6 min read
Learn how your association can build a thriving volunteer program
Tags: Member Engagement,Volunteer Programs
Getting members more involved with your association is always a plus! Having a thriving volunteer program not only gives members a chance to connect with each other, give back to their industry, and support your organization’s mission, it’s also a great way to keep them engaged. Explore our tips and resources to help you build and nurture a successful volunteer program.
Cultivating a thriving volunteer program is more than just a series of isolated tasks; it’s a journey of enhanced engagement and commitment. Leveraging your online community makes it easier to track and maintain your volunteer opportunities, communicate about open roles, recognize and reward the volunteers, and establish a clear pathway for growth. Learn how you can inspire increased involvement and ultimately drive your organization’s success.
Volunteer programs can serve many important functions for associations – your association might leverage volunteers to help welcome new attendees at an event, run a mentoring program, solicit volunteer committee members and program speakers, and more. These programs not only save staff time but also amplify the association’s impact by tapping into the diverse expertise and enthusiasm of its membership. So how do you get started? Ask yourself the 6 Ws…
The symbiotic relationship between mentoring and volunteering programs supports vibrant associations and deeply engaged members. Through these initiatives, associations not only provide avenues for members to actively contribute to their professional communities but also establish vital connections that transcend traditional networking. The impact resonates beyond the tangible outcomes, influencing member satisfaction, retention rates, and the overall sense of belonging.
Volunteering to serve an industry association in a leadership capacity presents a growth opportunity for your members. In an episode of our podcast, The Member Engagement Show, we chatted with a volunteer about how their roles have helped them succeed in their “day job.”
Any volunteer program or system should be easy to use for staff and volunteers alike. Whether you are creating opportunities or joining events and completing tasks, the process needs to feel seamless and keep volunteers coming back for more. This is where recognition, rewards and gamification techniques come in.
In this episode of the Member Engagement Show, Higher Logic’s Emily Stamm discusses how volunteering and mentoring programs benefit your organization and your members (both seasoned and new), what makes great volunteer opportunities, how to foster engagement and celebrate volunteers, and more!
Creating a complete volunteer picture for every member can help you personalize each member’s experience. It also helps you entice them to get involved again because you know what they’re interested in, and what level of commitment they might be ready for. That’s where a volunteer point system or scoring system can help!
Professional volunteers with experience and business instinct are irreplaceable . They can help you power through your to-do list and deliver innovative ideas to members. Here are five of the top motivations that drive professional volunteering and how you can make each type of volunteer feel appreciated.
Higher Logic Thrive’s Volunteer Manager tools are a great time-saver for associations running volunteer programs. Automate processes and volunteer communication, create a thriving volunteer community, and easily measure and report on your volunteer programs impact with an intuitive system that makes it simple to find, track, and reward member engagement.