Influencing for Volunteer Engagement
Volunteer management is not a solo project – it needs a whole organisation to engage volunteers, Rob Jackson said at a recent webinar on influencing.
Volunteer managers need to be proactive about involving others and realising the value of volunteers.
The webinar, From the Top Down – Influencing, on 18 February, was attended by people from a wide variety of organisations.
What Volunteers Bring
Rob posed the question: Why involve volunteers at all?
Participants gave many responses to what volunteers contribute and why organisations value them.
- Passion, empathy, compassion
- Lived experience that enriches services and relationships.
- Commitment, motivation, community connection beyond what paid staff may offer.
- Diverse perspectives, fresh thinking, challenging the status quo.
- Shared purpose and optimism.
- Skills, knowledge, and meaningful contribution to organisational mission.
Impact Statements
To influence others – stakeholders inside and outside your organisation – Rob noted the importance of setting goals. “What change do you want to see and what will things be like if this change happens?”
One participant had previously posed this question to her wider team and came up with a volunteer impact statement, vis: “volunteers with their freely given time, empathy, and experience enrich our culture, strengthen our connections, and enhance the support we provide ...”
Organisational Reflections
If hypothetically given unlimited money, participants would:
- Invest directly in volunteers, reimburse expenses, develop capability and strengthen community connection.
- Support volunteers more effectively and intentionally.
Participants came away with ideas to map stakeholders and how to influence them, as well as setting goals for volunteer engagement.
See more from Rob Jackson: https://linktr.ee/robjconsulting
Book now for Rob’s next session on 4 March: Measuring Volunteering