6 Tips To Keep Volunteers Committed To The Cause

6 Tips To Keep Volunteers Committed To The Cause

So, you’ve recruited loads of impassioned volunteers to help out with your amazing cause. That’s great! But…how are you going to inspire them to return each and every week?

It’s not as challenging as you might think.

Wendy Kirwan of Kars4Kids -- the nation’s largest car donation charity, which boasts an average of around 1,000 volunteers at any given time, offers six tips to keeping your volunteers engaged, happy and committed for the long run.

Make your volunteers feel needed and appreciated.

thank you sign

No matter how idealistic your volunteers are and how dedicated to the cause, everyone needs a healthy dose of external appreciation to keep them going. It sounds like a no-brainer, but never forget to tell your volunteers –- as often and in as many ways as possible –- that your organization could never accomplish all it does without their help.

Ask volunteers to help in specific, actionable ways.

to do list

If you really want people to help you, avoid the general “join our cause” and “help us change the world” kind of calls to action. Be specific in giving practical ways that people can volunteer for you and make it easy for them to follow up.

Inspire your volunteers with the cause, not the organization.

soup kitchen

Don’t ask your volunteers to help your organization, but the cause. Inspire them with stories of real people they will be helping and real challenges that their work will be addressing.

Stay connected, and make sure your communication channels go both ways.

woman making phone call

Keep in touch with your volunteers on a regular basis. With the proliferation of social media, email, texting and the like, communication is easier than ever. You can offer training and tips to help their volunteer work and relevant and timely information including updates on what’s new at your organization.

Be readily accessible to listen to what your volunteers have to say, too. As the people on the front lines, they often have a lot of valuable information to share and important questions and concerns that you need to address.

Develop a community of volunteers.

volunteers building a home

Build a sense of community among your volunteers. They should feel connected to each other and not just to the organization. Online forums can be helpful in this regard, but there’s no substitute for good, old fashioned interaction – in person. Hold a conference, or even better, throw a party to celebrate the dedication of your volunteers.

Show your volunteers how they made a difference.

running with disabled person

Highlight your volunteers’ successes to show them how their hard work helped the cause. Whether it’s the smile on a hungry child’s face when they receive the food package a volunteer packed, or the first book a learning disabled child reads after months of tutoring, let your volunteers see the results of their efforts. There’s no motivation as powerful as knowing that you made a difference in the world.

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