{"id":17174,"date":"2025-10-29T13:45:20","date_gmt":"2025-10-29T13:45:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teamkinetic.co.uk\/blog\/?p=17174"},"modified":"2025-10-29T14:47:03","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T14:47:03","slug":"building-relationships-that-enable-volunteering","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teamkinetic.co.uk\/blog\/2025\/10\/building-relationships-that-enable-volunteering\/","title":{"rendered":"Be Bold: Make Change – Building Relationships That Enable Volunteering"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Guest Blog, written by Ruth Leonard<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Involving volunteers is all about building relationships. This is where meaningful change happens. On International Volunteer Managers\u2019 Day, we celebrate those who make volunteering possible – the people who develop these relationships which enable others to create real impact in their communities. Being bold isn\u2019t always about grand gestures; sometimes it\u2019s about the small, intentional steps that create powerful ripples of change.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Volunteer Involvement is not about filling gaps or completing tasks; it\u2019s about connecting people to purpose and possibility. Volunteers bring their skills, passions, and lived experiences – and when we create space for that, communities thrive. Yet, volunteer numbers across the UK appear to be declining. Is this in part because we respond by marketing volunteer opportunities as products to be consumed? For me, volunteering isn\u2019t
about transaction; it\u2019s about agency – and creation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I\u2019ve said before: \u201cPeople-powered services should be exactly that – powered by people, not by systems or processes.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This shift begins with small, everyday actions: listening to volunteers\u2019 motivations, being flexible with roles, and recognising their contributions. Relationships drive retention, satisfaction, and impact. When volunteers feel heard, valued, and trusted, they don\u2019t just stay longer – they become catalysts for community-led change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The boldest step we can take is to move from managing to connecting. Instead of asking, \u201chow do we fill this role?\u201d what happens when we ask, \u201cwhat matters to this person, and how can we create space for it?\u201d This approach not only strengthens relationships but also unlocks creativity and inclusion. Volunteering thrives when we stop telling and start facilitating. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bold change doesn\u2019t have to be big. Every \u201cthank you,\u201d every conversation, every moment of recognition builds a sense of mattering – that what someone does is valued, and that they are valued. Too often, we measure volunteering in hours and outputs, but the true value lies in connections and shared purpose. When volunteers see the difference their contribution makes, that\u2019s when they feel most fulfilled. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To enable volunteering to thrive, we must also support those who involve them. Confidence comes from understanding, community, and self-reflection. Volunteer management is both a skill and a profession – one that requires empathy, creativity, and resilience. As England\u2019s Vision for Volunteering looks towards, \u201cpeople supporting volunteers work alongside them as equals, channelling their interests and passions to make change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, this International Volunteer Managers\u2019 Day, ask yourself: What bold step will you take to strengthen relationships to make change in volunteering? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bold doesn\u2019t mean big – it means intentional. It means choosing to act differently, trusting that small steps can lead to transformative change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To quote Margaret Wheatley, \u201cvery great change starts from very small conversations, held among people who care.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s keep those conversations going – and together, let\u2019s be bold and make change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If you’re a TeamKinetic user, you can come along to Ruth’s Masterclass on Wednesday 5th November at 10am. Just go to Help & Support \u2192 Masterclasses & Training within your system to book for free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n