Best practice

Over the years, we've identified valuable insights that can help you attract volunteers on Neighbourly, which are included below.

There are two main types of volunteers on Neighbourly:

Community volunteer

Community volunteers are individuals that have joined Neighbourly as they have available time in their week to support local causes. For example, they may be part-time workers or retirees. These volunteers are most likely to get involved on a regular basis and have the most experience when it comes to volunteering.

Availability	More free time	Community volunteers are often retirees, part-time workers or stay at home parents with some better availability than full-time workers
	Flexible availability	They can be more flexible with their schedules and are more open to showing up for last minute openings or schedule adjustments, or be on call
	Often donate time over a sustained period	They often volunteer with one or a small number of charities and capacity grows as the relationship matures and the volunteer gets more involved in the organisation's success
	Flexible with activities	Community volunteers are more open to doing whatever the charity needs, rather than having a pre-defined idea of what activities they would like to help with
Motivations	Less likely to be personally motivated	Their primary motivation is usually to generate positive social impact, help those less fortunate and pitch in with issues they see in their community in every day life
	Use professional skills	Community volunteers who work part-time or are retirees will be more willing to use their professional skills
	Self motivated	They get involved with volunteering or selecting a charity to help without external motivation
	Meet people in the community	Lots of community volunteers use volunteering to make friends or feel part of a community
	More likely to volunteer alone	They are more likely to begin volunteering alone, and aim to make connections through volunteering
	See organisations grow	Community volunteers ultimately volunteer because of many motivations but are more likely to support long-term and like seeing the charity they volunteer with grow and help more people
Frictions	Lack of transparency	CVs dislike it when a charitable org is not transparent about its goals, activities and impact - they need to feel connected emotionally
	Lack of trust	If a charitable org does something nefarious, misuses funds or breaks their unofficial contract the volunteer will likely stop engaging
	Not being fulfilled	If the volunteer doesn't feel valued, or that they aren't making a tangible impact they can become dissuaded
	Poor management	Mismanaging volunteering schedules, cancelling events, not informing volunteers of changes in the org can be especially frustrating as volunteers are shifting their social schedule around their charitable work
How to generate repeat engagement	Recognise the volunteers efforts	Send thank you notes, pictures from events and beneficiary feedback to say thank you for the volunteers time and effort
	Send regular updates on your org	Share successes, funding wins or impact reports with volunteers so they can see their work is having an impact
	Provide support & training	Because community volunteers typically volunteer for a longer period they are more open to training and support to become even more valuable to the charity
	Leadership or more permanent roles	This is a great way to sustain engagement if volunteers can have more of a say in how the organisation operates or can help in a bigger capacity

Employee volunteer

Employee volunteers are workers within companies with job/career commitments for the majority of their working week. Their volunteering commitments are usually limited to 1-5 days per year, during working hours.

Many of these volunteers will be new to volunteering, with limited experience working with charities and community organisations. Others may volunteer regularly, in working hours or in their own time.

These volunteers are encouraged to volunteer through workplace programmes and are motivated personally for social or professional reasons and by creating positive impact as part of their role. They are often introduced to volunteering by their company but as their connection grows they get more engaged.

Availability	Restricted availability	Employee volunteers have to fit volunteering into their busy work schedules, and often have a limited window determined by their company (e.g. they have a particular volunteering month). Volunteering has to compete with social commitments as well as work
	Less flexible	It is difficult to change their volunteering date and time once it's been approved as time will have been booked and workload planned
	Limited time	Employee volunteers typically have between 1-3 days per year to volunteer through work programmes, so have less time to volunteer than community volunteers
Motivations	More likely to be personally motivated	They are likely to be motivated socially, professionally or through gaining new experiences and enhancing their understanding of the world. As employee volunteers engage longer term in volunteering, their motivations mature there is an increased focus on community impact
	Specific activities	Employee volunteers are likely to have an idea of what type of activity they want to do (e.g. gardening or social support) and will appreciate a clear outline of the tasks before the day
	Volunteer alongside colleagues	Employee volunteering programmes are highly sociable and many volunteers like to attend in groups with their colleagues
Frictions	Being asked to do too much	Initially, employee volunteers see volunteering as a new experience and a change to their routine. They will find it motivating if they are given a manageable workload for the allocated time, and can finish tasks
	Not being fulfilled	Volunteers like to feel valued, and know that they are making a tangible impact
	Being asked to volunteer outside work hours	As an employee volunteer gains more experience, their motivations develop and they may be keen to offer more time Busy work schedules however will initially restrict the time they can offer
How to generate repeat engagement	More likely to need pictures, videos or feedback	Employee volunteers are often socially and professionally motivated and love content they can share on LinkedIn or through their work channels to showcase their volunteering efforts. Try and take pictures or share anything useful after the event for the volunteers to share on social media
	Thank the volunteers for their efforts	At the end of the event, thank the volunteers for their efforts - this is especially useful for employee volunteers new to volunteering so they feel a sense of accomplishment
	Shout outs on social media	If you have a social media account, volunteers love getting tagged in posts (with permission) so they can reshare on their channels. Companies also love public thanks and this helps build ongoing rapport
	Allow space & time to socialise & connect with colleagues	During the event, see if you can allow volunteers to come together in groups or pairs and leave adequate time for them to connect and share progress

Optimising Event Management to Boost Repeat Volunteering

Volunteers have unique characteristics, yet they often share common motivations. Most people experience a great sense of fulfilment when they contribute positively.

Successful volunteer events can leave a lasting impression that motivates volunteers to return. Below are some tips on how charities can optimise events to increase repeat engagement from volunteers.

Streamlined Communication and Registration

Pre-Event Communication

Ensure you include all information on your Neighbourly event page so volunteers understand important information like;

Time & location
Dress code / materials needed
Roles
Parking
Refreshments

Providing the information up-front reduces uncertainty and enhances the volunteer experience. It also limits last minute questions.

Clear Roles and Expectations

Role Assignments

While some events don’t need defined roles, most can benefit from instructing volunteers on what is expected of them. Make this an interactive thing, outline what roles are available and let the teams decide who is best for which task. Volunteers like to feel prepared. Some volunteers will appreciate freedom and the ability to do a bit of everything!

On-Site Orientation

Provide a short briefing at the start of the event, clearly explaining roles, safety measures and goals. This helps volunteers feel confident and ready to contribute.

Understanding More About Beneficiaries

People can be motivated if they know exactly how the work will help the community. Briefly explain who is going to benefit, and how big an impact the volunteering will have.

Volunteer Comfort and Support

On-Site Support

Have experienced staff or volunteer coordinators on hand to answer questions and provide assistance.

Breaks and Refreshments

Offer breaks, water and refreshments (if possible) to help keep volunteers energised and feeling appreciated.

Provide Necessary Resources

Ensure volunteers have the tools, materials and guidance they need to perform their tasks effectively. A well-equipped volunteer is more likely to feel their work has an impact.

Post-Event Follow-Up

Thank-You and Impact Recap

Send a thank-you email or message to volunteers after the event, highlighting the impact they made.

Feedback and Reflection

Ask for feedback on how the event went from the volunteers’ perspective. This not only improves future events but also shows that their opinions matter.

Stay in Touch

Let the volunteers know if you have a newsletter or something similar that they can sign up to, to keep up to date with how the charity is progressing.

Create a Positive and Fun Environment

Team Atmosphere

Foster a friendly and welcoming environment. Encourage teamwork and camaraderie by organizing group activities, but ensure you allow solo work as well. Most employee volunteers will enjoy volunteering in a group with their colleagues, but some people who might be less socially motivated may want to work alone, or in a pair. Make sure you cater for both.

Celebrate Successes

Celebrate small wins and the overall success of the event at the end. A group photo, a quick speech of gratitude, or a small social gathering can leave volunteers feeling uplifted and motivated to return.

Volunteer Appreciation

Regularly recognize and celebrate your volunteers. This can be as simple as a volunteer appreciation event, certificates of achievement, or highlighting volunteers in newsletters or social media posts. It helps them feel part of your organisation and more committed.

This material is part of the Neighbourly Charity Volunteering Knowledge base, for use by Neighbourly partners only.