Volunteers leaving is a key risk factor to be aware of when involving volunteers and
there isn’t a simple way of avoiding it. Often, it’s a sign that volunteering worked –
especially for a volunteer who was looking for work. Of course, we should also be
grateful for time volunteers give and gracefully accept their goodbyes when they
leave. But if you are struggling with retaining volunteers, hopefully this document will
give you some points to consider.
Why do volunteers leave?
First consider the different reasons why volunteers might leave.
- Change in life circumstances: a job, university, moving house, family
responsibilities.
- They get bored.
- It wasn’t what they thought it would be.
- The pull of the cause feels less urgent (for example, Covid related roles).
- There are issues or concerns with the organisation or the role.
- They feel underappreciated.
- Interpersonal issues with a staff member, volunteer or person who using the
service.
- The nature of the role changes.
- They feel embarrassed about missing a session of volunteering and then don’t
want to go back so ‘ghost’ the organisation.
- They feel like they’ve given enough time.
- They find another volunteering opportunity which is more interesting to them.
Having issues with retention? Check that you are doing all the
following:
Recruit the right volunteers
- Double check that you are clear on expectations at recruitment and induction –
including the length of time commitment, you expect and the nature of the role.
- It may be good to ask volunteers to commit to a period of time – rather than just
hoping for a longer-term commitment. For example, three or six months.
- Explain (and have a good reason for) your ideal time commitment.
Make sure all volunteers feel part of the team
- Make sure volunteers feel like part of the team that they are welcomed in the
space, introduced to others and feel included.
- Hold volunteer ‘socials’ such as a trip for coffee, a Christmas/winter party etc.
- Ensure that all staff understand the nature of volunteering and importance of
respecting volunteers.
- Provide a clear code of conduct for volunteers – including on expectations of
how to treat other volunteers.
Reward and recognise your volunteers’ contribution
- Make sure that you have reward and recognition policies in place.
- Organise events to thank and recognise volunteers.
- Make sure that expenses and other admin processes are as simple and non-time
consuming as possible.
- Be clear about the difference the volunteers are making to the organisation and
the service users. Make sure they know the value they bring as volunteers with
their wealth of skills and experience.
Keep communicating
- If volunteers are suitable and interested, you could give them more responsibility or
more interesting tasks to reward longer commitment.
- Hold regular check-ins with volunteers and make sure that they have space to
raise any concerns.
- Volunteers are often not very forthcoming about issues, especially if they are
minor, because they worry that they will seem ungrateful or that they are not
volunteering for the right reasons. You might consider asking them to think
about how to improve retention generally might garner more honest answers.
- When things change in the organisation or for their role, have a clear narrative
for the reason for the changes and how it will help your cause or the people you
are supporting. Create space to hear concerns and make sure that volunteers
aren’t blindsided.
- Inform volunteers of the procedures for dealing with concerns about staff and
other volunteers – make it clear that you will be fair and unbiased.
- Find out about volunteer motivations – and be aware that when the nature of
the role changes that might not meet a volunteer’s motivations anymore. For
example, if during the summer a role involves going out to events and meeting
people, and during the winter it becomes more about admin and phone calls,
that may not suit the volunteer.
Be flexible where you can
- If volunteers’ circumstances change, see if you can be flexible and still retain
them, for example, a volunteer who gets a job may still be interested in giving
some time on the weekends or evenings, so make sure to offer that to them if it
works.
- Be as flexible as possible, including offering people to volunteer fortnightly
instead of weekly, for half a day instead of a full day, etc.
Keep the door open
- When volunteers leave, as well as thanks and good wishes, offer them the
chance to feedback.
- If they are interested, try and keep them as “part of the family”, for example
inviting them to parties, letting them know about key things (changes in the
organisation, babies born to staff & volunteers etc.), offer them one-off, fun
volunteering activities – e.g. Christmas card writing or event days.
- Make sure that people know that they’ll be welcomed back with open arms if
they do decide to leave and then return.