Spirit of 2012 Trust- 10 things we’ve learned about…volunteering
The London 2012 Olympic Games were special for so many reasons, but something that stood out was the enthusiastic and generous volunteering spirit that emerged throughout that summer and the response it elicited from the public. Volunteers are at the heart of most of our funded projects and make a huge contribution to their success.
We’ve learned a thing or two about volunteering along the way, so – for Volunteers’ Week 2016 – we have identified 10 key learning points from our project partners and evaluation work to share with you.
1) There’s no such thing as a free volunteer…
Volunteers give their time for free, but they are not a cost-free resource and a volunteering programme, whether managed by paid staff or experienced volunteers, takes time and money. Volunteer Management tacked on as an afterthought invariably ends up being less than gratifying for both the project or organisation and the volunteers themselves. As a funder, we like to see budget planning which take this into account.
2) Length of volunteering placements is important…
Volunteers offer varying levels of commitment, and they look for opportunities that match the time they can give. One-off and short-term opportunities can be extremely valuable. However, when the purpose is to develop the volunteers themselves as well as servicing the community, our evaluation suggests that at least six months is needed, thus allowing them time to grow into their role, develop their skills and understand the progress they have made. We also know that employers are more likely to consider the value of longer term volunteering placements.
3) Adding value for volunteers can pay dividends…
Offering volunteers extra opportunities over and above their main role can significantly enhance their experience and skill set, making it more likely that they will continue volunteering. Examples include membership of a project steering group, joining interview panels, mentoring new volunteers, and signposting them to other training, volunteering and employment opportunities. Don’t overlook the fact that this can also offer your organisation a valuable new perspective and insights.
4) Understanding barriers to volunteering…
Good practice guides and research highlight the importance of identifying and tackling barriers to volunteering. A helpful way of addressing these barriers is consistently highlighted in good practice guides and research literature, outlined below:
- Practical barriers – such as volunteering legislation, the relationship between professionals and volunteers and resources (or lack of)
- Attitudinal barriers – such as people being made unwelcome or feeling that volunteering is not for them
- Psychological barriers – such as people believing they are not capable of volunteering.
5) City-wide volunteering programmes take planning…
Local people don’t always identify with the wider city in which they live. They often feel much more connected to their local neighbourhood or suburb. They may not have even visited the city centre and may even feel alienated by volunteering opportunities there. Therefore, a city-wide volunteering initiative needs to factor in planning about how to best to attract a volunteer cohort that reflects the profile of the city as a whole.
6) Event volunteers don’t always volunteer outside of that context…
An assumption of the Spirit Theory of Change is that “large scale event volunteering can inspire people to volunteer outside the arena of large events”. Whilst we do have evidence of this, we also have evidence which challenges the assumption. Some event volunteers are drawn only to the excitement of volunteering at high profile events, and are not necessarily interested in volunteering outside of this context. If part of the purpose is to enlist volunteers locally, planners need to design a Monitoring & Evaluation framework that identifies which volunteers will want to stay included.
7) Volunteers may need help to articulate the skills they have developed…
Many volunteers – particularly young people – value support in recording and articulating the skills they have developed. This can be particularly helpful for CV building and interview preparation. This tool from our partners the British Red Cross, co-created with young people, is a good example.
8) Being visibly part of a team is a big plus…
Uniforms and merchandise can have a significant impact on volunteers’ morale and can help them feel part of something big and exciting. The London 2012 Gamesmakers effect lives on!
9) People’s perceptions of volunteers can make a huge difference…
We aim to boost the number of disabled people volunteering alongside non-disabled people and that involves breaking down traditional voluntary models. These models can perpetuate ‘benevolent prejudice’ – seeing volunteering as a one-way street in which “disadvantaged people” are helped by people who see themselves as advantaged. This further embeds the idea that all disabled people need help. Ways for challenging this notion include:
- Emerging disabled volunteers in project governance structures and decision-making bodies
- Setting up two-way peer support systems where disabled and non-disabled volunteers match up as buddies and learn from each other
- Identifying platforms for disabled volunteers to present about their volunteering experiences
- Making sure the images of volunteering you present include disabled volunteers
10) And finally, the golden rule…
Volunteers come in all shapes and sizes. All of them are individuals with individual needs. The more they are looked after and empowered in ways that are tailored to them, the more they will enjoy the experience and the more they will give back to the projects and communities of which they are part.
Further information:
In consultation with many excellent organisations who work with volunteers, we developed a set of volunteering principles for high quality and inclusive volunteer management. We expect Spirit-funded projects to align with these.