As volunteer engagement specialists, it’s essential to recognize and respond to trends. Understanding who the volunteers are in the community and what types of opportunities they’re interested in helps engage and find volunteers in the current climate. This doesn’t change in a pandemic. In fact, we need to be more responsive and open to change since the situation is continuously evolving.
As COVID-19 has reached pandemic levels and physical distancing has become the best defence to stop the spread, you might be searching for new ways to support volunteers. In this three-part blog series, we’ll be exploring different volunteer engagement trends at the forefront of pandemic response, starting with micro-volunteering.
What is micro-volunteering?
Micro-volunteering is volunteering that includes short-term commitment, a flexible schedule, and focuses on a specific project or one-time task. It can also look like small acts of kindness volunteers do on their own time that may not be tied to a particular cause or charity.
How to create a successful micro-volunteering program
By having a system in place to respond to micro-volunteering, you give your organization and existing volunteers a chance to grow.
1. A strong social media presence
An online presence is an absolute must if you want to engage micro-volunteers successfully. Your organization will need a strong media presence to drive the potential campaigns and provide regular updates to your micro-volunteers and potential prospects.
Be sure to have a variety of different platforms for volunteers to engage with – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat.
2. Be prepared to let go
Micro-volunteering is a time-sensitive ask and may not recruit long-term volunteers. Be sure to have a well-rounded plan – include short-term opportunities with regular, long-term opportunities to engage volunteers and support operations post-pandemic.
3. Tie micro-volunteering to your overall impact
Micro-volunteering can sometimes be thought of as slacktivism – merely liking an organization on Facebook doesn’t generate long-term impact for an organization. However, by creating macro-focused opportunities, we can establish a long-lasting impact through micro-volunteering. Find ways to gather data from your volunteers, program users, and social media metrics to address overall impact.
It’s important to keep the big picture in mind when trying new tactics for engagement. Lay a strong foundation to generate long-term impact.
Examples of micro-volunteering
Many hands make light work, and micro-volunteering is a great way to boost visibility for your nonprofit and build awareness of your mission. Here are some ways to engage micro-volunteers in your organization:
- Organize a donation drive for your nonprofit.
- Ask existing clients or volunteers to post impact stories about their experience with your organization to social media.
- Create micro-projects for volunteers with technical skills (e.g. website design, coding, communications) to update webpages or create new marketing materials.
- Conduct a virtual fundraiser and social media campaign (e.g. ALS Ice Bucket Challenge).
In the end, no matter how our programs and engagement tactics evolve, we can support our community in finding a sense of purpose, connection and impact.
For more resources related to volunteering, screening and recruitment, visit Volunteer Alberta or ECVO.
To find a micro-volunteer opportunity, visit Volunteer Canada.
Daniela Seiferling
Volunteer Alberta