Wanted
This is the mythical unicorn type of volunteer that every organisation wants. But is it realistic to find them?
Wisdom Tree held a space with practitioners in the space from 4 volunteer centred organisations – Bhumi, Blue Ribbon Movement, U&I and Youth For Seva to explore this very question.
The answer to this question was a resounding yes, but with a simple twist.
We cannot find this mythical volunteer, we need to nurture them over a period of time.
Volunteering cannot be treated as just a carrot you dangle for CSR partnerships. It can be the most critical building block in making your organization resilient in the long run. The UDARTA report by Giving Tuesday captures this by saying that “retaining a supporter costs far less than finding a new one.” In our constant search for the new, we do not invest in the growth of existing volunteers.
Volunteers of this nature take an intentional culture within organizations to nurture. From our conversation with these organizations, we share 4 pillars that supported their organizations to nurture the type of volunteers we all seek.
A lot of volunteers start young either through colleges or schools. When nonprofits see volunteers as people with their own aspirations rather than just filling a gap, everything shifts.
”Volunteering can help a young person starting a corporate job to learn hard and soft skills that are generally not available/accessible and this will keep getting them back to your organisation” – Akash from BRM
Most volunteers resonate with the deep effort made by volunteer managers to connect with them beyond just the project. A lot of times interacting with parents and families of volunteers have helped overcome barriers.
“It is really about personal relationships and just being there. Regular check-ins, listening to what they have to say, and showing them how their work actually matters. When volunteers feel seen and valued, they stay.” – Anuradha from U&I
