Once launched, spotlight programme achievements, volunteer stories and community impacts to sustain momentum. Ongoing updates demonstrate results, whilst inspiring more employees to get involved.
Utilise the channels that work best for your company:
- Internal email and chat channels
- Weekly/monthly newsletter
- Employee intranet/portal
- Internal social media
- Company and team meetings
Step 1 - Collecting stories
Create an internal template where those that have successfully volunteered before can provide you with stories to share.
Content to request;
- Brief details about the event and charity
- A high quality image of them volunteering, or before-and-after photos of the project
- What was achieved or delivered
- A quote from the volunteer and/or charity lead, if possible
Pro tip: Here are two links to send to your employees to give them some guidance on taking good pictures during volunteer events:
For apple users - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRLTOBBkm2I
For android users - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZYGsx1i5L8
Resources
Download success story template
Copy the email templates below in pink
How to share volunteering success stories
Hello everyone
To help you share great volunteering stories, we've created a handy template. Please follow this format when submitting your content.
The template includes:
Title: Provide the name of the charity or good cause helped and a brief summary of what happened during the volunteer activity (e.g. Volunteering at the Greenway Centre to redecorate the community hall)
Image: Provide a good quality photo of any of the following;
- The team volunteering
- The charity or good cause
- The volunteering location
- The outcome (e.g. the space before & after)
Event overview:
- What the charity does (its main purpose)
- How many volunteers attended and from which department/team
- Event duration
Problem/task: What problem were you tasked with solving during the event?
Activities: What did you do during the event?
Outcomes: What was achieved on the day?
Impact: What positive impact did the volunteer activity have on the local community?
Charity & volunteer quote: Ask the charity lead if they would be happy to provide a quote focused on how useful they found the support. Include your own quote about how you found the activity.
Please save the information from your volunteering events and upload your stories here [Insert link to storage folder] or send an email to [Insert contact]
There are some great online resources for how to take good pictures with a mobile phone;
For apple users - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRLTOBBkm2I
For android users - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZYGsx1i5L8
Step 2 - Sharing success stories & ongoing engagement
A steady drumbeat of ongoing promotion will help to sustain awareness. While some will eagerly participate at launch, others will take a bit longer to sign up once they’ve explored opportunities. By consistently sharing colleague testimonials, photos, stats and calls-to-action, employees will remain informed and inspired.
Our clients tell us that authentic storytelling sparks the highest rates of follow-on sign-ups, turning colleagues into ambassadors. Volunteers can be hugely motivated by seeing the impact from their activity through stories from causes and the people they’ve helped.
Pro tip: When sharing updates, include programme numbers e.g. hours volunteered, employees participating, charities and beneficiaries supported and financial impact - it can be motivating for employees to see progress being made from an organisational level so they feel part of a bigger effort to support the local community.
Resources
Copy the email templates below in pink
Volunteering with Neighbourly: Our success so far
Hello everyone
The momentum and engagement around our new volunteering programme has been incredible. I want to provide a quick update on the impact and highlight some of the most heart-warming stories so far.
Impact achieved to date
Employees signed up: (Insert here)
Employees volunteered: (Insert here)
Volunteering hours donated: (Insert here)
Charities supported: (Insert here)
Members of the community supported: (Insert here)
Financial impact: (Insert here)
Thank you all for helping to create real positive change and making an impact in our local communities!
Featured Success Stories:
[Insert 1-2 curated success stories using success story template here]
If you want to join your colleagues in helping your local communities, please sign up here: [Insert unique link] and send us your success stories using the template in the email we sent on [date]
Again, thank you all for supporting this programme. Our neighbourhoods and local causes are so grateful, and I'm really delighted with what we've accomplished together already!
Let's keep up the great work.
[Your name]
Step 3 - Send an end of year report
By showcasing the positive change created through volunteering initiatives, year-end reports remind employees that they contributed to a collective movement that made a real difference in local communities.
Highlighting results and recognising efforts helps staff feel connected to the company's broader social mission. Leverage these summaries to celebrate your volunteers and reinforce how their contributions made a meaningful difference over the year.
Resources
We've included a few examples of end-of-year reports that you can reference for content and design inspiration. Your own report will reflect your company's unique programmes and achievements.
Saracens social impact report 2022
TreeAid impact report 2020-2021
GirlsWhoCode annual report 2020
Dementia UK impact report 2022-2023
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This material is part of the Neighbourly Volunteer Engagement Success Plan, for use by Neighbourly partners only.