How to Train Volunteers Well—and Manage Them Even Better

Every Sunday, I volunteer at a local animal shelter. I especially like working with shy, scared, and older cats. My “job” (as I see it) is to help socialize them so they’re more likely to get adopted.

A few weeks ago, I noticed a new bulletin board in the hallway. It was full of notes between coworkers about how much they value their team members. 

And then I saw my name. 

A staff member wrote that they valued how I always make time for the shy and scared cats. I was so shocked, I took a photo to prove the note was real! 

Volunteer management—including providing recognition—is essential for mission-driven organizations. And it’s essential for volunteers. That small gesture deepened my relationship with the shelter and made me more committed to doing a great job, which makes staff jobs easier. 

Managing volunteers can be complicated. In a lot of ways, it’s the same as managing employees. But there are simple, straightforward things you can do right away to make a big impact. In this blog post, we’ll focus on how training for engagement leads to growth for your volunteers and your organization!  

Why Managing Volunteers Matters

Keep Your Organization Running

Eric Burger defines volunteer management as “the process of overseeing a volunteer program and its members.” Managing volunteers starts with recruiting, but it doesn’t end there. From onboarding to retention, the more you can interact with your volunteers, the more likely they will be to stay with your organization. And it’s likely your organization needs them.

The National Council of Nonprofits says that, without volunteers, “many charitable nonprofits would not be able to conduct programs, raise funds, or serve clients.” These essential roles help keep mission-driven organizations running, and while volunteers “don’t expect to be compensated for their services … they do expect to be treated with respect, trained (as needed), supervised, and provided with feedback and rewarding experiences.”

Save (and Make) Your Organization Money 

Supervising volunteers also makes financial sense. Volunteers aren’t paid, but their time is worth money. In 2018, Burger wrote that “on average, a volunteer hour is worth $24.14 and is continuing to rise over time.” Many mission-driven organizations may not be able to offer that kind of pay to someone, meaning that volunteers have a very real value that can’t be met in any other way. 

Volunteers not only save your organization money, but can also make it money. Dedicated volunteers may be some of your most consistent, if not biggest, donors. The National Council of Nonprofits encourages organizations to realize that “volunteers are among the most loyal donors, so don't overlook them as prospects for gifts or bequests.” And even if they don’t donate, they may be some of your best ambassadors. Your volunteers talk about your organization with their friends and family, all of whom are potential donors. Creating a positive and meaningful experience for volunteers affects the conversations they have with their networks.  

Keep Volunteers Committed

Because volunteers aren’t drawing a paycheck, they don’t have to stay at your organization. Managing them well means they’re more likely to stay and grow with your organization. The Nonprofit Learning Lab notes that keeping volunteers engaged makes them more likely to stay committed. And staying committed means you’ll have less turnover and related problems: decreased morale, loss of institutional knowledge, the cost of recruiting and training new volunteers, and increased burnout. 

Building Blocks for Engagement

Mission-driven organizations are busy—and often understaffed. It’s easy for volunteers to fall through the cracks. Paradoxically, being understaffed makes it more important to manage volunteers. But if managing them seems overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be. In fact, volunteers are self-motivated. Remember, they chose your organization. So if managing them seems like a heavy lift, think about engaging them instead. Here are three core building blocks for engagement. 

Communication

Burger is clear: “effective communication is arguably the most important aspect of a successful volunteer management strategy.” Volunteers want to know what’s going on with your organization, just like staff do. Communicating with them in clear, consistent, and cohesive ways will help them feel like part of the organization—and keep them informed about things they need to know, like schedule changes or events. You should especially communicate about: 

• Policies. The International Forum for Volunteering in Development states that sharing policies is “a way for your organization to clearly communicate expectations, obligations, and protections.” Sharing policies also “helps to create a sense of unity and shared purpose between volunteers and the wider organisation, which can enhance impact [and establishes] a strong organisational culture.” 
  
  
• Role descriptions. Ok, so my shelter work isn’t a “job”. But I do think of it that way. And you should, too. The Charity Commission notes that, while you can’t require volunteers to work specific hours or compensate them for their time, “a written role description for your volunteers can help make it clear what the boundaries and expectations are.” Volunteering can be intimidating, especially for new volunteers. A role description provides important structure and direction.
   
• General information. Do your volunteers know about office closures? Are they invited to upcoming events? Do they automatically get your newsletter? The International Forum for Volunteering in Development advises you to “keep your volunteers up to date on the overall successes and challenges of the organization as a whole – keep them on a mailing list of announcements and public engagement initiatives and invite them to follow your social media channels!”

Feedback

I once heard someone say, “Clear, actionable feedback is my love language.” So show your volunteers you love them! Make giving feedback a consistent part of communication. Once a month or so, let them know how they’re doing. Share something you noticed, let them know how their work is going, and help them make improvements. And while you’re at it, ask them for their feedback. What’s working for them? What isn’t? They’re going to see things about your organization that you and your staff don’t. Find out what those things are so you can learn more and build your relationship with them.  

Rewards, Recognition, and Increased Responsibility

Everyone wants to know they’re doing a good job. “Recognizing and rewarding volunteers' contributions is essential to keep them engaged and motivated,” according to Marie Gould, and “acknowledgment can take various forms, from personal thank-you notes to public recognitions.” For me, the little card on the bulletin board was perfect. Others may want their photo on the wall, their bio in the newsletter, or an award at an annual gala. 

And don’t forget to challenge your volunteers the same way you would your staff. If you have an excellent volunteer who wants to do more, tap into that energy! Volunteer Hub recommends creating “a roadmap for how volunteers can scale their involvement with your organization. Identify project coordination and leadership roles that volunteers can fulfill, and be specific about the requirements to achieve these positions. Advancement gives volunteers a goal to strive toward and increases their chances of remaining with your organization.”

Training for Growth 

One way to engage volunteers is to train them. That may sound strange, but people want to learn and grow. Your volunteers want to do a good job. But they may not know how to unless you show them. 

Burger notes that “volunteers should be able to perform their roles to the best of their ability. It is challenging to do so without proper guidance and support. Your organization can use training as another opportunity to build relationships, communicate mission, and thank volunteers for providing their time.”

It’s simple: “If your nonprofit wants to retain supporters, invest in a training process that sets them up for success.” Here are some key areas where you can use training to support volunteer growth. (Bonus tip: When this kind of training is online and asynchronous, like it is with Niche Academy, volunteers can quickly return to it when they have a question, saving everyone time!)

• Train them about your organization. Volunteers come to you, so it’s easy to assume they know everything about your organization—but they probably don’t. Taking time to fill them in on the details of your organization helps them see themselves as part of a team. Share the obvious things, like your mission, vision, and who you serve. But also let them know why you do what you do so that they can connect the organization to the bigger picture.
  
  And don’t forget the little details! Give them the same kind of orientation you’d give staff. Let them know how to do things like sign in and out of their shifts, record their hours, and contact someone when they can’t make it. You’ll arm them with knowledge to do a good job, and also free up your time by preemptively answering questions for them. 
   
• Train them for their job. This is another great topic for online, asynchronous training. What are they doing? How should they do it? Do volunteers answer the phone or emails? Train them on sending professional emails or making phone calls. Do they work around hazardous materials? Make sure they know how to protect themselves. Do they work with kids? Train them to keep kids safe. 
  
  Short training videos, job aids, or checklists can all help volunteers feel prepared to tackle their work. Putting together training modules so that all volunteers get trained the same way, for the same amount of time, reduces inconsistencies. Training doesn’t have to be long or involved—in fact, keeping it short and focused is best. Adult learners prefer content that is directly relevant to their work and links what they’re doing with why it makes a difference. 
  
  
• Train them for leadership opportunities. Your volunteers are talented, and engaging with them will help you recognize skills and talents you may have overlooked. Maybe someone has graphic design skills, fundraising experience, or expertise in strategic planning. Maybe someone has time and energy that their current volunteer role isn’t using to its fullest. 
  
  Burger says that “the most successful volunteer programs are consistently considering new ways to engage volunteers now and in the future.” One way to do this, according to Gould, is to “provide a training program for volunteers to develop their skills.” The Nonprofit Learning Lab recommends skill-building in leadership, communication, or program management, as well as workshops, mentoring, or shadowing opportunities for volunteers. 
  
  Especially skilled and dedicated volunteers can also lead training for you! The Nonprofit Learning Lab notes that you can provide “mentorship opportunities where experienced volunteers train newcomers” and give “leadership volunteers a voice in program decisions to deepen their investment.” You can also give volunteers a role in creating online training, passing on what they know to incoming volunteers!
  
  
• Train them on specialized skills. Depending on the size of your organization, you may have volunteers who do mission-critical work. They could be deeply involved with communication, marketing, data entry, scheduling, project management, grant writing, or other highly specific tasks. Making sure they know how to do these tasks is essential. Even more important is ensuring they know how to do these tasks for your organization. 
  
  
• Train them on transferable skills. The International Forum for Volunteering in Development says that “to encourage a learning culture, [you should] provide ongoing training on relevant topics and empower volunteers to apply the skills and knowledge received.” And Burger notes that “volunteering involves a lot of skills that are relevant to professional development and personal interests, such as communication, and leadership, and specific competencies like language and software proficiencies. Help volunteers upskill by assigning them to relevant tasks and offering professional development workshops.”
  
  Some of your volunteers will have these skills. But some won’t. And training for transferable skills like customer service, budgeting, cybersecurity, and conflict resolution can be especially useful for young volunteers who haven’t yet had workplace experience. Think of training as a way to build better volunteers, for your organization and others. 
  
  
• Train yourself (and other managers). Don’t limit training to volunteers! Working with people is dynamic, and staying up-to-date and responsive is key to managing volunteers well. As a manager, how you lead matters. Keeping up your skills can help you build resilience and adaptability, enhance teamwork, and create a culture of wellbeing for everyone. You’ll improve communication to reduce the chances of having a toxic work environment. Ultimately, everyone will be happier and healthier, and your organization will function better. 
  
  So whether you need to run more effective meetings, give better presentations, or create schedules and goals for volunteers, we have you covered. With Niche Academy, you’ll not only have access to our Marketplace of tutorials for staff and volunteers, but you’ll also find dedicated tutorial series for managers so you can build your skills and lead more effectively. 

Start Engaging Volunteers Today 

According to Forbes, when you “engage volunteers with the mindset of ensuring that they gain as much from the experience as they give. . . they can make real contributions [that] make them feel valued and part of your success.”

And training matters. As Burger notes, it “plays a key role in the engagement part of the volunteer lifecycle, and comprehensive training directly correlates to improved results in the retention stage. Volunteers who receive high-quality training are 83% less likely to stop working with your organization.”

If you’re ready to improve volunteer management, training is a great place to start. It doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming to be effective. Sign up for our free training newsletter, Niche Notes, for actionable steps and insider tips on making training work for your team—no extra overhead required.

References

15 Proven Strategies To Build A Loyal Volunteer Base. (March 28, 2024). Forbes. 

Burger, E. (October 7, 2024). The Ultimate Guide to Volunteer Management. VolunteerHub.

Gould, M. (2021). Directing and Managing Volunteers. EBSCO.

Managing Volunteers: Preparation, Training, and Leadership. (2023). International Forum for Volunteering in Development.

The Charity Commission. How to manage your charity's volunteers. (May 23, 2013). Gov.uk.

The Ultimate Guide to Volunteer Management: Recruitment, Training, Retention, Appreciation, and Building a Leadership Pipeline. Nonprofit Learning Lab. 

Volunteers. National Council of Nonprofits.