Richa’s approach to building a sustainable volunteer team

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Volunteers are heart-centric. They give up their time and are willing to go the extra mile to help causes that are meaningful to them. 

Passion is the fuel that drives them to support meaningful causes.

However, passion can only take volunteers so far unless it is channelled, supported, and sustained.

Without the right systems, volunteers can lose their sense of connection to your organisation leading to high turnover and reduced program effectiveness, which can leave you spending more time putting out fires than working toward your mission.

Richa, COO and Board Chair of Reach Her Inc., brings nearly a decade of nonprofit leadership experience to the challenge of volunteer management.

"When it comes to re-engaging volunteers, we need to build strong foundations," Richa explains, "not just implement quick fixes." 

Drawing from her successful implementation at Reach Her Inc., Richa shares five interconnected strategies that transform volunteers from passive participants into active mission champions:

1. Foundation: Setting clear expectations

2. Culture: Building shared values

3. Connection: Creating communication flow

4. Growth: Developing capability

5. Momentum: Sustaining engagement.

These strategies work together to create a self-reinforcing cycle and, for time-pressed nonprofit leaders, they offer a pathway to break the cycle of volunteer disconnection.

These changes result in improved volunteer retention rates and consistent quality of service delivery. Regular feedback surveys can help keep the strategy on track and identify potential concerns before they become problems.

Here's how to implement each element of Richa’s approach.

1. Foundation: Setting clear expectations

At the core of volunteer engagement lies role clarity. When volunteers understand both their specific responsibilities and how these connect to your mission, engagement naturally follows.

Richa advises that every volunteer position should have a detailed role description, including how the role contributes to the organisation's broader goals.

"Mission-aligned role descriptions don't only provide set expectations," Richa explains, "but also empower volunteers to take ownership of their specific tasks and their contribution to the mission."

Richa also makes mission reinforcement an ongoing practice at Reach Her Inc. rather than leaving volunteers to figure out their place. During onboarding, she leads sessions that dig into why the organisation exists and what impact they aim to make, helping volunteers see their role in the bigger picture.

2. Culture: Building shared values

A strong ethical framework creates the bedrock for trust and mutual accountability among your volunteer team. When values are explicit rather than assumed, volunteers align more naturally with your organisation's purpose.

"Continuously codify an ethical code of conduct that outlines the values and behaviors expected from your volunteers," Richa explains. "At Reach Her Inc., our volunteers review and agree to this framework before they join the team."

This clear commitment to values like inclusivity, respect, and accountability shapes how volunteers interact and approach their roles, creating a culture of shared purpose.

3. Connection: Creating communication flow

Effective communication serves as the lifeline between your volunteers, leadership, and mission. Thoughtful communication strategies can bridge the gap between volunteer work and mission impact.

"We prioritise open, meaningful communication," Richa emphasises. "Regular team meetings become opportunities to celebrate wins, share feedback, and allow each volunteer to talk about their experiences."

Having volunteer meetings is also a chance to provide updates on progress, challenges, and upcoming projects. And, more importantly, the meetings create a psychologically safe space where volunteers feel comfortable voicing concerns and sharing ideas.

"When our volunteers feel like they're contributing to key decisions, they are more invested in the organisation's success and ethical orientation," Richa shares.

4. Growth: Developing capability

A volunteer's journey shouldn't end with onboarding. Strategic capability development creates confident, skilled volunteers who can amplify your organisation's impact.

Offering targeted training and development opportunities enables volunteers to stay current with organisational needs and fosters a deeper sense of engagement and purpose. Richa advises investing in volunteer development through training programs, mentorship, and learning opportunities.

"We make sure that our volunteer team is learning alongside us," Richa shares. "Whether it's technical skills or personal development, we create opportunities for growth within their roles."

This investment in volunteer development strengthens both individual commitment and organisational capacity.

5. Momentum: Sustaining engagement

The most powerful volunteer programs maintain their energy through intentional recognition. Regular celebration reinforces mission connection and deepens volunteer commitment.

"We love celebrating all the small wins," Richa notes. "During our gatherings, we make sure to acknowledge volunteers amongst their peers, so they know their contributions are important to the organisation's success."

This consistent celebration helps maintain volunteer momentum and strengthens team cohesion.

Next steps for implementation

🎯 Focus first on creating clear role descriptions for your most critical volunteer positions, ensuring they explain both responsibilities and connection to mission.

🤝 Create a simple code of conduct that reflects your core values and make it part of your onboarding process.

💬 Establish regular but brief check-ins that combine updates, recognition, and opportunity for volunteer input.

📚 Create simple training resources, like short videos or guides, that volunteers can easily access and reference.

🎉 Build recognition into your regular communication channels, celebrating both individual contributions and team achievements.

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