Tips to strengthen volunteering in 2026 and beyond

Volunteers remain at the heart of so much of what our sector achieves. But as expectations change and organisations evolve, supporting volunteers well requires more than goodwill. It needs intention, structure and empathy. 

Ahead of our Volunteering in 2026 and Beyond online conference on Thursday 14 May, we asked some of our speakers to share one key tip for building stronger volunteer programmes. Here’s what they said. 

Invest in strategic volunteer leadership

Sally Munday, Head of Volunteering at MS Society, emphasises the importance of treating volunteering as a core organisational function, not an add-on. 

“Supporting volunteers to thrive, and not just survive, long term requires organisations to move beyond goodwill and focus on how volunteering is designed and led. My key tip is to treat volunteer experience with the same strategic intent as any other critical function. That means clear role design, realistic expectations, strong coordination and feedback loops that allow issues to surface early. 

Volunteers are resilient when they understand their purpose, feel confident in their role and trust the organisation to support them. This doesn’t happen by accident. It is the result of investment in leadership capability, consistent volunteer management practices and a culture that values wellbeing alongside impact.” 

Balance organisational goals with the volunteer voice

For Debbie Coulson, Head of Volunteering at The Felix Project, a successful volunteer strategy must align with organisational aims while staying grounded in volunteer experience. 

“My top tip for developing a successful volunteer strategy is to ensure that it underpins what your organisation would like to achieve while balancing the volunteer experience. Yes, it’s true that it should have infrastructure, strong processes, systems and data-driven decision making as its foundations, but running through it there should be a strong volunteer voice to keep it centred on why volunteers choose your organisation and the reasons they continue to support you.” 

Start with empathy in recruitment and onboarding

Chris Wade, Founder of Time for Impact, believes empathy is the closest thing to a “magic ingredient” in volunteer recruitment. 

“If you do nothing else, actively imagine yourself in your volunteer’s shoes. Consider their perspective. What do I want to get out of this? How will I feel welcomed from the outset? How can I quickly feel comfortable in this new environment? 

Empathy means meeting them where they are. It means placing adverts in the community spaces they actually visit, using everyday language that resonates with them instead of sector jargon, and designing tasks that fit their lifestyles and personal goals rather than just our to-do lists. 

By flipping the script, treating volunteers as individuals and tailoring our approach to highlight the benefits they will receive, we stop just filling rotas and start building a dedicated community.” 

Creating a welcoming space for new volunteers

Emily Hughes, Head of Volunteer Experience, Girlguiding:

“Like any relationship, how you start makes a lasting impression. When someone first signs up to volunteer they want to know what they’ll be doing, why it matters, and what they’ll get out of it.

Be clear about what volunteers can expect – if you’re able to offer great training, new social connections, or unique experiences make sure you let volunteers know early on. And be honest on the harder things too – if the role will be distressing or can only be done at specific hours let them know upfront.

Don’t assume prior knowledge – nothing makes someone feel like an outsider more than comments like “it’s the same as last year” or “it’s in the usual room”.

Ask if they need any adjustments, and give examples. “let us know if you need any help, like a space to pray or large print versions”. Showing that you’ve thought about possible needs creates a safe space for people to be honest about what would help.

Most of all, be yourself and share what you love about the cause you’re working on. Enthusiasm is infectious!”

These are just a few of the insights we’ll be exploring in more depth at Volunteering in 2026 and Beyond. Join us on Thursday 14 May to hear practical ideas, honest reflections and forward-looking discussion on how volunteering is evolving and what organisations can do to keep pace. Register here now.