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About Volunteering
Why organisations Involve Volunteers
… some possible reasons
Volunteers as pioneers
Many not-for-profit organisations were, and are, initially set up by volunteers. They see social and other needs, which are not being addressed elsewhere, and they gather together on a voluntary basis to respond to and to effect change. Volunteers can experiment with new ideas and ways of working that have yet to achieve public recognition or funding. Many organisations are run entirely by volunteers, particularly in the early stages of their development.
Because they are a cost-effective human resource
Volunteers, by definition, do not demand any payment for the work that they do, so their involvement allows organisations to extend their limited budgets. They are motivated, for example, by wanting to 'make a difference' and their commitment does not stem from the lure of a salary. However, volunteers are not free labour; for there are costs associated with involving them, such as reimbursing out-of-pocket expenses, and time spent recruiting and training.
Because they allow organisations to do more
Having more hands on deck allows an organisation to achieve its aims more effectively and more rapidly. For example, volunteers can enable opening hours to be extended, additional services to be provided, a campaigning message to get across to a wider audience, etc. They can often fill needs for which paid staff time can never be justified, but which nevertheless make a huge difference; to a client's quality of life, for example. Volunteers can also bring the 'luxury of focus' to their work. Paid staff frequently have to manage many competing tasks, whereas volunteers can be asked to devote their time to specific projects. In addition, the more people are involved in an organisation, the greater the chance of continuity if someone leaves.
For credibility
Volunteers help to legitimise organisations, simply because they are not paid. Funders and other decision-makers have great regard for the fact that individuals are prepared to give up some of their free time to assist organisations. This view is shared by others in society, giving greater integrity to an organisation's cause.
For the 'human touch'
It often means a lot to users of a service that volunteers are there simply because they want to be. People frequently volunteer because they have some direct experience of the issue being tackled and thereby bring a real human element to it. This can also help to remove possible barriers between organisations and their clients.
To engender a community spirit
For community development reasons, it is crucially important to involve local volunteers in local projects. Not only are they aware of local needs and do they bring local knowledge, but their involvement often signals that an initiative has been accepted by the community. Furthermore, volunteering is a very empowering activity and ensures true ownership of projects in a locality.
Because of their freedom to criticise and take risks
Volunteers are not financially dependent on organisations, and therefore find it much easier than paid staff to speak their minds, offer constructive criticism and be innovative. In this way, they can be powerful agents of change within organisations.
Because they increase the diversity of an organisation
Volunteers come from all walks of life. Successful organisations involve volunteers with a wide range of backgrounds and with a broad range of skills. Such diversity means that less skills have to be sought elsewhere and can also prevent an organisation from becoming too inward-looking. Paid, full-time staff occasionally fall into the trap of not being able to 'see the wood for the trees'; a part-time volunteer can often give a fresh perspective. Volunteers often demonstrate a real passion for the cause; such enthusiasm can sometimes be absent from the (paid) work place.
Because they extend the organisation's network
The more people are involved with an organisation, the larger that organisation's 'sphere of influence' becomes. All volunteers have access to their own network of family, friends, colleagues and other acquaintances, among whom they can raise awareness about the organisation's work. This gives the organisation potential access to additional people and resources. Furthermore, if a volunteer's experience with an organisation has been a positive one, s/he will frequently continue to publicise the group's work even after ceasing to volunteer, and may in turn become a donor of money, services, goods and useful contacts.
For governance and accountability
Voluntary and community organisations have management committees (also known as boards of directors, councils, etc) that are composed of volunteers. These volunteers, who have specific legal responsibilities, use their own particular knowledge and expertise in a collective manner to govern an organisation. They are the trustees of the organisation's funds and must ensure that these are raised and spent appropriately, at the same time as ensuring that the organisation's mission (the reason it was set up) is being achieved. If the organisation employs paid staff, they have all the responsibilities that any employer has.
Because they believe in the voluntary ethos
Volunteering benefits everyone; the individuals who do it, the organisations that they work with and that organisation's own user groups, as well as the wider community and environment. It is a valuable and integral part of a democratic, civil society. Many organisations involve unpaid workers, because they believe passionately in the voluntary ethos and want to send out a message that money isn't everything. |
