How to Keep Volunteers Happy: 5 Tips for UK Charities

How do you keep volunteers happy? Make them feel supported, recognised and part of something bigger. Respect their time, keep things well organised, and never let volunteering start to feel like an unpaid job.

That sounds simple. The data says it is getting harder.

NCVO's Time Well Spent 2023 survey found that 92% of volunteers are satisfied with their experience. That is still high, but it is down from 96% in 2019. Over the same period, the share of volunteers who feel their role is becoming too much like paid work rose from 19% to 26%. Almost a quarter now say their organisation expects too much of them.

Volunteers run food banks, sit on boards and fundraise in all weathers. Charities put enormous care into the people they serve. The people giving their time deserve the same attention.

Happy volunteers stay. They grow in their roles, and they recommend you to others. Losing an experienced volunteer means recruiting, checking and training someone new, and every hour that takes comes straight out of your mission. That is why volunteer retention matters as much as recruitment.

Volunteers benefit too. Research from What Works Wellbeing links volunteering to greater happiness, higher life satisfaction and reduced feelings of depression. But those benefits depend on how volunteering is organised. People need to feel connected, valued and supported.

So what does good look like in practice? Here are five things that make the difference.

How can charities keep volunteers happy and motivated?

1. Show genuine appreciation

The quickest way to keep volunteers happy is to thank them, personally and often.

Surveys show volunteers want to be thanked, both by the organisation and by the people they help. Awards and celebration events have their place, but start with a personal thank you. It costs nothing.

2. Communicate clearly

Volunteers stay engaged when they know what is expected of them and why their work matters.

Give every volunteer a written role description. The Charity Commission recommends one to set clear boundaries and expectations. Follow it up with regular updates on the difference their work makes through impact reports.

3. Offer flexibility

Flexible roles help you keep volunteers who would otherwise drift away.

Most volunteers fit their time around work, family or caring. Offer shorter shifts, one-off tasks and remote options. Make it easy to take a break and come back.

4. Invest in training and development

Training helps volunteers feel capable and confident in their role.

Start with a proper induction, then offer chances to build new skills. Many volunteers have skills their organisation never uses. Ask what they can bring.

5. Protect volunteer wellbeing

Volunteering is good for wellbeing, but only when the role is balanced.

Meaningful roles that do not overwhelm people are the ones that deliver the benefits. Make sure every volunteer knows who to talk to, how to raise a concern and that stepping back is always an option.

Putting volunteers first

Volunteers are not an unpaid workforce. They are people who give their time, skills and energy because they believe in what you do.

Recognition, clear communication, flexibility, development and wellbeing all send the same message: we value you.

There is one more way to show it. Never leave volunteers out of pocket. The Charity Commission is clear that volunteers should be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses, yet only around half say their organisation would do so. Clear, fast volunteer expense reimbursement tells volunteers their time is respected.

Look after your volunteers, and they will look after your mission.

vHelp pays volunteer expenses direct to bank. Request a demo

Photo by Joel Muniz on Unsplash