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21 posts tagged with "Engagement"

Volunteer engagement techniques

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Mobile-First Volunteer Management: Why Your Phone is Your Best Tool

· 7 min read
Giang (Jen) Tran
Operations & Account Manager

Last week, I watched a volunteer coordinator manage an entire 300-person event from her phone. She checked in volunteers, reassigned shifts when two people called out sick, answered questions via text, and pulled real-time attendance reports—all while walking the event floor. Ten years ago, she would have been trapped behind a registration table with a laptop and a stack of paper. That transformation tells you everything about where volunteer management is heading.

TL;DR
  • 51% of nonprofits plan to invest more in mobile technology; organizations not mobile-first are actively losing volunteers
  • Volunteers expect: mobile registration, self-service shift selection, text reminders, mobile check-in, and instant hour logging
  • Coordinators gain freedom: manage from the field, respond in real-time, text teams directly—no desk required
  • Start with an audit: try registering as a volunteer from your phone and honestly assess where it breaks
  • Prioritize high-impact changes: registration → check-in → shift selection → hour logging

Year-Round Engagement: Beyond the Annual Event

· 7 min read
Giang (Jen) Tran
Operations & Account Manager
TL;DR
  • Event-only engagement costs you: recruitment overhead, lost institutional knowledge, broken relationships, reduced event quality
  • Build a year-round rhythm: monthly touchpoints (newsletters, spotlights), quarterly deeper engagement (appreciation events, training)
  • Create ongoing opportunities: administrative support, committee roles, mentorship programs between major events
  • Treat volunteers like alumni: stay connected even when inactive, make returning frictionless ("Welcome back!")
  • Retention benchmarks: below 50% signals problems; strong programs achieve 70-80% year-over-year retention

Gamification Done Right: Engaging Volunteers Without Being Gimmicky

· 7 min read
Giang (Jen) Tran
Operations & Account Manager
TL;DR
  • Gamification taps into psychology: recognition, progress tracking, and community connection—not manipulation
  • Avoid common pitfalls: competition that creates stress, trivializing work, recognition without substance, ignoring intrinsic motivation
  • Design authentic recognition: celebrate real accomplishments, make progress visible, create opt-in elements, keep it simple
  • Practical milestones work: hour-based tiers (25/50/100/250/500), tenure badges, event-specific recognition, team achievements
  • Recognition should honor service, not cheapen it—the 500-hour volunteer deserves acknowledgment

Micro-Volunteering: Making a Big Impact in Small Time Slots

· 8 min read
Giang (Jen) Tran
Operations & Account Manager

"I'd love to volunteer, but I just don't have the time." I hear this constantly from potential volunteers—and increasingly, I think they're right. Not that they're making excuses, but that traditional volunteer programs ask for commitments that don't fit modern lives. The four-hour Saturday shift. The weekly commitment for six months. The mandatory training before you can do anything. For many people, that's simply not possible. Micro-volunteering offers a different path.

TL;DR
  • Micro-volunteering = short, task-based activities (minutes to hours) that fit into busy lives: envelope stuffing, phone calls, data entry, social media posts
  • 46% of volunteers cite flexibility as essential—gig economy mindset, competing demands, and remote options drive this trend
  • Design meaningful micro-tasks: connect every task to impact, provide crystal-clear instructions, enable self-service
  • Create flexible structures: variable shift lengths, on-demand availability, drop-in windows, remote options
  • Micro-volunteers become long-term contributors—the 30-minute volunteer today could be your shift leader in a year

Gen Z Volunteers: Understanding What Drives the Next Generation

· 7 min read
Giang (Jen) Tran
Operations & Account Manager

Last month, I sat down with a volunteer coordinator who was frustrated. "I can't figure out these younger volunteers," she told me. "They seem interested, they sign up, but then getting them to actually show up consistently feels impossible." It's a conversation I've had dozens of times—and I think we've been approaching it all wrong.

TL;DR
  • Gen Z volunteers more than other generations (63%), but they engage differently—we need to adapt our approach
  • The 3 C's motivate Gen Z: Community impact (93%), Connections to combat loneliness (88%), and Career skill-building (51%)
  • Flexibility is essential: 46% cite it as crucial—offer varied shift lengths, last-minute opportunities, and remote options
  • Mobile-first technology is table stakes: Paper sign-ups and desktop-only forms push Gen Z toward other opportunities
  • 76% want to help but 32% don't know where to start—make your volunteer path crystal clear