volunteer community

A Guide to Strong Communication With Your Team

Isabel Reed

At the heart of any thriving relationship between a coordinator and a volunteer team is a commitment to strong communication. Let’s unpack that — what does “strong communication” entail? First, we’ll explain what makes for excellent communication among teams and leadership. Then, we’ll give you some sample templates to use yourself!

Strong Communication Strategies:

Consistent & Timely

Your team wants to hear from you! They are looking to you for leadership and direction, and that often comes through communication channels. Give your volunteers a timeframe as to when they can expect to hear from you regularly. (Daily, weekly, monthly? Via email or in-person?) Then, meet that expectation promptly!

Clear:

Ensure your message is clear. What do your volunteers need to know? Is any action required on their part or yours? Leave little to no room for misinterpretations.

Concise:

Respect your volunteers’ time by delivering a concise message. Take an extra moment to trim wording or content that isn’t necessary or doesn’t somehow contribute to the overall message. While it is important to be mindful, there is no need to be overly-rigorous about this one; you still want to sound like yourself!

Other factors to consider in strong communication are, for example: How approachable are you to your volunteers? Could weekly or monthly check-ins help keep your team on the same page?

With plenty of strategies under your belt, it is time to put them to action!

Take a peek at email templates we created for you below. These templates cover the most commonly exchanged email communications between volunteer coordinators and volunteers. Notice how they align with all three strategies listed above. You are welcome to use any of these templates yourself.

Note: if you use VolunteerLocal to manage your volunteer team, simply use our Communication tool to distribute broadcast emails and texts to your volunteers. With a selection of smart tags to choose from, you can fill in unique volunteer details with no effort on your part. Schedule the email to be sent right away, saved as a draft, or scheduled to be sent at a date/time of your choosing. If you are on the Conquer Plan, you can even save the following emails as templates for quick, repeated access later!

Email Theme: Sign Up Thank You

Hello [first name],

Many thanks for signing up to volunteer with us here at [organization name]! We look forward to seeing you soon. Ahead of your shift, please review the following information:

[Any info. you need to share, such as directions, arrival instructions, what to wear, expectations.]

Your shift information is below:

[Job & shift details]

With any questions, don’t hesitate to ask!

Thank you,

[Your Name]

Email Theme: Reminder Emails

Hi [first name],

Get ready, you have an upcoming shift with [organization name]! Your shift details are below:

[Job & shift details]

When you arrive … [share instructions! Should they check in at a kiosk or with you? Any protocols?]

Thank your for all your efforts in support of [organization name]!

See you soon,

[Your name]

Email Theme: Post-Volunteer Thank You Note

Hi [first name],

Thank you for volunteering with us! On behalf of our whole team and the community we serve, we sincerely appreciate your support.

[Optional: include a survey to collect feedback, and/or discuss the large scale impact of their volunteer work.]

We hope to see you again soon.

Warm regards,

[Your name]

Email Theme: No-Show Volunteer

Hi [first name],

I hope all is well! I noticed that you did not attend your last shift, so I wanted to check in – how are you enjoying the volunteer program at [organization name], so far?

If you have any concerns regarding your volunteer role, please let me know. We welcome feedback that makes us a stronger team and better volunteer program.

Many thanks,

[Your name]

Of course, these templates likely just scratch the surface of the emails you exchange regularly with your volunteers. Whether you use these templates, others, or write original emails each time, remember to follow the three strong communication strategies – consistent & timely, clear, concise.

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Activate Volunteers Outside Your Event

Swanee Astrid

As event organizers, producers, directors, etc., it is your job to observe and plan for all stages from beginning to middle and end. As you establish your checkpoints leading up to the event itself, it is crucial that you put this on your list: activate volunteers outside your event.

The urge and the philosophy behind this is one of thermodynamics: energy in equals energy out. This has to do with conservation. Simply put, the higher the note you start off with, the more you will be able to sustain that energy among your volunteers and create a positive, thriving environment. 

(Not to mention there is much to be done leading up to an event whether it is coordinating the volunteers themselves, stuffing packets, running errands, phone drives, or other logistical conundrums.)

Arrange for volunteer gatherings to help accomplish these tasks and more. Something like stuffing packets is ideal because it is the kind of work made light by many hands, and has an easy rhythm that allows for volunteers to talk, get to know each other, and even forge friendships. The mission will bring your volunteers in, but feelings of “togetherness” will keep them coming back.

Get them excited before the day of the event or a short time leading up to it with some kind of orientation, training or pep rally. Plan team-building exercises. This is a great way to build community while also ascertaining how certain people interact with each other. Who are the leaders in the group? The doers, the organizers, the observers? Work your magic to ensure that each volunteer is in the best position catered to their unique skills and interests. They will repay this effort ten-fold – when vision, values and strengths are aligned, purpose thrives.

A pre-celebration party or gathering is an incredibly festive way to begin any trial. Go as big or as small as your budget allows, but if someone threw you a party just for being there, wouldn’t you return next year, too?

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