Opinion: Opportunity to build volunteering for tomorrow – Victoria Davy

This opinion article is one in a series of responses by Community and Volunteer Sector thought leaders in response to our State of the Decade of Volunteering report.

Victoria Davy is Head of Volunteering at Blind Low Vision New Zealand, with more than 30 years of leadership experience, including over a decade in volunteer leadership within the not-for-profit sector, alongside a background in business management and life coaching.

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Thank you for the privilege of reviewing State of the Decade of Volunteering report. I found it insightful, well-researched, and thorough. While it provides a detailed picture of where the volunteering sector is now and how we arrived here, I found the insights inspiring.

The report highlights the opportunity we have to build volunteer functions across all sectors and organisations, large and small, that truly align with the roles, experiences, and values that todays and tomorrow’s volunteers are seeking. To achieve this, organisations will need to take a hard look at how they operate, manage, and support both staff and volunteers. Government agencies also need to be part of this shift. A real meeting of the minds is needed if New Zealanders are to continue receiving the services that volunteers have delivered over the past several decades.

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What’s needed for change

I read this report through a lens of opportunity. The younger generation of volunteers are seeking new ways to contribute, and while the market can adapt, it will require:

• Operational and technological shifts
• Cultural shifts in how organisations structure staff roles, teams, and relationships
• A stronger commitment to building one team culture where staff and volunteers work side by side. This is something I am particularly passionate about.

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Another key theme I saw is the need for the sector to raise a united voice. Volunteer-involving organisations must come together, rather than speak as smaller, disparate voices, if the sector, its clients, and volunteers are to be heard. There is also an opportunity, and necessity, for organisations delivering similar services to collaborate in advocating for resourcing and considerations to be built into policy decisions. With government agencies increasingly relying on volunteers to fill service gaps, there is strength in unity.

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I also see potential for smaller organisations to band together, pooling expertise and experience to adapt to a changing market, professionalise the sector, and embrace technological advances. For example, multiple organisations could jointly engage CRM specialists to develop technology platforms, lowering costs overall and increasing bargaining power.

There is urgency for the sector to address the professionalism of volunteer recruitment, management, support, and recognition if we are to continue delivering vital services to New Zealanders. I was particularly encouraged by the sections on the next generation of volunteers and what they are looking for. I am already reflecting on the elements of our own volunteering function that I will intentionally rebuild to attract these volunteers in ways that suit them, while also ensuring continuity of services delivered by volunteers for our clients.

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Reflections on the next five years

Looking ahead, I see several key issues for volunteers and volunteering in Aotearoa over the next five years, alongside the opportunities they present:

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Recruitment and retention

Issue: Finding ways to engage diverse volunteers with different motivations, availability, and expectations.

Opportunity: Build and adapt functions that are flexible rather than static, able to evolve with the times. Review volunteering structures, roles, and outputs, creating more specialised, time-bound roles (e.g., six months) and splitting larger roles to make them more manageable. Leverage technology, including AI tools like ChatGPT, to free up volunteer and staff capacity to focus on serving clients. Grow the volunteer base by attracting people of all backgrounds and skills, fostering a dynamic and inclusive volunteer community. Developing opportunities that meet the market rather than role driven opportunities that cannot be filled or sustained.

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Professionalism of the sector

Issue: Ensuring volunteer management is resourced, respected, and embedded in organisational structures.

Opportunity: Elevate volunteer management as a core function, fully integrated into organisational leadership, with dedicated resources to support volunteer success. Foster an environment where the organisations in the sector work together, leveraging each other’s expertise and experience to maximise the impact and effectiveness of volunteering.

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Technology and systems

Issue: Adopting fit-for-purpose tools that support volunteers, streamline processes, and reduce duplication.

Opportunity: Make volunteering easier, more rewarding, and more impactful by using systems that help volunteers connect directly with roles and opportunities they’re trained and approved for. Streamline processes so everyone can focus on what matters most - helping clients - rather than getting bogged down in paperwork. Work smarter, not harder, and use technology to free up time and energy for meaningful contribution.

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Collaboration and advocacy

Issue: Uniting voices across the sector to influence policy and secure sustainable resourcing.

Opportunity: Build strong sector-wide partnerships and alliances to amplify our voice, influence policy, and secure long-term investment in volunteering.

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Cultural change

Issue: Building truly inclusive “one team” environments where staff and volunteers work together seamlessly.

Opportunity: Foster workplaces where staff and volunteers operate as one team, in cultures that value inclusion, respect, and shared purpose. Champion the impact of volunteering by having a clear organisational position on volunteering, ensuring consistency, preventing misuse of volunteer roles, and providing a high-quality experience for all volunteers, no matter where they serve.

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Thank you again for sharing this report, I am thoroughly inspired by the opportunities ahead of us if we as a sector are brave and honest in addressing the current issues, I believe we can.

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