Engaging Volunteers In Fundraising

“𝘿𝙧. 𝙈𝙘𝙆𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙚𝙮, 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙗𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙤𝙧?” “𝙎𝙞𝙧, 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙚.” “𝘿𝙧. 𝘿𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙚𝙡 𝙈𝙘𝙆𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙚𝙮, 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙚.” I get messages like these every day. In my comments, replies, emails, and inboxes. And while I deeply appreciate that many see me as worthy of being a mentor, let me share a hard truth: 𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙖 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡, 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙣 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧. 𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝. Your career is like running a business. In the beginning, you’re a startup: you're testing, failing, learning, and improving. And as you grow, the stakes rise: you’re scaling operations, managing people, and making high-impact decisions. The usual advice? Get a mentor. But let's be honest, mentorship alone has limits. Challenges will come that one mentor alone can’t solve. One mentor won’t have all the answers. They may not even be available when you need them most. What you need is a "personal board of advisors." Just like companies have boards to guide their biggest moves, your career deserves the same structure. Build your board with: - 𝙋𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙙𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙝 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨. - 𝙐𝙣𝙗𝙞𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙬𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙨𝙪𝙜𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙤𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝. - 𝘽𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙩 𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙤𝙣. They don’t need to know they’re on your board. They don’t need to meet. This is informal, but it’s incredibly effective. And as your career evolves, so should your board. Rotate people in and out depending on where you are and what you need. This isn’t about waiting for the perfect mentor. It’s about designing a system of support that’s dynamic, strategic, and built for growth. Stop waiting for the perfect mentor. Build your board and run your career like the CEO of your life.

If I were a first-time ED, here’s how I’d build a strong board partnership. Starting in the first 30-days. 𝟭) 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆. Weekly 30-minute check-in and a monthly 60-minute look-ahead. Weekly = wins, risks, help needed. Monthly = agenda shaping, committee work, upcoming decisions. 𝟮) 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 “𝗻𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀” 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲. If it could show up in the news, a meeting, or an audit, the Chair hears it first. 𝟯) 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲. List 8–10 activities. Label: Board, ED, Shared. Boards govern(What). ED manages (How). Strategy/budget = shared. 𝟰) 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿. 12 months, key decisions, retreats, budget vote, audit, ED evaluation. 𝟱) 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮. • 1-page ED report (progress, risks, asks) • Red/Yellow/Green dashboard on 5 metrics • Consent agenda for routine items    𝟲) 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝘀𝗸/𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺/𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁. Tag every item before the meeting. Be explicit about what you need. 𝟳) 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝟭:𝟭 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵. Ask: What impact matters most to you? Where do you want to help this year? What would a great year look like for you? 𝟴) 𝗜𝗳 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲𝘀. Finance & Audit (fiscal health) Governance (org health) 𝟵) 𝗖𝗼-𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿. Two weeks out. Start with mission moment. Add strategy or learning. Timebox decisions. End with commitments. Share with full board a week prior to the schedule meeting so they've time to read/absorb/think through in advance. 𝟭𝟬) 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀. Create a one-page “Board Ambassador Menu”: three introductions, one site visit host, one testimonial. 𝟭𝟭) 𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗵𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗺𝘀. Short Friday note to chair (wins, risks, asks). Monthly note to full board. 𝟭𝟮) 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁-𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗘𝗗 𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝘄. Three goals, three evidence sources, one review date. 𝟭𝟯) 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗹𝗼𝗴. Risk, likelihood, impact, mitigation, owner. Review monthly with the chair. 𝟭𝟰) 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗵𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. "Here's what we've agreed to." And then outline the discrete actions, timelines, and responsibilities. Capture it. Follow up. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁: • Doable = Can we carry this with current people/reasources? • Durable = Will it still work six months from now?    Build for both, and you’ll have a board that helps you lead well. ----- Start with doable. Build for durable. Lead well.

After graduating university, I got a big girl job that I was NOT ready for.  It was a mid-senior role that I had applied to because I was slightly delusional. Miraculously…I got it. LOL Some of the responsibilities: recruiting, training, onboarding, and managing people. 11 volunteers to be more specific. My first year? Eeek. Scary times. Volunteers weren’t responding to my emails or their clients. Appointments were missed. Chaos prevailed. I spent most of my time putting out fires and doing the work myself. Thanks to a lot of trial and error (mainly error) I was ready to #slay my second year. By my second year, things looked very different: ✅ 50 volunteers recruited (28 onboarded) ✅ $250,000+ in refunds delivered to clients ✅ 72% increase in clients served I built systems from scratch and here’s what worked: 👥 Recruiting 1️⃣ Ghosting is real, so start early (I began 4 months before the next cycle) 2️⃣ Be intentional. Reach out to professors, orgs, and networks where your ideal volunteers already are. 3️⃣ Leverage social media. Highlight previous volunteers. Repurpose content.  4️⃣ Host info sessions + 30-min 1:1 calls with every registrant. 5️⃣ Communicate via their preferred method (email, phone, Zoom). 6️⃣ Follow up 2–3 times. Silence doesn’t always mean no.  7️⃣ Track every lead’s stage: Registered → Info Session → Committed. 8️⃣ Document your outreach. Use a simple spreadsheet or CRM to track where leads are coming from. 9️⃣ Treat recruitment as a two-way street: ask about their skills, capacity, & what they hope to gain from volunteering. Determine if the position is a right fit for both of you! 👩💻 Onboarding 1️⃣ Offer multiple sessions (mornings, evenings, weekends, in-person, remote, self-paced) 2️⃣ Use newsletters to keep everyone aligned and resourced. 3️⃣ Give LOTS of examples + scenarios they’d encounter! 4️⃣ Train them on tools, tech, and scheduling systems that will be used. 5️⃣ Create a central hub. Store onboarding materials in a Google Drive or on Notion. 🌱 Managing 1️⃣ Offer shadowing opportunities (to be shadowed and for them to shadow) 2️⃣ Create resources: how-tos, checklists, FAQs, etc. 3️⃣ Create + share a scheduling calendar. 4️⃣ Use Calendly + add your volunteers to the plan (it's a lifesaver I swear). 5️⃣ Start a group chat that won’t be ignored (GroupMe is awesome). 6️⃣ Give and receive feedback often. 7️⃣ Recognize accomplishments + celebrate wins. 8️⃣ Schedule office hours + check-ins. 9️⃣ Throw in some dad jokes!!! It was intimidating to step into this role without a blueprint, so I’ll forever be grateful for the opportunity to work with some incredible, mission-driven people who taught me so much about leading with empathy, transparency, patience, and adaptability. For my fellow first-gen and early professionals, what’s one thing you wish you’d known before stepping into a new role without a roadmap? 🌱 (p.s. Thank you to all of the supportive volunteers who laughed at my dad jokes.)

Stop calling yourself a “serial volunteer”. It’s a terrible career positioning. A serial entrepreneur builds businesses. A serial investor builds wealth. A serial founder builds companies. A serial volunteer builds... Wait. What exactly are we building here? Don't get me wrong, with my years in social development, working with volunteers and even being a volunteer myself. I can confidently say this: Volunteering is one of the best career accelerators available to young people. A lot of young people enter social development through volunteering. That's normal. That's how many of us started. It helps you gain experience, build networks, develop leadership skills, discover what you enjoy. But volunteering is a tool. Not a career identity. The problem is when volunteering becomes the end goal rather than the bridge. When you say: "I am a serial volunteer." Which is not necessarily a bad thing. But the real question is: What are the strategy behind it? What skills are you building? What expertise are you developing? What opportunities are you positioning yourself for? Because activity and progress are not the same thing. At some point, the goal should shift from: "How many organisations can / volunteer for?" To: "What am I becoming?" Because volunteering should help you build: A career. A business. An expertise. A professional reputation. A body of work. Something. Here's the uncomfortable part. When you introduce yourself as a serial volunteer, the signal you're sending isn't always the one you think. To a recruiter... To a funder... To an opportunity reviewer... It can sound like: "I lack clarity on what I want to do" "I don't have a clear professional direction." "I'll probably say yes to anything." "I'm available rather than valuable." "I lack career strategy" That's not always true. But perception matters. Another danger? You begin to believe that suffering is a career strategy. "If I volunteer long enough... Someone will eventually notice me." Maybe. Maybe not. But exposure isn't a salary. Applause don't generate compensation or the value you need. And certificates don't automatically become opportunities. Instead of becoming a serial volunteer, become a strategic volunteer. Volunteer where you're building: ✔️ Expertise ✔️ Credibility ✔️ Relationships ✔️ A portfolio ✔️ Opportunities Don't collect volunteer roles like they're Pokémon cards. Volunteer with intention, have boundaries, choose a lane, build expertise. The next time you want to volunteer, ask yourself; * "Why am I volunteering with this organization?" * "Is there a value am I getting from this?" * "Am I only volunteering because they are popular and I will just love to affiliate myself with them" * "Am I volunteering because I am desperate for a 'I-am-glad-to-announce-that' post? Collect skills. Collect proof of work. Collect expertise. The goal shouldn't be to become known as "the serial volunteer." The goal is to become known for the value you bring.

It’s that time of the year again! NGOs would be putting out calls for volunteers to join their organizations, this includes mine Sustainable Impact and Development (SID) Initiative and many of you would immediately repeat the same cycle expecting a different result. You would quickly submit an application, you get selected, you join the WhatsApp group and by the end of the year, you ask yourself what have I achieved and it’s nothing. You have listened to so many experts and influencers in the NGO space tell you that they all started from volunteering but you wonder, how, because you are not getting the opportunities and travels that they keep getting. No worries, here are 5 things you can do differently this year. 1. Do an initial assessment of all the organizations you are currently volunteering with. If you can’t identify one thing in 2024 that you were able to achieve with this organization, it’s time to leave. If the goals you set for yourself have already been achieved, you can request to leave. Volunteering does not have to be a long-term engagement, it’s okay to leave when it no longer serves you or the organization. 2. Identify organizations with volunteer opportunities that align with your goals and priorities. Are you looking to develop your skills, gain work experience, grow your networks and social capital, let these guide you. 3. Put together a killer application. Make sure all your details are correct. Make sure to answer the essay question well giving valid reasons why you should be selected. Yes, the question says 100 words maximum, that does not mean you should just drop one sentence. Tell them what you have to offer, this could be your skills in writing, graphic design, project management, finance, monitoring and evaluation, social media management, networks, resources or even your time. Make sure to read up on the organization through their website or social media platforms and align your answers to what they do, this shows you are interested and passionate about their cause. Make sure you submit before the deadline. 4. Be a strategic volunteer and not a passive volunteer. Always be the first person to indicate availability for their programs or engagements. Take initiative and recommend solutions that can be implemented in the organization. Offer to take up tasks with the team. This can be moderating programs, writing reports, social media engagements, designing fliers, or even mobilizing participants. At the core of it all, be that person that gives VALUE always, even when it looks like you are doing too much, keep going, don’t stop. 5. Document everything that you do, no matter how small. Have an excel sheet or word document where you write everything you do. Take pictures or screenshots where applicable. Most importantly, SHARE because if it’s not seen, it’s as good as not done. I hope this helps and GOODLUCK! 📸: 8th Nigerian Family Planning Conference, Abuja, Nigeria

When I was first asked to join the board of Fez Delivery Co., my immediate reaction was not excitement. It was,“What do I know about boards?” In my mind, board roles were reserved for people with 25 to 30 years of experience. Former CEOs. Retired executives. Industry veterans with decades behind them. I almost said no. Three years later, I am grateful I did not. Serving on a board has stretched me in ways my operating role never could. Strategic thinking. Governance. Long term value creation. Decision making at a very different altitude. Over time, several professionals have asked me, How did you do it? How do you even get started? Here are a few practical lessons if joining a board is something you are considering. 1. Be explicit about what you want Board roles rarely come from passive interest. Say it out loud. Include it thoughtfully in your LinkedIn About section. More importantly, let people in your professional circles know. Many board opportunities are filled through conversations, not advertisements. 2. Invest in board readiness If you want to serve at board level, prepare intentionally. Structured Programmes help you understand governance, fiduciary duties, board dynamics, and what is expected beyond the title. Examples include WIMBIZ Board Readiness Programme, Ascent Club, and Boardroom Africa. These Programmes also expand your visibility and networks. 3. Start with advisory and volunteer roles You do not need a public company board seat to gain board experience. Advisory roles with startups, family businesses, faith-based organizations, NGOs, or community initiatives are powerful training grounds. They teach governance, influence without authority, and strategic oversight. 4. Leverage proximity Look closer to home than you think. Friends building companies. Founders in your network. Organizations where trust already exists. Many boards are formed from credibility and relationships, not polished CVs. 5. Reframe readiness Board effectiveness is not just about years of experience. It is about judgement, pattern recognition, integrity, and the ability to ask the right questions at the right time. If you wait until you feel fully ready, you may wait far longer than necessary. Sometimes, growth begins with saying yes and then doing the work to rise to the responsibility.

This one is for the nonprofit leader who knows their communications could be stronger but hasn't had a clear place to start. Six steps. One afternoon. Here's exactly what to look at. 1. Take stock of what you're putting out. Every channel. Every content type. Instagram, email, donor updates, volunteer communications, website. Write it all down in one place. Anything you haven't touched in 90 days is either dormant or dead. Note that too. No judgment, just clarity. 2. Check if it actually sounds like you. Read 10 recent pieces of your content back to back. Then answer three questions: Does every piece mention what we do and who we serve? Does the tone feel consistent or like different people wrote it? Would a stranger understand us or do they need context we haven't given them? If you answered no to any of these, your voice needs a reset before anything else. 3. Test your message clarity. Ask someone outside your organization to read your website or your last three posts. Then ask them: what does this organization do? Who do they help? Why does it matter? Their answer will tell you more than any internal review ever could. 4. Look at what's actually working. Go back 90 days. What got opened, clicked, shared, or responded to? What landed flat? You don't need fancy analytics for this. Open rates, post engagement, and direct replies tell you enough to know what to do more of. 5. Find the gap between what you're saying and what your audiences actually need. Draw two columns. Left side: what you're currently putting out. Right side: what your key audiences need to hear from you. Donors need to know their investment is making a difference. Volunteers need to feel seen and informed. Community members need to know you exist and that you're for them. Circle anything on the right that has nothing on the left. That's where to start. 6. Ask what you're missing. Look at your last three donor touchpoints, your last three volunteer communications, and your last three community facing posts. For each one ask: did this person get what they needed from this? If you're not sure, that's your answer. Uncertainty here usually means the communication wasn't specific enough for the audience it was meant for. Six steps. One afternoon. You'll walk away knowing exactly what to keep, what to cut, and what to build next. And if you want a thought partner to work through what you find, this is one of my favourite conversations to have. 🧡

It's #VolunteersWeek! However new research commissioned by the Royal Voluntary Service has found that 140 million volunteering hours went unused by UK employees last year. While 62% of businesses offer workplace volunteering schemes, we're leaving massive potential on the table. The opportunity cost is staggering: • £32.5bn in potential productivity gains annually • 87% of businesses see volunteering as crucial for ESG goals • Yet only 19% of firms offer programs to ALL employees Why does this matter? Companies with effective volunteer programs are seeing real results: improved wellbeing, higher motivation, and increased productivity. Meanwhile, charities gain access to skills and expertise they couldn't otherwise afford. But here's the key insight: Not all volunteering creates equal impact. Charities value skilled volunteers far more than low-value activities. So before launching your next program, consider these strategic questions: ✅ What unique skills can our employees offer beyond funding? ✅ Do our charity partners have capacity to effectively utilize volunteers?  ✅ How can we co-create meaningful programs rather than impose our assumptions?  ✅ What additional resources might our partners need to handle increased volunteer engagement? The bottom line: Effective volunteering requires partnership, not charity tourism. It's about understanding genuine needs and matching them with your team's unique capabilities. During #VolunteersWeek, let's commit to making those 140 million hours count. The potential for shared value creation is enormous – we just need to approach it more strategically. What's your experience with workplace volunteering? What works, and what doesn't? Need help designing effective employee engagement initiatives? Let's talk about creating employee engagement programmes that deliver real impact for both your business and charity partners. #EmployeeEngagement #SharedValue #CorporateResponsibility #VolunteersWeek #SkilledVolunteering

5-Step Framework to Launch Your First Advisory Board I’ve served as an advisor to dozens of companies, been on both sides of the table, and now build them for world-class teams at Boardstream. The question I get most often:  How should I think about building my first strategic advisory board? Here’s my take. A great advisory board isn’t just a group of smart people giving opinions, nor is it a glorified referral network. It’s a structured growth tool that helps you make better & faster decisions, gain real insight, expand your network, and stay accountable to your goals. Here’s a simple best-practices framework: 1. Define your objectives What do you actually need help with? Go-to-market? Product direction? Fundraising? Be specific. The clearer your objectives, the better aligned your Advisor profiles will be, and the more valuable your board will be. 2. Recruit complementary expertise Don’t chase celebrity names. Focus on people who fill real gaps in your experience. If you’re great at sales but weak in product or finance, find someone who’s been there - and make sure it’s recent and relevant! 3. Create structure and cadence Set expectations early. Decide how often you’ll meet, how decisions are made, and what prep is expected. Treat it like a serious commitment, not a casual check-in. 4. Keep them engaged Advisors lose interest when they don’t see impact. Share progress, wins, and challenges regularly. Make it easy for them to contribute and feel part of the journey. 5. Avoid the common traps The biggest mistakes I see? Misaligned goals & incentives, unclear expectations, and ignoring their feedback. Keep it focused and purposeful. The more you put in, the more you get out. A well-run advisory board can change everything for a company. It expands perspective, brings accountability, helps you move faster with more confidence, and compounds value over time. Any other recommendations from those who have experienced a high-performing advisory board? #AdvisoryBoards #Founders #StartupGrowth #Boardstream

Building a volunteer programme isn't about finding people willing to help. It's about creating a community that people want to be part of - and want to return to. As we roll out Rosterfy as HYROX's global Volunteer Management System, I've been doing a huge amount of thinking about what actually makes a great volunteer programme. A Volunteer Management System isn't just a shift allocation tool. It's an opportunity to rethink the entire volunteer journey. - How do we market volunteering opportunities? - How do we engage with volunteers before they've even signed up? - How do we create meaningful touchpoints throughout their journey? - How do we make volunteers feel welcomed, valued and supported when they arrive onsite? - How do we recognise their contribution, encourage them to return and develop them into the next generation of leaders? Great workforce delivery spans the entire volunteer lifecycle: ➡️ Strategic planning ➡️ Community engagement ➡️ Recruitment ➡️ Onboarding & training ➡️ Event delivery ➡️ Recognition ➡️ Retention & development Technology can absolutely make this easier. A good Volunteer Management System can automate administration, improve communication and provide valuable data and insights. But technology doesn't build a volunteer community. People do. The best Workforce Managers don't rely on the system to create engagement - they use it to remove administrative burden so they can spend more time doing the things that really matter: building relationships, developing people and creating an experience that volunteers want to come back to. As we continue building the HYROX Event Workforce Programme globally, that's exactly what we're trying to achieve. Technology doesn't build a volunteer community. People do.