Welcome to Season 3 of our TeamTalk Podcast! This season, we are talking to thought leaders, customers and stakeholders from the world of volunteer management as we dive deeper into the world of volunteering.
We are also joined again by our co-host Imo Greatbatch. Imo is currently the Head of Volunteering at England Netball, she is passionate about volunteering in sports and is offering her knowledge and insight on the topic.
In this TeamTalk episode, we were super excited to be joined by Rob Jackson. Rob has worked in the volunteering movement for almost 30 years, during which time he has led and managed volunteers and volunteering in education, advice, fundraising and children’s services settings at local, regional and national levels.
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Join Chris, Imo and Rob as they discuss Rob’s journey into volunteering and volunteer management, the current state of the world of work and how it might affect volunteering, and the upcoming TeamKinetic Conference.
A big thank you to Rob. It was great to catch up and hear his journey into how he got into the world of volunteering.
Rob worked for Volunteering England for six years, most of which he spent as Director of Development and Innovation. Rob also provided the secretariat to the ground breaking Volunteer Rights Inquiry.
As well as his expertise in volunteerism, Rob has strong links with the fundraising world. He spent six years as a member of the Institute of Fundraising’s Standards Committee and chaired the Institute’s working party which developed the UK’s first code of good practice on volunteer fundraising.
In 2011 Rob established Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd and now provides consultancy, public speaking and training services on a range of topics, with strategic volunteer engagement remaining at the core of his work. Rob works with clients large and small in the UK, USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
Rob is an active volunteer, having previously served as chair of governors at a large Lincolnshire primary school and founded UKVPMs, an email networking resource for UK based Volunteer Programme Managers that operated between 1997 and 2020 (and now as a LinkedIn group).
Enjoyed this episode? Why not join us at our 2023 Conference, where we take a look at the changing world and its potential impact on volunteering. Rob will even be joining us as a speaker! You can get your ticket now for the low price of £10.
For many community sports organisations, volunteers are their lifeblood. Despite their reliance on volunteers’ commitment, skills and enthusiasm, 70% of sports groups and clubs report a shortage of volunteers. As sporting activities and opportunities are in full swing during the summer, there is no better time for your sports organisation to inspire new and existing volunteers. Debunk the ‘sporty’ stereotype, raise awareness of opportunities, and hop on the back of events.
Badminton England use TeamKinetic to manage their volunteers and events.
Not ‘Sporty’? Don’t Worry!
Engaging volunteers as a sports organisation is achievable when opportunities and messaging align. Volunteering can be intimidating when prospective volunteers are unaware of what an opportunity entails. TeamKinetic allows for detailed descriptions to be included on every opportunity. This way, your volunteer criteria are more likely to be met because volunteers are aware and reassured.
Equally, a lack of confidence in their physical abilities is something that many people experience. This Girl Can found that 48% of women are worried that they are too unfit to be active this summer, and 40% are worried about being good enough at the activity. If your sports organisation is looking to expand your volunteer reach, ensure that your opportunities specify expectations. Transparent, inclusive messaging is an opportunity for your organisation to inspire those who do not typically consider themselves as ‘sporty’. Without pressure to perform, volunteers can enjoy the benefits of exercise.
“You don’t have to be great at sport, or have always played it, to volunteer. Unless you’re doing a really technical role, like refereeing, you won’t need any specialist knowledge. If there’s an interesting club or event near you, go along and ask if you can help – chances are they will be delighted to see you.”
Your organisation can also offer a multitude of roles that do not involve physical activity. For example, spectator services. This way, those who want to ease into a sporting environment, or are unable to participate for whatever reason, can be welcomed and included.
Raising Awareness
Beyond identifying skill gaps, knowing how to fill them can be challenging. Do not forget to approach your current volunteers, especially if knowledge of your organisation would be desirable for the given role. Approaching existing volunteers is of benefit to both your organisation and volunteers because it helps to maintain the volunteers’ interest and sense of contribution. Once again, it is crucial to be transparent about what an opportunity entails. Especially in the context of sports, do not assume that volunteers are willing or capable of participating in all aspects of your organisation.
When looking to inspire new volunteers, TeamKinetic is ideal for reaching those who can bring particular skills to your organisation. With TeamKinetic, your organisation can be linked with brokerage sites such as Do-it, Volunteering Scotland or Volunteering Wales. Linking with the UK’s national volunteering database Do-it, for example, allows opportunities to be promoted across a very large audience.
Make the Most of Events
Whether you’re a community sports organisation or a larger-scale sports organisation, you can jump on the back of major sporting events. Such events do not need to be related to the same sport as your organisation in order to unify, inspire and attract volunteers. It’s all about showcasing the power of sport. Local, low-cost involvement with major sports events helps to publicise your organisation. Don’t hesitate to shout about your small-scale events on social media, this can only raise awareness of your organisation!
Events you could consider organising include watch parties, taster sessions and tournaments. Your organisation could also consider partnering with other local sports organisations to celebrate major events. This is a great chance for volunteers to meet and for your organisation to seek out new volunteer-involved opportunities.
It’s important to measure your volunteer impact so you can see the difference your volunteers are making to your organisation. You can also look for any improvements that might need to be made to your volunteer programme. Below we have shared some ways you can measure volunteer impact!
Hours Logged
One of the most straightforward metrics is tracking the number of volunteer hours. This metric provides a baseline understanding of the time invested by volunteers.
With TeamKinetic, volunteers are able to log their hours. They may also be able to use them in exchange for HourTrade vouchers, and they’ll receive a new Achievement Badge for every milestone of hours! By logging hours, volunteers are able to keep a record of their volunteer journey and volunteer coordinators can see the progress each volunteer has made.
Surveys and feedback forms
Collecting feedback from volunteers through surveys or feedback forms allows you to gain insights into the volunteer experience. By using our volunteer management system, volunteers are able to leave feedback on opportunities. This can help you understand what needs to improve within your volunteer programme and make any adjustments to your opportunities.
Case Studies and Success Stories
Share inspiring stories of how your volunteers have made a difference in communities. These stories could be shared on your website, newsletters or social media. By sharing these it provides evidence of the impact created.
Volunteer exit interviews
When volunteers decide to end their engagement with your organisation, you can conduct exit interviews to understand their reasons and gather feedback on their experience. This information can help identify areas for improvement and enhance volunteer retention. This can also help you improve your volunteer programme because you can help avoid these problems in the future.
Volunteer self-assessment
Create surveys specifically designed for volunteers to assess their personal growth, skill development, and satisfaction levels. These surveys can provide valuable feedback on how the volunteer experience contributes to their own lives.
To measure your volunteer’s impact effectively you could opt for using a volunteer management system. With TeamKinetic you can see real-time and detailed analysis of your volunteer programme with easy-to-read graphs and tables, view feedback from your volunteers to help you make improvements and use custom reporting tools to get the specific data you need!
Sign up here for a free trial today or book a demo!
You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:
We hope everyone had a great Volunteers Week 2023! We’d like to remind everyone that celebrating your volunteers is just as important all year round and not just during the annual week of Volunteers Week. In this post, we’ve shared 4 crucial reasons why celebrating and recognising your volunteer’s hard work and contributions is vital to do all year round.
It inspires others
When the public witness the celebration of volunteers’ hard work it can encourage, inspire and motivate them to also volunteer. Publicly acknowledging volunteers through social media platforms or newsletters, not only highlights their achievements but also acts as a powerful recruitment tool.
Acknowledging their efforts
By recognising their commitment, you validate their contributions and make your volunteers feel valued. This recognition not only boosts their self-esteem but also inspires them to continue their work with even greater enthusiasm.
Increases retainment
Celebrating volunteers’ hard work is a crucial factor in volunteer retention. When volunteers feel appreciated, they are more likely to be more engaged and continue to volunteer for your organisation. Motivated volunteers are also more likely to help achieve the organisation’s goals.
Personal development
Celebrating your volunteers can provide an opportunity for personal and professional growth. By praising your volunteer’s efforts they can gain confidence, see how their skills have developed and the contribution they’ve made to their community. These experiences can contribute to their personal growth and supply them with more experience which may be their motive for volunteering.
If you struggle to remember to recognise and celebrate your volunteer’s effort, opting for a volunteer management system may help! Within the TeamKinetic system, there are various tools to reward your volunteers such as customisable Achievement Badges or our unique HourTrade vouchers which allow volunteers to exchange logged hours for rewards. You can start a FREE trial today over on our website or book a demo today!
If you need some ideas for how to celebrate your volunteers we have some ideas here!
Ensure you follow us on our social media pages to receive regular updates about the voluntary sector and learn more about the TeamKinetic system.
You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:
It can be challenging to retain volunteers, as they may have other commitments or lose interest over time. In this blog post, we will share some top tips for volunteer retainment, which can help you keep your volunteers engaged and committed.
1. Communicate, communicate, communicate
Be responsive and easy to get hold of if a volunteer needs you. If it’s hard for them to communicate with you online or in person, it won’t keep volunteers engaged and might put them off from volunteering for your organisation in the future.
If consistent communication with your volunteers is currently something you struggle with then why not opt for a volunteer management system like ours? With our volunteer management system, you can keep in close contact with your volunteers at all times. Within our system, there are a range of customisable automatic emails and you can use system notifications, and SMS texts to remind volunteers about their shifts.
2. Show your appreciation
Volunteers want to feel that their work is making a difference. Recognise their contributions publicly, and show appreciation for their efforts. This could be as simple as a thank-you email, a shoutout on social media, or a small party. It’s important to celebrate your volunteers all year round but with Volunteers Week just around the corner, this would be the perfect time to show them some appreciation. We have some ideas for how to celebrate your volunteers here.
3. Always ask for feedback
Seek feedback from volunteers about their experiences and use this feedback to continuously improve your volunteer program. This could include making changes to the volunteer onboarding process, offering new opportunities or roles, or addressing any concerns.
Within our volunteer management system, you can receive volunteer and opportunity feedback. This way you can regularly be informed if there are any problems with your volunteer programme and improve these issues.
4. Create a community
Create a community of volunteers. Volunteers are going to be more inclined to continue volunteering for your organisation if they have made new friends. Within our volunteer management system, we have opportunity chat rooms that help volunteers maintain strong relationships.
5. Provide opportunities for growth
Offering opportunities for growth and development can help retain volunteers in the long run. This could include external training courses or leadership roles within the organisation. Proposing these opportunities to volunteers will mean they will be more likely to continue to volunteer for your organisation as they are gaining new skills and experience which might be their motive for volunteering.
Interested in speeding up your volunteer registrations and reducing administrative burden? Why not start with a volunteer management system? With TeamKinetic you can start a FREE trial today over on our website or book a demo!
Ensure you follow us on our social media pages to receive regular updates about the voluntary sector and learn more about the TeamKinetic system.
You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:
Volunteers Week 2023 is just around the corner. If you’re struggling for new innovative ways to celebrate your volunteers this year, no need to worry. With the use of ChatGPT we’ve put together some ideas which you can use to recognise your volunteer’s hard work.
It’s important to recognise your volunteer’s hard work during this week of celebration. However, it’s understandable that not every volunteer manager has time to write each volunteer personalised thank you messages. As these responses are created with a chatbot, they aren’t personalised to individual volunteers. Yet it can be helpful to know that ChatGPT can produce some adequate ideas.
ChatGPT can create a good starting point for recognition messages if you enter accurate details from the work the volunteer did. If you are stuck for ideas on where to start, you can use these responses as a starting point and alter details to make them more specific to your volunteers. If you are very eager to show recognition to all of your volunteers but are struggling to manage your time this could be a potential option for you.
Create personalised messages
You can use ChatGPT to create personalised messages to recognise your volunteers for their hard work. Simply provide some basic information about the volunteer, such as their name and what they did for your organisation, and ChatGPT can generate a message that expresses your appreciation. As you can see from the response below, ChatGPT has created an impressive thank-you letter.
We asked ChatGPT: ‘Can you create a personalised thank you message for a volunteer called Olivia who worked hard to make creative window displays and was very helpful to customers in a charity shop’
Response generated:
“Dear Olivia,
I just wanted to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation for all of the hard work and dedication you’ve shown as a volunteer at our charity shop. Your creativity and attention to detail in designing our window displays have truly made a difference in attracting customers and raising awareness for our cause.
Additionally, your helpfulness and kindness towards customers have not gone unnoticed. You always go above and beyond to ensure that our visitors have a positive experience in the shop, and your warm demeanour has left a lasting impression on many.
Thank you so much for all that you’ve done for our organization. Your contributions have been invaluable, and we are incredibly grateful to have you as a member of our team.
Best regards,
[Your Name]”
Create social media posts
ChatGPT can help you create engaging social media posts to celebrate your volunteers. You can provide some details about the volunteer and their contribution, and ChatGPT can help you create a post that highlights their efforts and encourages others to get involved. As you can see in the response generated below, ChatGPT has created an adequate social media caption that you could post to social media channels such as Facebook or Instagram with a photo of the volunteer.
Here’s what I asked ChatGPT: ‘Can you create a social media post thanking a volunteer called Jenny for her hard work volunteering at a food bank’
Response generated:
“Today we want to give a big shoutout to one of our amazing volunteers, Jenny! 🎉
Jenny has been working at our food bank to help us serve our community. She has been instrumental in everything from sorting donations to assisting clients and ensuring that our operations run smoothly.
Jenny’s hard work and dedication have not gone unnoticed. She brings a positive attitude and a willingness to help with whatever needs to be done. Her warm and friendly personality makes her a favourite among our clients.
We couldn’t do what we do without the support of volunteers like Jenny. Thank you so much for all that you do for our food bank and our community. You truly make a difference, and we are grateful to have you on our team. 🙏”
Interested in speeding up your volunteer registrations and reducing administrative burden? Get started with our volunteer management software today! With TeamKinetic you can start a FREE trial today over on our website or book a demo!
You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:
As a volunteer manager in a museum, you have the responsibility to ensure that your volunteers feel supported and engaged, while also helping the museum achieve its mission. We’ve put together some tips to help you manage museum volunteers effectively.
Set clear expectations
Before volunteers begin their role, make sure they understand their responsibilities and the expectations for their performance. This could include the expected volunteer hours, their duties and the rules and regulations they should follow. By setting clear expectations, you can avoid misunderstandings and ensure everyone is on the same page.
Ensure you provide suitable training and resources
Volunteers will perform their best when they feel confident and knowledgeable about their role. Provide them with training that covers everything from the history of the museum to the specific duties of each volunteer position. Consider developing training materials, such as videos or handouts, to help volunteers learn more about the museum.
Communication is key
Regularly check in with volunteers to assure they’re satisfied with their volunteering role and answer any questions they may have. If you opt for a volunteer management system such as TeamKinetic, you can ensure you are communicating with your volunteers efficiently at all times.
Within our system, there are a variety of customisable automatic emails and other ways you can contact your volunteers using system notifications, SMS texts and opportunity chat rooms to help you maintain strong relationships with your volunteers. With these communication tools you can keep volunteers informed about upcoming events, news, and changes at the museum.
Learn more about sufficient volunteer management using TeamKinetic here.
Show appreciation and reward your volunteers
Volunteers dedicate their time and energy to helping the museum succeed, so it’s vital to recognise their contributions. Consider offering small tokens of appreciation, such as certificates, thank you letters or awards. You could also organise volunteer appreciation events or offer perks such as free admission or discounts in the museum shop.
You can easily reward your volunteers using system. We have a few ways you can reward volunteers including achievement badges and even our Unique HourTrades feature which allows volunteers to swap their logged hours for special rewards.
Use volunteer management software
Using a volunteer management system can ensure your volunteers are managed efficiently. Volunteer management software can automate many time-consuming tasks such as volunteer registration, communication, and scheduling. This can save a significant amount of time for volunteer coordinators, allowing them to focus on other important tasks.
Interested in speeding up your volunteer registrations and reducing administrative burden? Get started with our volunteer management software today! With TeamKinetic you can start a FREE trial today over on our website or book a demo!
By following these tips, you can create positive and productive management for your museum volunteers. With clear expectations, effective communication, and a supportive environment, volunteers will feel valued and engaged, and the museum will thrive.
Ensure you follow us on our social media pages to receive regular updates about the voluntary sector and learn more about the TeamKinetic system.
You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:
Managing volunteers can be challenging, especially if you want to maximise their engagement and impact. Opting for a volunteer management system can help you manage your volunteers successfully. Here at TeamKinetic, we’ve put together our top tips for managing volunteers effectively to help you lead a fantastic team of volunteers.
Clearly define roles and opportunities
One of the essential elements of effective volunteer management is to clearly define the roles and expectations of each volunteer. This includes what tasks they will perform, how much time they are expected to commit, and what skills or experience are required. Having a clear understanding of expectations and roles helps to minimise confusion, reduce misunderstandings, and ensure everyone is working towards a common goal is a key starting point for managing your volunteers effectively. By using a volunteer management system such as TeamKinetic, you can write detailed role descriptions when creating opportunities.
We have a blog post all about how you can get the best out of your opportunity descriptions which you can read here.
Recruit volunteers strategically
To build an effective volunteer team, it’s important to recruit strategically. This involves recognising the skills, knowledge, and experience needed for each role and targeting specific demographics or groups. You can use social media, community events, and word-of-mouth referrals to attract potential volunteers. We have a blog post about what qualities to look for when recruiting volunteers which is useful to read.
Consistent communication
Effective communication is key to managing volunteers successfully. Establishing clear communication channels is essential, including regular team meetings, email updates, or newsletters.
With our volunteer management system, you can keep in close contact with your volunteers at all times. Within our system, there are a range of customisable automatic emails and other ways you can contact them using system notifications, SMS texts and opportunity chat rooms to help you maintain strong relationships with your volunteers.
Read our guide to effective communication with volunteers here.
Opportunity chat rooms within the TeamKinetic system
Provide sufficient training
Volunteers may need suitable training to perform their roles effectively. Therefore, it’s crucial to provide adequate training to ensure that volunteers have the knowledge and skills they need to complete their tasks. Training can include onboarding sessions, mentoring, and ongoing coaching to help volunteers develop their skills and stay motivated.
Offer flexible schedules
Volunteers often have other commitments, such as work or family, so offering flexible schedules can help with retention. At the end of adding an opportunity within the TeamKinetic system, you are given a choice to list your opportunity as a flexible or individual session. A flexible opportunity is when you need a volunteer for a certain role but it’s not always on the same date when it’s needed. Meaning you have the date you want the volunteering role to be completed but you are flexible about when the volunteer attends.
Option to choose individual or flexible sessions on the TeamKinetic system
Reward your volunteers
Volunteers dedicate their time and energy to support your organisation, so showing appreciation is crucial to keeping them engaged and motivated.
You can easily reward your volunteers with our system. We have a few ways you can reward volunteers including achievement badges and even our Unique HourTrades feature which allows volunteers to swap their logged hours for special rewards. TeamKinetic will also send automated messages to your volunteers on milestones, such as their birthdays or when they reach a new achievement level.
Provide feedback
A positive culture can help volunteers feel valued and included, increasing engagement and retention. You can create a positive culture by encouraging a sense of community, providing opportunities for volunteers to socialise, and promoting a shared mission. Within the TeamKinetic system, you can have two-way feedback on every opportunity, which ensures your volunteers are kept happy and fulfilled.
Track performance and progress
Monitoring performance and progress is essential to ensure that volunteers are meeting their goals and making an impact within the organisation.
Real-time, detailed, and effective analysis of all aspects of your volunteer programme helps you tell a clear story of your organisation’s social value. With TeamKinetic you can receive two-way feedback on every opportunity, so you can ensure volunteers are kept content and fulfilled.
Example of the Reports & Analysis Quick Stats page within the TeamKinetic system
Key Takeaways
In conclusion, effective volunteer management is crucial to maximising engagement and impact. With these top tips, you can build a successful team of volunteers that make a meaningful contribution to your organisation’s mission.
Interested in speeding up your volunteer registrations and reducing administrative burden? Why not start with a volunteer management system? With TeamKinetic you can start a FREE trial today over on our website or book a demo!
Make sure you follow us to receive regular updates about the voluntary sector and learn more about the TeamKinetic system.
You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:
Heritage volunteering offers a unique opportunity to not only contribute to preserving and promoting cultural heritage but also to build and strengthen community ties. As volunteers work together to preserve historical sites, they become a part of a group. In this blog post, we share ways heritage volunteering can be used to create a community.
Shared goals
Volunteering for a heritage site allows people to come together around shared goals. Volunteers who are passionate about history and culture can work together to ensure that these sites and artefacts are preserved for future generations. As they collaborate, they share their knowledge and experiences, so they can build a sense of belonging to a group.
Sense of Ownership
Volunteering for a heritage site also creates a sense of ownership and pride in the community. When volunteers give their time and energy to preserving local heritage, they get a rewarding feeling for making an impact. They are invested in their work, and this creates a feeling of attachment and belonging to the community.
Social Connections
Volunteering for a heritage site is a great way to meet new people and make social connections. Volunteers come together and share a common interest in preserving and promoting heritage. As they work together, they get to know each other and develop friendships, which strengthens the sense of community and means people are more likely to continue volunteering.
Education
Volunteering for a heritage site provides opportunities for education and engagement. Volunteers learn new aspects of history and culture, and they can share that knowledge with others. Volunteers can also learn new skills through volunteering. As they engage with visitors and other members, they develop a sense of purpose and value in their work, which contributes to the sense of community.
Key Takeaways…
In conclusion, heritage volunteering can be a powerful tool for bringing people together and building community. Heritage volunteers can feel part of a group and benefit from this. So why not consider volunteering at a heritage site in your community? You may be surprised at the impact it can have on you and those around you.
If you’re looking for a volunteer management system, why not take a look at us? You can start a FREE trial over on our website or book a demo!
You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:
Volunteers Week 2023 is fast approaching, so here are some ways to prepare for it! Volunteers Week is the annual celebration of volunteers in the UK. The important week is all about recognising and celebrating the hard work of volunteers.
When is it taking place?
Volunteers Week will be taking place from the 1st – 7th of June. The week takes place in the Month Of Community, which is a whole month of dedicating time to come together to celebrate everything that makes communities great. Other events in the Month Of Community include Small Charities Week and The Big Lunch.
Volunteer-involved organisations across the UK will run activities to honour volunteers. Various activities will be taking place from volunteer recruitment events and open days to celebration and recognition events.
Volunteers Week is just a couple of months away so it might be a good idea to start planning now. There are many small ways you can recognise your volunteers which don’t need to break the bank!
Social Media
Social media is an easy, free and effective way of recognising your volunteers which can be shared with all of your followers. Use the hashtag #VolunteersWeek to say thank you to your volunteers. You can share stories of the impact your volunteers have made and encourage them to share their own volunteering journies.
Celebrations
You could host small parties or awards nights to celebrate your volunteers. Highlight your volunteers’ successes to show them how their hard work has helped your organisation. You can show them the impact they have made within the organisation and reward them with a certificate. Volunteers Week have a free certificate template you can use here.
Events
Running an event is a great way to get everyone together and spread the message. The Big Lunch is a great example of this. The event for neighbours and communities takes place every year in the UK. Running an event doesn’t have to be expensive, it can be run online or in a local park. You can then spread the word by promoting the event on social media!
You can use Volunteers Week to promote the benefits of volunteering to help gain interest and encourage others to volunteer for your organisation or volunteering programme. You can also promote training for your volunteers to keep them supported, NCVO offers plenty of training material which can be found on their website.
We have some ideas from previous blog posts for celebrating and recognising your own volunteers’ hard work which you can read here and here.
Resources to use
The Volunteers Week website has lots of free resources you can start using now to promote the week. You can encourage your volunteers to share the resources on their social media pages too!
Start getting involved and celebrate and inspire volunteers around the UK!
If you’re looking for a volunteer management system, why not take a look at us? You can start a FREE trial over on our website or book a demo!
You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:
