Volunteering Best Practice Guidelines – Workshop Summary

On 28 May Connected Murihiku hosted Alison Marshall from Volunteering NZ to run a Best Practice workshop for Volunteer Co-ordinators. Here are some of the top tips and ideas across the six best practice areas that came out of the workshop.

1. Engaging with Volunteers 

• Share volunteer stories and successes to inspire others 

• Hold open days to showcase roles and opportunities 

• Use personal, one-on-one approaches for recruitment 

• Highlight a sense of purpose and match volunteers with suitable roles 

• Leverage word of mouth and good marketing 

• Ensure consistent volunteer branding across the organisation 

• Lead by example through staff and experienced volunteers 

• Think creatively about role design and make the most of volunteer skills 

• Conduct regular surveys to assess volunteer satisfaction and role fit 

• Ensure the welfare of volunteers is prioritised 

2. Valuing Volunteer Contributions 

• Use certificates, praise, and tangible thank-you gifts 

• Celebrate long service (e.g. coffee vouchers, badges for 5/10/15/20 years) 

• Highlight volunteer accomplishments in monthly newsletters 

• Organise volunteer spotlights on Facebook and radio 

• Include offsite volunteers in on-site events or roadshows 

• Host 2-3 yearly catchups and team gatherings 

• Acknowledge volunteers’ strengths during supervision 

• Make time to get to know volunteers (e.g. over coffee) 

• Celebrate impact during events like Volunteer Awareness Week 

• Reinforce that volunteers are part of the team and cause 

3. Developing Volunteer Programmes 

• Provide eBooks, hybrid training, and bite-size learning modules 

• Incorporate visual tools and creative content 

• Offer personal development and ongoing upskilling 

• Schedule team bonding and social activities as part of development 

• Regularly review training practices 

• Ensure flexibility and fun in the approach 

• Tailor training to volunteer needs 

• Celebrate progress and achievements 

• Impacts: Increased uptake of new volunteers, Stronger sense of community, Reinforcement of organisational principles, Boost in volunteer confidence, achievement, and satisfaction, Greater longevity of volunteer engagement 

4. Managing Volunteers 

• Provide clear expectations and responsibilities 

• Offer regular training and encouragement 

• Ensure regular contact through calls and in-person check-ins 

• Host social gatherings and team events 

• Facilitate feedback and mentoring 

• Maintain open, honest communication 

• Encourage creative engagement 

• Recognise efforts frequently and meaningfully 

• Use sponsorship and shared values to build commitment 

5. Providing a Positive Exit Experience 

• Celebrate all contributions before departure 

• Acknowledge and thank volunteers (e.g. cards, gifts, social posts) 

• Provide tangible thank-you gifts and farewell events 

• Recognise the value of project-based or short-term volunteering 

• Use email/newsletters to maintain a connection after exit 

• Plan exits to create space for new volunteers (planned obsolescence) 

• Set clear expectations and agreements from the beginning 

• Offer references and suggest other voluntary opportunities 

• Recognise that identity and social needs may be impacted 

6. Developing the Organisation 

• Use volunteer feedback to inform service improvements 

• Create space for volunteers to share their voices 

• Share outcomes of feedback transparently 

• Include volunteers in newsletters, meetings, and evaluation processes 

• Celebrate National Volunteer Week and other sector initiatives 

• Use small acknowledgements (e.g. gifts, thank you notes) regularly 

• Incorporate volunteer recognition into staff and team culture 

7. Welcoming and Onboarding Volunteers 

• Start by identifying volunteer motivations and needs 

• Spend time building relationships from the start 

• Implement strong onboarding and training processes 

• Set clear, mutual expectations 

• Create a welcoming environment with good communication 

• Help new volunteers feel part of something bigger 

• Provide food and informal opportunities to connect 

• Assign mentors or a second point of contact 

• Prepare staff to welcome new volunteers effectively 

• To-do: Identify and update minimum training requirements, Introduce new volunteers clearly and supportively, Ensure more than one source of information/support is available 

More valuable information to help you work with and support volunteers in your organisation can be found here.