Your volunteer team deserves to be invested back into, and it’s not just about giving them the tools they need to complete a task. 

The following is an excerpt from our new Volunteer U Textbook: VOL U 101 Introduction to Volunteering. You can purchase the full edition HERE. 

Volunteers add a tremendous amount of value to organizations. According to research done in 2022, the average value of a volunteer hour in the United States is $29.95. Additional research in 2019 indicated that over 77 million people are volunteering at 5.8 billion hours of service in the US. With these statistics, the estimated economic value of volunteerism in the United States equals well over 173 billion. And that is just in the United States. Think of the global impact volunteers are making around the world. 

That’s a lot of value. 

It is not enough to hold an annual party to thank the team or give everyone a free t-shirt. Organizations must start investing just as much into their nonpaid workforce as their paid staff members. They must resource their people. Resourcing goes far beyond giving your team the tools they need to do the job (although that is important!). It is about stewardship. It recognizes the invaluable contribution of a volunteer. It offers them a chance to grow their skills and feel like they are making a real difference. Give back to your volunteers by helping them expand their experience, grow their network, learn new skills, or lead a team. 

The volunteer industry is changing. There are many exciting technological advancements. There are new ways to reach and interact with your audience. But what stays the same is that the heart of all volunteering relationships. The volunteer’s relationship with the organization. Their relationship with you as their leader. And their relationship with other volunteer team members. Each relationship adds to the richness of the volunteer experience. You can control how those relationships either die or thrive.