Volunteerism has significant power to spread your organization’s mission, but it can be daunting to tackle the amount of engagement and intentionality it takes to get that force in motion. Connecting to vision is the key to helping volunteers move from the “I’m just a volunteer” mentality to being some of your best advocates.
Start by taking a look at your organization’s vision and mission. Are you and your team on the same page as your leadership? Ensuring you’re properly aligned and speaking the same language in the beginning is crucial to good communication and sharing that vision with your volunteers. Sometimes this looks like adding clarity to your core message by creating new language everyone can use. Other times it looks like simplifying your organizational language to the most essential elements. In the end your staff is more unified and excited about why they show up to work everyday, and you’re ready to share that enthusiasm with your volunteers.
Next, get creative! Brainstorm ways to integrate this language into your communication and volunteer training. Staying true to your core message doesn’t need to be boring! Take a look at a few ways of getting the word out.
Weekly Emails: Keeping in touch with your volunteers on a weekly or monthly basis demonstrates that their service isn’t limited to one day or one event. Remind them that you still see them as part of the team and desire to continue sharing with them. Keep it short. Keep it focused. Keep it fun!
Team Huddles: When you have the chance to see your volunteers face-to-face, take 5-10 minutes before the event or program begins to intentionally talk about the why behind their work. Make sure they know their presence is making a difference!
Share Stories: When your organization or event has a big success, your volunteers should be among the first to know! Seeing how they fit into the big picture helps connect them to the larger organization and makes them proud to be a part of it.
Volunteer Profiles: In the same way that you share success stories with volunteers, share volunteer stories with your larger organization! This is a simple way to show you value your volunteers while also signifying the collaboration between staff and volunteers.
As you share the pieces of vision little by little, your volunteers connect to the mission and engage at a higher level. As that connection strengthens, volunteers are more prone to continuing their relationship with the organization or event, more likely talk about it with their friends, and more likely to bring along additional volunteers the next time they’re needed. Do this part of the process well, and watch as your team grows and is more unified through and through.
For tips and tricks to retain and grow your donations as well, check out these 200+ nonprofit fundraising ideas.
You’ve probably been on both the giving and receiving side of communication, and you know it’s vital to keep all communication clear and easy to understand. Of course you have countless things on your to-do list, but don’t let communication fall to the bottom of the list. Communication can come in all forms–emails, texts, phone calls, trainings, and even one-on-one meetings in person. Keeping volunteers in the know leads to more personal investment from them, better interactions with them, and a higher likelihood they will continue volunteering in the future. You are their primary point of contact with the organization, and they rely on you to learn what they need to know in order to do their job successfully. Make sure this line of communication is open on both sides by being available for questions or comments from them along the way.
Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 4,300 races and connects with nearly 500,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. The organization serves as the National Governing Body for triathlon, as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon and paratriathlon in the United States.
