Benefits of Volunteers

When we talk about expanding our programs within a non-profit organization, we often discuss ways to bring in money. Your calendar is planned a year ahead with all the grants and funding deadlines. You rack your brain over how to explain to funders that you need more people on your team to continue making community impact. Or even worse, you're face palming yourself for hours over how to think of a creative way to make your project--the one you know is doing just fine as it is--sound more exciting! And new! (Even though knowing you're doing the same thing...)

What if I told you that there was a way out? Okay, maybe not a way out... But I can certainly suggest another successful method of expanding your programs or organization though keeping in mind that you'll probably still have to keep grant writing on your priority list. Drum rolls, please.

Volunteers.

Volu-what? Yes, volunteers. People who kindly give their time to a cause they believe in and to organizations they see worthy, kind of like you or your staff. As many as there are organizations that integrate volunteer engagement in their strategies, there are also just as many organizations that don't. Imagine Canada found that there are an estimated 165,000 charities in Canada and 54% of them are entirely run by volunteers. Of course, certain projects require high level of training or certain security clearances. But I guarantee you that in every charity, you can squeeze a little volunteerism in there somewhere.

Volunteers can bring a lot of fun and enthusiasm to your team, as well as diverse backgrounds and an array of stories waiting to be told. They can help out in program delivery, fundraisers and events, administrative work, social media, as well as strategic planning. Most importantly, all charities have a Board of Directors that volunteer to provide direction by applying their skills and expertise.

However, the most common mistake that charities make is not screening the volunteer thoroughly enough. While there are many variations of screening depending on the organization, it's good to follow the 10 general steps of screening a volunteer. It's important to remember that the interviewing process and expected standards for your staff should also apply in volunteer recruitment. I mean, why not? Most volunteers have access to the same tools, space, resources, information and in fact, many volunteers work very closely with vulnerable populations. But fear not, my point is that many successful organizations would not exist without these great people, granted you screen them to the same level as you would for paid staff.

There are a lot of people out there who genuinely want to give their time and skills for free, just to know they are making some sort of positive impact out there. Sometimes no amount of money can buy a volunteer's passion. Do you use volunteers in your programs or events? How effective are they for you?