Creating a volunteer-involving organisation (VIO) can give you added resources to do more, diversify and enrich your team, and build stronger connections with your community.
Recruiting and supporting volunteers takes time and planning. Volunteers give their time freely, so organisations need to offer roles that are enjoyable, meaningful and manageable.
The main reasons people give for volunteering are:
- wanting to improve things
- having spare time
- caring about the cause
- wanting to meet new people.
Source: Community Life Survey 2024/25.
Many people now look for volunteering that feels more personal and flexible. They want to know that their time, experience and skills are valued, and that their volunteering makes a difference. When organisations offer this, people may be more willing to take on formal or longer-term roles.
The NCVO Time Well Spent report found eight things that make up a good experience for volunteers:
- Inclusive of everyone
- Flexible around people’s lives
- Impactful and makes a difference
- Connected to others, the cause and the organisation
- Balanced and does not overburden the volunteer
- Enjoyable and makes people feel good
- Voluntary, not an obligation
- Meaningful to volunteers’ lives, interests and priorities
Support Cambridgeshire helps organisations build the skills, systems and confidence they need to recruit, support and manage volunteers well.
Our offer includes:
- Promoting volunteer roles through Volunteer Cambs.
- Supporting people to find volunteering opportunities, particularly those facing barriers to involvement.
- Supporting VIOs to develop inclusive volunteering opportunities through Volunteering for All.
- Training for volunteer-involving organisations (VIOs).
- Access to our network of volunteer managers.
- Guidance and resources, including FAQs for volunteer managers.
- Watch our bite sized training video Attracting Volunteers