It’s a challenging time for nonprofits globally.

While the cost-of-living crisis has seen a greater demand for nonprofit services than ever before, we’re also seeing reduced funding to support nonprofits in Australia. On top of this, many nonprofits are listing volunteer recruitment as their number one challenge with close to two million fewer volunteers at the start of 2022 compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Third Sector recently sat down with Bennett Merriman, CEO of Rosterfy – leaders in volunteer management and engagement – to understand the shift in the volunteering landscape and what nonprofits can do to combat volunteer recruitment, engagement and retention.

How do you see the current volunteering landscape?

There’s no denying that volunteer programs worldwide have seen a dramatic shift in the ways in which they operate. Traditionally the roles of volunteers have sat with those in the 55+ age demographic and with an ageing population, this in itself is a clear indicator that volunteer programs need to adapt and plan for the future. Combined with the cost of living crisis, it is becoming harder and harder for organisations to compete with the reduced pool of available volunteers.

That said, I don’t think it’s all doom and gloom for volunteer managers. Rosterfy recently celebrated our 100 millionth volunteer hour on our platform, which in itself is testimony to the interest and generosity of the volunteer community. We work with numerous organisations who have been able to find the right balance between delivering on their mission, whilst still providing an enticing, rewarding and impactful volunteer program that continues to draw community interest and support.

How important are Gen Z’s to a nonprofit’s volunteer program?

Without sounding cliche, young people are the way of the future. By 2050, around one-quarter of all Australians will be aged 65 years and over so it’s incredibly important for organisations to adapt their recruitment strategy to focus on recruiting the next generation of volunteers.

Research shows that Gen Z is more environmentally and socially conscious than the generations before them. They are passionate about causes close to their heart and actively want to make a difference in the world in which they live. Nonprofits need to consider how they take this passion and translate it into their volunteer program.

The biggest ways in which nonprofits can better engage Gen Z include:

• Technology. Hands down the biggest differentiator between a mediocre and a great volunteer program is the technology used. Gen Z are tech savvy and want a solution that is easy to use, convenient and engaging. For many nonprofits, this is executed by a volunteer management solution like Rosterfy. Solutions like Rosterfy allow for greater engagement and transparency and ensure a seamless user experience from start to finish.
• Flexibility. Gen Z lifestyle is very different to a retiree. Often they’re accommodating volunteering alongside their study or full-time employment, which means that their volunteer commitments will be more casual and require greater flexibility (i.e. volunteering once a month rather than committing to set hours every week).
• Impact. Gen Z volunteers want to understand how their time will contribute to your nonprofit’s mission. From hours volunteered to meals packed and trees planted, it’s important for millennials to be able to understand how their time is bettering the community to which they serve.
• Diversity and inclusion. Gen Z is selective about the organisations they volunteer their time with. They are demanding more of nonprofits and are holding them accountable to being socially responsible

How important is engagement to successful volunteer programs? 

With more and more nonprofits competing for the same volunteers, how your nonprofit engages with your volunteers can often be the differentiator to retaining volunteers.

Gone are the days when you can send one thank you email after registration. Volunteers are demanding personalised engagement and rightly so! Nonprofits need to remember that volunteers are giving their time freely and as such they deserve to be recognised and rewarded for their time.

The top five ways organisations can better engage with their volunteers include:

1. Communication. Creating opportunities for personalised communication is essential to maximising engagement. From sending a birthday message to celebrating hours volunteered and key milestones achieved, volunteers should be communicated with regularly throughout their volunteer experience. Take a look at how Rosterfy can enhance your volunteer program communication.

2. Onboarding and Training. Integrating onboarding and training as part of your volunteer program can really set your nonprofit apart from your counterparts. Training not only ensures compliancy from an operational standpoint but also provides your volunteers with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. The key to success is ensuring that your onboarding and training are integrated as part of your volunteer management offering with one central place to find, apply and manage volunteer opportunities. Take a look at how Rosterfy can enhance your volunteer program onboarding and training.

3. Reward and Recognition. As I touched on earlier, finding ways to reward and recognise your volunteers is incredibly important, especially for Gen Z volunteers. From certificates to video messages from staff through to redeeming rewards in exchange for time volunteered, ensuring that you show your gratitude to your volunteers should never be underestimated. Take a look at how Rosterfy can help your nonprofit reward and recognise your volunteers.

4. Volunteer Portals. Providing opportunities for volunteers to manage their own volunteer journey is really important to ensuring a seamless volunteer experience. From tracking their onboarding journey to understanding their volunteer contributions and updating personal information, volunteer portals provide a central location for volunteers to unlock opportunities, news stories, social sharing and much more. Take a look at how Rosterfy can enhance your volunteer programs through their volunteer portals. 

5. App. If you’re looking to attract Gen Z volunteers the best way is through an app, which puts your nonprofit in the palm of their hands. From live alerts in the form of push notifications to searching for opportunities via location and check-in via QR codes, Rosterfy’s Volunteer App has everything you need to help you better engage with Gen Z volunteers.

If you’d like to learn more about how Rosterfy can help you better recruit, manage, engage and retain your nonprofit’s volunteers, get in touch with their team to learn more.

Download Rosterfy’s White Paper to find out more about what you could achieve with a more effective volunteer management recruitment strategy. 

About Rosterfy

Rosterfy is revolutionising volunteer management, empowering communities and organisations to connect with causes they are passionate about.

Founded by Bennett Merriman and Shannan Gove on the principle of enhancing volunteer engagement, Rosterfy has grown into a leading technology platform, transforming the way nonprofits, cities, and large-scale events manage their volunteer programmes.

Launched in 2014, Rosterfy offers comprehensive solutions for volunteer recruitment, scheduling, communication, and reporting. With automated processes, Rosterfy simplifies the management of volunteer journeys from start to finish, allowing organisations to focus on their core mission.

Having supported charities and nonprofits worldwide including Lifeline Australia, British Heart Foundation, St Vincent de Paul and many more, Rosterfy is dedicated to making a positive impact within communities.

To learn more about how Rosterfy’s volunteer management solution can help your nonprofit better recruit, engage, manage and retain your volunteers, please visit their website.