Retention and Recognition: How to Keep and Thank Volunteers

You’ve made it! You’ve done all the planning, recruiting, screening, selecting, orienting, training, and supporting - what do you do now? After all the work you’ve done and the time you've put in, it’s time to ask “how do you keep your volunteers?”

Answering this question means understanding why your volunteers came to you in the first place, how their role is continuing to build on that initial motivation and how they want to be recognized. By knowing what is most meaningful to them, you can tailor your recognition program to include strategies that will help with retention as well!

How do you find out what motivates your volunteer or what kind of recognition works for them? ASK THEM – at any time, or even multiple times, during your process.

"We ask them about their interests and availability. We have a "Get to Know Me" questionnaire for them to fill out so we know how they would like to be appreciated." - CALP Practitioner

Feedback from the Field

Ideas for Retention and Recognition

Notes of appreciation
Small gifts
Volunteer appreciation events with a meal and recognition
Creating a booklet that shares learner stories of how volunteers have helped them
Cards – birthday, holiday
Ads in the paper to thank volunteers during volunteer appreciation week
Stats – total number of learners helped, number of volunteer hours provided, anything else that shows impact
Training and professional development
Social events to share stories, eat and network
Holiday party
Tell them how much they are valued
Show genuine gratitude
Create trusting, respectful relationships between staff and volunteers
Make the space welcoming to them – let them know they have a place
Heartfelt Hoorays
Gift cards
Nominations for awards
Reference letters
Verbal comments when you see them

Let’s explore some of the reasons that volunteers stay or leave:

1. Why do Volunteers Stay? (revisit the recruitment module to understand why they volunteer in the first place)

Meaning – Volunteers want to make a difference. If you can show them they are doing this, they will stay with you.
Appreciation – Recognition and a show of appreciation can happen in different ways. Ask your volunteers what is meaningful for them (Get to Know Me document)
Relationships – Meeting others, making connections and creating community are important to many volunteers. Providing opportunities for this will help you retain them.
Development – Self-development, either personal or professional is important to many volunteers. If you can offer training or professional development experiences to them, it will show that you value their desire for learning.

2. Why do Volunteers Leave? Put yourself in the volunteer’s shoes in these situations and refer back in the e-learning to think about how you could change these situations before they start:

Overwhelmed – if you felt ill-prepared or maybe not quite a fit for a role, would you be comfortable continuing?
Underutilized – you are giving your time and not feeling like you are making an impact or using your skills. Would you stay?
Relationships – there is tension and/or a lack of connection with the people you are volunteering for or working with. How much time and effort do you want to put into it?
Lack of appreciation – all you want is a thank-you, but it’s not happening.
Lack of support – you were told you would be supported, but there are no clear paths of communication or check ins to see how things are going.
Loss of interest – sometimes you just get tired of something.
Change in personal situation – these cannot be controlled, but perhaps you can find some flexibility so they don’t have to completely leave their volunteer role.

"Mostly, we make ourselves available to the tutors so that they know we value them." - CALP Practitioner

Did you know?

Organizations often feel they lack the resources to effectively recognize volunteers? Here’s the good news!

Expensive gifts and events are one of the least preferred ways volunteers wish to be recognized
Above all, volunteers want to be thanked by hearing how their efforts have made a difference
They simply want to know the impact of their contributions

Activity: Reflect on your own volunteering experiences. Have you volunteered? What was your motivation for volunteering? What made you stay? Why did you leave (or maybe you haven’t)?

Resources:

CALP Portal (2016). High Fives All Around – Appreciation and Retention Strategies. Retrieved from https://calp.ca/blog/high-fives-all-around-appreciation-and-retention-strategies.htm

Community Literacy of Ontario. Volunteer Retention. Retrieved from http://literacybasics.ca/volunteer-management/volunteer-retention/

Volunteer Canada (2015). Take a Fresh Look at Recognition. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZBV0zhwi3U

Volunteer Canada (2013). 2013 Volunteer Recognition Study. Retrieved from http://volunteeralberta.ab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Volunteer-Recognition.pdf