It’s undeniable that volunteers are a core part of nonprofit work. From serving on the board to helping us run programs, and fundraising events, even sealing and stamping our direct mail- we can depend on volunteers to do it all.
Building an enthusiastic, reliable, committed community of volunteers is the dream but it’s easier said than done. More often, volunteers enter our doors enthusiastic but fall off fairly quickly. Our reliance on volunteers raises a critical question and a problem that requires scientific thinking. So, the problem we’ll be addressing today is, how can nonprofits retain volunteers?
Here’s what you can expect to take away from this episode…
⦿ What factors determine whether a volunteer stays with a nonprofit
⦿ What are some reasons volunteer chose to leave a nonprofit
⦿ How can you leverage the retention and turnover reasons during different phases of the volunteer lifecycle
SNEAK PEEK AT THE EPISODE…
⦿ [4:08] If a volunteer is satisfied with the work they’re doing and they feel committed to the nonprofit, it seems to make logical sense- and the existing literature backs this up- that they would continue their tenure as a volunteer.
⦿ [8:00] The authors describe a volunteer cycle that goes from awareness, to recruitment, to activation, to building commitment, retention, and then eventually they leave the organization or exit.
⦿ [13:15] After that, though, they are driven by the desire to help others. It’s less about the work and more about giving back.
⦿ [16:08] But, if we want to retain volunteers, nonprofits have to learn how to navigate that tension, because when this tension occurs is when volunteers may exit their volunteer position.
⦿ [18:07] The researchers collected this qualitative data and found seven themes: conflict, high demands with low resources, lack of fit, lack of inclusion, personal commitments and circumstances, poor communication and organizational practices, and poor leadership.
⦿ [21:10] Finally, the researchers wanted to determine whether any of the turnover reasons were predictive of quitting.
⦿ [25:40] Okay, now assuming your goal is to create a committed community of these enthusiastic stayer volunteers, what can you do?
⦿ [29:30] But another thing to consider and perhaps to test out, is simply taking time to meet with volunteers and reflect on how much they have contributed to advancing the nonprofit’s mission.
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LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
⦿ Article: Volunteer retention motives and determinants across the volunteer lifecycle
⦿ Article: Exploring volunteer turnover reasons, intentions, and behavior
⦿ Article: Repeat and non-returning volunteers: The promise of episodic events for volunteer recruitment and retention
⦿ Article: Understanding volunteer retention in a complex, community-centered intervention: A mixed methods study in Ontario, Canada
⦿ Article: Evidence-based volunteer management: a review of the literature
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