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Why volunteer retention matters
Volunteers are more likely to stay when they feel welcomed, supported, useful and valued.
VIOs can improve retention by offering clear roles, good communication, regular support, useful feedback and meaningful recognition.
Building strong volunteer foundations
Volunteer strategy
A volunteering strategy explains what a VIO wants to achieve through volunteering and how volunteers will support the organisation’s aims.
Your strategy should explain how you will involve, recruit, support and retain volunteers. See NCVO guidance on writing a volunteer strategy.
Volunteer policy
A volunteer policy creates a clear and consistent framework for managing volunteers.
Our volunteer policy template provides an overview and can be edited to suit your organisation. It helps set clear expectations from the start. Each section should be written from the volunteer’s point of view.
Showing the value of volunteering: monitoring and evaluation
Monitoring and evaluation help you understand what difference volunteering makes. This might include who benefits, how volunteers contribute, how well they are supported, and how volunteering helps your organisation achieve its aims.
Start by deciding what you want to know. For example, you might look at volunteer numbers, retention, training, satisfaction, inclusion or impact. Then choose simple ways to collect feedback, such as short surveys, conversations, records or observations.
Use what you learn to improve your volunteer programme, show the value of volunteering to funders and partners, and celebrate the contribution volunteers make.
Read Gethyn Williams blog about the social value of volunteers.
Keeping volunteers motivated and engaged
Be aware of volunteers’ emotional needs and changes in circumstances.
Meeting motivational needs. People volunteer for many different reasons. Research suggests key motivations include making things better for others, getting satisfaction from results, gaining new skills, having fun and making new friends. Source: Time Well Spent (NCVO).
Showing appreciation and recognition. Wanting to be appreciated is human nature. For many volunteers, recognition is less about certificates and awards and more about feeling valued and respected, and being able to see the difference they are making.
There is also a place for recognition such as a celebratory get-together during Volunteers’ Week or at Christmas. Other forms of recognition include:
Volunteer management systems
If you manage more than a small number of volunteers, you may need a simple spreadsheet to keep key information in one place.
If you manage many volunteers, several roles or rotas, you may want to use volunteer management software.
A good system can improve the volunteer experience, support recruitment and retention, and reduce administration for the volunteer coordinator.
You can also use Volunteer Cambs to communicate with volunteers. For help, contact info@volunteercambs.org.uk.
For more guidance on choosing and implementing a volunteer management system, see the NCVO guidance on choosing a volunteer management system.
Volunteering and the law
Organisations need to understand how the law relates to volunteers. Without this, they may face legal issues linked to employment status, safety, training or support.
- With volunteers claiming employment rights
- Around failure to protect volunteers
- Around failure to provide training and support to ensure volunteers are able to perform their roles without causing harm to beneficiaries or the wider public.
A lack of legal understanding can also affect volunteers, including their finances and wellbeing.
Watch our bite-size training video: Legal issues around managing volunteers.