Keeping volunteers updated

Keep volunteers informed by communicating regularly.

Types of information to communicate

It is important to keep your volunteers regularly informed of updates and changes that may affect them or their role and responsibilities at your organisation. This helps volunteers feel valued and that they have a say when it comes to decisions that affect them.

Any information that may impact volunteers should be regularly provided, such as:

• Updates to their role description and responsibilities
• Updates to key information such as important contacts or emergency information
• Changes to the policies and procedures of the organisation
• Key dates and important upcoming events
• Opportunities to provide input and feedback
• Staffing changes or updates
• Additional assistance available to enable them to do their role effectively

Tips for communicating with volunteers

• Keep communications short and to the point (remember volunteers are often working full time or have other commitments).
• Communicate through a variety of channels for important information. People may miss it otherwise
• Make it interesting and include pictures to get attention
• Remember anything you post online is public, regardless of if your page or account is private or not

Resources

• Social media and communications policy template, opens in a new tab Volunteering WA
• Improving your communications guide: for clubs, opens in a new tab Sport England
• Recruiting volunteers, content to inspire action, opens in a new tab Volunteering WA / Lush the content agency