Every organization needs a way to move business goals forward. Donors help bring funds in, board members create key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of each event, cause or volunteer opportunity, and recruits keep the company gears moving. The people who maintain the day-to-day operations are vital to meeting the initiatives set forth by management.
Some of the biggest volunteer management challenges charities and nonprofits face are volunteer recruitment, retention and availability. One way to address these challenges is to have a user-friendly volunteer website design that attracts and engages volunteers.
Most nonprofits rely on the dedication of volunteers to deliver their services, but even the most reliable and dedicated volunteers will occasionally have unexpected events that make them unable to attend. They may fall sick, have paid work conflicts, or just want to take a well-deserved vacation. In this case, you’ll need to find someone to fill their spot. This is where shift swapping comes in. We know managing a roster and swapping shifts can be frustrating and time-consuming for managers.
Community service is unpaid work performed by a person or group of people for the benefit and betterment of their community without any form of compensation. Community service projects can take many shapes and sizes, and may range from 10 minutes to 10 years in duration.
Keen to get involved with volunteering, but not sure where to start? Virtual volunteering is a great way to get involved with meaningful projects from the comfort of your own home. While large sporting events, outdoor volunteering and volunteer abroad projects offer important ways to give back, you can make just as much of an impact without leaving home.
Volunteering is a key pillar of healthy and connected communities. In America, an estimated 30 per cent of citizens volunteered for an organization or association in 2019, contributing $187.7 billion to the United States economy through their time, talent and expertise, according to Americorps. A majority of organizations simply wouldn’t be able to exist without volunteers.
Recruiting volunteers is a common struggle for volunteer managers, and it’s such a crucial component of success. We know that a succinct volunteer recruitment plan, volunteer management plan, and social media strategy can all help you engage with volunteers. But the other thing that can have a huge impact on your success is your online presence. Specifically your website!
For volunteers, one of the most common complaints is that they are being underutilized in a role that doesn’t suit them. While organizations are always struggling with the two Rs: recruitment and retention.
Millennial volunteers are one of the least represented generations in the volunteer workforce. On top of juggling work and family commitments, millennials (anyone born between 1981-1996) prioritize flexibility and freedom, something that doesn’t always match with non profit structures. But at the same time, they care deeply about the state of the planet, society and their community, and want to feel like they are leaving the world a better place.
Recruiting volunteers can be extremely challenging when you consider all of the other opportunities someone might have available to them. Some opportunities involve working toward a full-time paid position, school credit, huge worldwide impacts and so much more. The important part of this is considering what makes your organization unique from the rest and what can you offer volunteers that others are not.
Recruiting volunteers can come with a slew of challenges. Let’s dive into some recruitment solutions you can use right away.