In this new report, we outline how to attract and retain more volunteers and make them valuable assets, using the latest trends and figures.
Last Friday, the inspiring report "Volunteering in The Netherlands 2023" was published, a valuable collaboration between Motivaction and NOV. It offers essential insights into the voluntary sector, both for the present and for the future. The report reveals that only 30% of Dutch people currently volunteer, compared to 37% in 2016. It provides a detailed picture of the current landscape of volunteering in the Netherlands in 2023, including preferences, reasons and activities.
This instructive report raises awareness of the current state of affairs and shows that there is work to be done. As Deedmob, we support the flourishing of volunteering and want to give organisations concrete tips on how to get started. This is because we also see the other side of the story. The nature of volunteering is changing, and this is necessary if today's volunteer energy is to thrive in the future.
In this article, you will discover how to better attract, retain and give volunteers a valuable place within your organisation. In doing so, you will set up your organisation to become future-proof.
We recommend everyone to take a good look at the study. It is a valuable source of knowledge and insight that will enable us all to work together to create a thriving voluntary sector. You can find some insights, among many other useful reports and latest insights, on the website of NOV, the branch network of voluntary organisations in the Netherlands, and on the website of Motivaction B.V. For questions about the figures or access to the report, please contact author Giovanni Giaquinto of Motivaction.
Okay, there are fewer volunteers than in 2016, but fortunately there is also good news! In fact, there is great potential for the future. A whopping 56% of those surveyed say they would like to volunteer in the future, compared to only 24% who absolutely do not want to and 20% who do not know yet. This shows that there is definitely potential in the voluntary sector and confirms what Prof Lucas Meijs wrote earlier: there is no shortage of volunteers at all, but more knowledge is needed about what volunteers are looking for to attract them.
The report offers us a wealth of interesting insights in this regard. For instance, it shows that most volunteers (54%) prefer to be active in their own hometown or neighbourhood, and even more specifically in their own area, together with a regular group of volunteers or acquaintances. In terms of activities, volunteers prefer the company of others, providing transport, information and advice.
The report also gives a clear description of the different types of volunteers and their current distribution in society:
Source: Volunteering in the Netherlands 2023 - Motivaction & NOV*
Young people (aged 18-24) can be part of all the above groups.
If we look at the distribution in the report and those who want to volunteer in the future, we see that the willingness among responsible, pragmatists and young people is significantly higher than that of dutiful and structure-seekers (see figure below). This poses a major challenge.
Currently, the voluntary sector is still mainly focused on dutiful and responsible values as drivers. However, since both the group of dutiful and responsible people is largely made up of older people, due to ageing, the size of this group is gradually decreasing. With this, therefore, an important group of volunteers is also declining, with values that the voluntary sector has currently embraced as guiding principles. To future-proof volunteering, it is essential that voluntary organisations focus more on the values of individualism. Indeed, volunteers' motivation is increasingly influenced by freedom of choice, self-development and personal growth, rather than solidarity with others. As a volunteer organisation, how can you best respond to this development?
Source: Volunteering in the Netherlands 2023 - Motivaction & NOV*
We have said it before: microvolunteering is becoming increasingly important for volunteers. Microvolunteering responds to individualistic values by offering tasks where volunteers can still contribute, but with satisfying activities that can be completed in a short time. This poses a challenge for many organisations, but we are happy to help you get started.
We have covered all this in detail in an earlier article, which will help you get started right away: three steps to an appropriate offer for flex volunteers.
What drives people to volunteer? How do you attract the right people with recruitment ads?
This is what Erasmus University graduate Bregje Walraven researched in her thesis. Following her thesis, we conducted a short interview in Dutch, in which Bregje gives some practical tips for your organisation. Some tips include:
If you want to know more, you can watch the whole interview (10 minutes) via this link. Also, be sure to read the article published by NOV on the subject.
Want to know more? Then take a look at all the articles we have written on volunteer recruitment.
OK, attracting volunteers is one aspect of future-proofing your organisation, but retaining volunteers is at least as important. Fortunately, the figures are positive: 74% of people who volunteer want to stay active. Moreover, people who currently volunteer want to continue doing so more often in the future. But how do you retain volunteers for your organisation and how do you involve them even more?
The report offers interesting insights, especially focusing on the importance of organising volunteering well. Volunteers highly value recognition and appreciation to keep coming back (38%), and professionalisation of the work is also considered very important. Examples include clear job descriptions (14%), discussing performance (13%), learning new skills (10%) and personal growth (8%). Finally, the importance of contact between volunteers is mentioned as an area for improvement at the social level.
Here again, we see the strong emphasis on individualistic values, such as freedom (clearly defined job description), self-development (performance reviews, skills, growth) and experience (recognition, appreciation, social contact). It is therefore essential to integrate these values into your organisation to retain volunteers.
It is also indicated that volunteers prefer to work with acquaintances, friends and family, or with a regular group of volunteers. The main drivers mentioned are that volunteers want to help people they know, that volunteering makes them feel good, and that they are looking for conviviality and social contacts. But how do you get started with this information?
The report clearly indicates that volunteers prefer to work with acquaintances, friends and family, or with a regular group of volunteers. This ties in with what we discussed earlier: building a close-knit volunteer community is essential, as it ensures they keep coming back! We have 4 tips for building a community and make the link to the recently published report.
The report highlights that appreciation and recognition are the most important aspects for 38% of respondents to stay involved in an organisation. In a previous article, we discussed 4 ways to show recognition and appreciation. Here is a short summary:
We have written several articles that will get you started on how to keep volunteers engaged. We could repeat this at length now, but prefer to refer you to the article itself. In a previous article, we gave 5 tips for retaining your volunteers:
Okay, we're feeling generous. Here's another 4 tips to get you along the way:
Want to know more? Then check out all the articles we have written on volunteer retention.
The published report provides us with valuable insight into today's volunteers, what motivates them and what the future of volunteering looks like. Although there are challenges, according to Deedmob, the changing society also offers many opportunities. It is about how you as an organisation adapt to this. If you manage to reach the new volunteer, your organisation will automatically become more future-proof. This article prepares your organisation for the future. So we look to the future with confidence, do you?
* Report is not public. For questions about the figures, content or access to the report, please contact author Giovanni Giaquinto of Motivaction.