In early 2023, I found myself between jobs. I’m not someone who likes to have time on my hands so having worked in the VCSE sector for many years, I started to look for suitable volunteering opportunities.
I’m passionate about wildlife so I focused on looking for roles in that sector and thought I would share how I fared when applying to three different organisations. How easy was it to find opportunities? What was the application process like? Did I find what I was looking for? Most importantly, am I still volunteering now that I am back at work?
The first organisation I applied to is a large national charity that I have supported for many years. Looking on their website, there appeared to be some interesting opportunities and my initial email was responded to quickly and followed by a positive telephone conversation. Two or three possible roles were identified and as they involved varying time commitments, I was happy to apply for all three. Unfortunately, the recruitment process was different for each position and very slow, with no progress made on two of the roles. I did get as far as an induction for volunteering at one short term activity but, by the time all the necessary paperwork was in place the activity only had a month left to run.
Verdict – Great advertisement, positive and prompt initial contact but the administration was too slow to get me on board.
My second organisation, a very small national charity I first encountered a year ago, had one suitable opportunity and my application was dealt with promptly. The role required knowledge that I didn’t have, and I was promptly offered training and put in touch with a local volunteer who could mentor me. There is a low time commitment for this role, and I have continued it into the Autumn.
Verdict – Overall, a good recruitment experience but subsequent contact from the charity has been sparse (I think I’ve had one or two emails at most and nothing since the Summer) and without that relationship, I’m not sure I will continue to volunteer when the season starts again next March. I may do – the jury is still out!
By contrast, the third organisation is one that I had no previous knowledge of, and they caught my eye because I spotted a clear, direct advertisement for a remote role with training provided. The advertisement was explicit about the monthly time commitment, gave the deadline for the application to be submitted, and outlined the timescales for completing the training that would be needed. The initial training was relevant and comprehensive, given online but led by employees who took time to answer questions. Ongoing support has been available throughout, with weekly volunteer emails during the Summer and now twice monthly emails during the quieter winter period. Refresher training and informative remote lunchtime talks (optional) are available. News and updates about the staff team are shared with volunteers.
Verdict – I’ve been volunteering since May and tell anyone who will listen about my role and the great work this charity does.
All of this has made me think a lot about how we attract, recruit, support and retain volunteers. I know that the first two charities I have mentioned here value their volunteers, but their administration and ongoing support don’t reflect that. There is no question that I will continue to volunteer for charity number three.
The VCSE sector needs volunteers, and most charities would, I believe, say they needed more. Is it time to take another look at volunteering? How are we recruiting? Is there a clear offer? Is the training relevant and interesting? Once we have volunteers on board, how do we get them to ‘buy in’ to our service and want to stay with us long term?
All volunteers are volunteering for a reason and identifying and meeting volunteer needs aids retention. For me, as well as needing something to do, I wanted training that would increase my knowledge of wildlife and the satisfaction of knowing that in a small way I am helping improve biodiversity. The ongoing support and information I receive, meets those needs as well as keeping me occupied.
You may be curious to know who the charities are that I’ve talked about. I’m not going to name the first two, they are charities that do amazing work and I continue to support them. Charity number three (drumroll) is ……………the Bat Conservation Trust where I volunteer on their helpline to support those who find grounded, injured bats and need advice on what to do next.
Hats off to them for a great volunteering experience!
I’d be interested in hearing about your volunteering experiences, so if you have a story to tell or would like to explore better ways of recruiting and retaining volunteers do email me on claire.morgan@actionhampshire.org
