes and impacts that you want to achieve? How will you measure and evaluate their performance? By defining your goals and expectations, you can communicate them clearly to your volunteers and align them with your organization's mission and vision.

2 Recruit and match volunteers wisely

Finding and attracting volunteers is not enough. You also need to match them with the right opportunities and projects that suit their skills, interests, and availability. To do this, you need to understand what motivates your volunteers and what they hope to gain from their experience. Some volunteers may want to learn new skills, some may want to network with others, some may want to make a difference in their community, and some may want to have fun. By recruiting and matching volunteers wisely, you can increase their satisfaction and retention.

3 Communicate and collaborate regularly

Communication is key to engaging volunteers in a non-profit organization. You need to keep your volunteers informed, involved, and inspired. You need to communicate your goals, expectations, feedback, and appreciation. You also need to create opportunities for your volunteers to communicate and collaborate with each other and with your staff. You can use various channels and tools, such as newsletters, emails, social media, meetings, events, and online platforms, to communicate and collaborate regularly.

4 Provide training and support

Volunteers need training and support to perform their tasks effectively and confidently. You need to provide them with the necessary information, resources, and guidance to help them succeed. You also need to address any challenges or issues that they may face along the way. You can offer various forms of training and support, such as orientation sessions, manuals, webinars, mentors, coaches, and peer networks, to provide training and support.

5 Recognize and reward volunteers

Volunteers need recognition and reward for their contributions and achievements. You need to show them that you appreciate their efforts and value their impact. You also need to celebrate their successes and milestones. You can use various methods and incentives, such as certificates, badges, letters, gifts, discounts, events, and testimonials, to recognize and reward volunteers.

6 Solicit and act on feedback

Volunteers need feedback to improve their performance and satisfaction. You need to solicit and act on their feedback to understand their needs, preferences, and opinions. You also need to demonstrate that you listen to and respect their feedback and that you are willing to make changes based on their feedback. You can use various tools and techniques, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, suggestion boxes, and online forums, to solicit and act on feedback.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?