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Writing volunteer agreements

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Written by John Berry on 22nd September 2020. Revised 27th March 2024.

6 min read


Volunteering is the provision of effort for the benefit of an organisation without financial reward. There will be reward for the volunteer, but it will be psychological. Despite the nature of the relationship, there should be an agreement. But the volunteering agreement must not be legally binding and will set out expectations. Here's how to write such agreements.

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Why your volunteers are leaving

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Written by John Berry on 12th November 2020. Revised 27th March 2024.

8 min read


There has been some indication that youth workers are now quitting their volunteer posts in significant numbers. As the pandemic evolves and new periods of lockdown are implemented, it is imperative that all managers of volunteers increase their level of supportive management. Many managers will not be capable of doing this and will themselves need help.

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Getting volunteers to... volunteer

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Written by John Berry on 23rd September 2020. Revised 27th March 2024.

5 min read


Getting enough volunteers with the right skill-set is huge problem for volunteer-reliant organisations. Here we describe a simple three-step model that is useful in understanding the volunteer recruitment problem, and its solution. Managers of volunteers must continually engage in recruitment. Their aim must be to get ‘the right people in the right jobs, always’.

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A three-step model for volunteer recruitment
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Managing Volunteers

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Written by John Berry on 25th August 2020. Revised 27th March 2024.

5 min read


It’s often said by managers in voluntary organisations that their volunteers can’t be managed. And yet, if that is so, the organisation faces rudderless chaos. The direction in which the organisation travels, what it achieves and whether it has a future are therefore all in doubt. In short, the situation is unacceptable. Volunteers must be managed for the good of the organisation.

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Motivating Volunteers

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Written by John Berry on 5th October 2020. Revised 27th March 2024.

7 min read


There’s a curious notion amongst managers of volunteers that a person changes when they move from being paid for the work they do to become a volunteer. But, the motivation is the same - it's just that older managers forget that the employment environment has changed. Today’s volunteers and employees are not so different.

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Balancing volunteer needs

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Written by John Berry on 25th March 2024.0

3 min read


The idea that volunteers can experience a different life from that in employment is obvious. One experience may compliment the other, then satisfying otherwise partially satisfied needs. One experience may supplement, enhancing the skills used, together satisfying more needs, or satisfying the same needs more deeply. This article explains more on supplementing and complementing needs.

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