For organisations

If you ask a random selection of people why they volunteer, they will give a huge variety of reasons why they, in particular, volunteered. Each of us has our own motivation for getting involved. There are some common themes though, and they all point to the same thing. Human beings need purpose . It's one of our fundamental intrinsic motivations! Volunteers connect themselves to a cause. They want to have an impact on their community and the world around them. They want to feel like they are making difference. So, when we are looking for volunteers, we should talk to them about why we do what we do. What difference our organisation makes. How they can be part of change for the better. Of course, people will still want to volunteer for other good reasons: learning new skills and knowledge give something back to their community making friends having fun increase job opportunities be part of a community doing something challenging/new Let's remember to tell people all the brilliant and wonderful things that volunteering can do!

Volunteering has changed dramatically over recent years, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. From serving in a charity shop, signing up for school functions, to building houses, usually volunteering meant going somewhere to do something. However, today’s volunteers now often expect that volunteering is more flexible, including doing tasks remotely, donating their time and skills from home. Instead of being present to volunteer in the “real world,” many people have found their place in the world of virtual volunteering. Why Virtual Volunteering? Virtual volunteering allows people to commit their time and services away from the physical site of an organisation, project, or campaign. Virtual volunteers work over the internet via computer, tablet, or phone to provide their skilled services to support a cause that is important to them. Physical volunteers will always be in demand, but we’ve seen a huge shift towards people’s interest in virtual volunteering. People and organisations have become much more comfortable working remotely. The internet allows us to do so much more in much less time, and our skills are no longer limited to our geographical location. More skill sets have stemmed from society's use of technology, as well. Because of that, volunteering is no longer limited to just physical labour or attendance. For the volunteer, virtual volunteering can mean: More opportunities to volunteer for multiple causes and organisations More time to volunteer Flexibility in scheduling, location, and level of involvement A unique outlet for skills or passions that aren’t met by physical volunteering More positions for disabled or very remote volunteers Fulfilling education or career volunteer milestones For an organisation, or cause, virtual volunteering often provides: More volunteer positions that cover more tasks and skills Increased access to more qualified volunteers More ways to save money on operating costs An easier way to access more data for your organisation Professional-level communications, branding, and outreach Opportunities to grow and broaden your impact How Can We Make It Work? Like any volunteering initiative, you need to think about it before leaping in. In lots of ways, there is no real difference between traditional volunteering and virtual volunteering: you still need the same infrastructure that you create for regular volunteers. You need training, a volunteer coordinator, recruitment strategies, and regular communication and engagement with your volunteers. Look for those tasks in your organisation that can be done online. There are likely to be many of your normal tasks that can be converted to online work. Also think creatively, and see if there are other ways to use volunteers from home. Check out what other organisations are doing and what the non-profits in your area might be doing to get ideas. Make sure you have software for remote work. Not all virtual opportunities need sophisticated equipment. For instance, you might ask a volunteer to track something, such as bird sightings, or do searches online for resources. They can use free, simple and readily available tools. Take your volunteer applications online and your interviews with potential volunteers might be done with applications such as Zoom or Skype. Be clear with people about what equipment and services they need to do virtual volunteering. Most projects at a minimum require a computer, tablet such as an iPad, or smartphone as well as a secure and robust internet connection. Think about how their volunteering hours and work can be recorded – how can they let you know when a task is complete. How will you communicate with your virtual volunteers? Sometimes, remote volunteer communication can be hard. How can they contact people when they need help? Here are some examples of remote or virtual volunteering: Website design or support Data entry Email marketing or management Fundraising phone calls and outreach Social media promotion and management Copywriting, blogging, or editing Graphic design, photography Marketing or branding assistance Video creation Virtual assistance, staff support Tutoring or mentoring Of course, this is just a small sample of all the possible virtual volunteering tasks a person could provide. Each organisation has a different approach, so there will be unique ways for volunteers to support each charity remotely.

Getting new volunteers on board is an exciting, yet challenging, task. To turn clicks into volunteers you will have to start off with an appealing opportunity. Here are three powerful tips that will help you stand out! 1) Come Up with a Captivating Title First impressions are everything. Use your title to describe, in a few words, what the volunteer will be doing. Be sure to keep it around 6 words or 40 characters, as only a portion will be shown in the opportunity overview. Do ✅ Clearly state the position or activity the volunteer will be engaging in (e.g. 'Event coordinator at homeless shelter' or 'Help develop a marketing strategy'). ✅ Try to connect people to your cause (e.g. Donate blood and save lives!) Don't ❌ Use vague or one-worded titles (e.g. ‘volunteer', ‘coordinator’ or ‘employee’) ❌ Include dates in the title - if the activity takes place on a holiday add this in brackets ❌Specify the organisation's name - it will already be shown under your title 2) Pick an Attractive Cover Photo Before digging up your old photo archives or venturing into the world of stock images, think about the cause you stand for and the subject of the event. The right images do an excellent job at conveying a certain ‘vibe’ that sparks viewers’ interest. If you cannot find any quality images of previous events, make sure to visit these stock image websites: unsplash.com , pikwizard.com or pexels.com. Do ✅ Use images that illustrate what your cause or activity is about ✅ Show smiling people and team photos! Don’t ❌ Use logos or text as your cover photo ❌ Settle for low quality or irrelevant photos - quality images portraying a specific activity may be hard to find so you may choose to communicate the cause you stand for instead ❌ Use the same image for every event or vacancy 3) Write a Comprehensive Description Congratulations, you have now grabbed a potential volunteer’s interest! All that is left to do is specify what you’ll be expecting from them and the impact they will make. The description should include both an overview of the role or deed and qualities you look for in a volunteer. Try to keep it between 5-8 lines. We have developed an easy structure for you to follow: 1. The details Explain in more detail what the role or activity of the event / vacancy entails. Use examples! (Looking for ... to do A…) (Activities include B…) 2. Get them enthusiastic! How the volunteers will be making a difference or how they can benefit from doing this activity. (Benefits consist of C,D, and E…, You are contributing to a day they will never forget... ) 3. Describe your ideal volunteer It's ok to be specific about what you seek in a volunteer, just make sure you clarify which things are required and which are 'nice to have'. (You will have to be available… or It would be great if you have some experience with...). Don’t ❌ Go into too much detail about the organisation - this is what your ‘about' page is for. ❌ Use one sentence