For most non-profit organizations, volunteers are as essential as food and water. Statistics Canada reported that, “In 2018, 12.7 million Canadians engaged in formal volunteering, with a total of 1.6 billion hours of their time given to charities, non-profits and community organizations.” This is equal to almost 858,000 full-time jobs. Volunteers showed their motivation of your cause through their time, talent and treasures.
Then the pandemic hit in March 2020, leaving many organizations scrambling to adjust to health and safety protocols, virtual program delivery and finding ways to ensure stability and sustainability. So what does volunteering look like today? As we have seen a marked increase in working from home for our employment, we are also seeing an increased interest and need to move to virtual volunteer roles.
According to the Volunteering Lens of COVID-19 Fall Survey*, by October 2020,
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- 28% organizations surveyed reported a reduced number of volunteer roles
- 12% of organizations expanded due to increased demand for their programs and services
- 56% of organizations indicated they moved to offer virtual volunteering roles
It is often challenging for many organizations, depending on their programs or services, to shift to virtual. Both the shift to online volunteering and the overall decrease in volunteer opportunities as a result of the impact of the pandemic means you need to be nimble and keep your volunteers engaged. Finding alternative ways to provide opportunities to volunteer virtually will help both your organization succeed and help engage your volunteers. As you adapt to the new ‘normal’, involve your volunteer community by tapping into their expertise and creativity as you develop your programs.
Successful Volunteer Management means meeting the needs of the organization, but also meeting the needs of your volunteers. Health and safety are vitally important, but we need to remember why most people volunteer: social interaction. And during these times of lockdowns, it is even more important. With a stronger emphasis on virtual, gone are the days of chatting before or after the meeting as you grab a cup of coffee – you ‘Zoom’ in and you ‘Zoom’ out! Find creative ways to provide the social interaction for your volunteers – consider a virtual social hour, game night or maybe book club – still online, but not focused on programming and business.
While it has always been important to keep your volunteers informed and engaged, now it is crucial. Stay in touch with your volunteers (past, present and future) through email, newsletters, telephone, online gatherings and trainings, etc. Keep them informed about how the organization, clients and staff are faring through the pandemic. Find creative ways to engage them and they will help you find creative ways to keep them engaged. Could you invite new volunteers to join advisory groups, program committees, provide mentorship and online training/support. Could they work remotely in some way?
Many volunteers are waiting to volunteer again. Consistent with Volunteer Canada’s Spring 2020 survey, more than 80% of previous volunteers intend to return if health and safety practices are in place. However, while 52% of organizations said planning to re-engage volunteers was an important issue over the coming months, 63% indicated they do not have, or are unsure if they have, a transition plan for volunteers, and less than 30% have or intend to develop a stewardship plan for volunteers who do not return to their organization. (Volunteering Lens of COVID-19 Fall Survey)
Communication is key, but gratitude is transforming. There is a group of people who support your organization, without financial compensation, through time, effort, advocacy and expertise. They are often the building blocks for your organization. Take the time to thank them throughout the year for their support! Small gestures make the biggest difference – a kind word, a hand-written note, reaching out to engage their expertise and opinions ensure that your volunteers continue to be valued and motivated!
*THE VOLUNTEERING LENS OF COVID-19: FALL 2020 SURVEY Impacts of COVID-19 on volunteer engagement Joint report from Volunteer Canada, Volunteer Management Professionals of Canada and spinktank December 2020
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