By Rosterfy
Volunteers are often described as a “support” function. In reality, they are one of your largest and most valuable workforces in the charity sector.
The value of a single volunteer hour is estimated at £22. For many charities, volunteers don’t just complement service delivery – they make it possible. They extend reach, provide continuity, and help organisations remain viable amid rising costs and constrained funding.
Yet despite their value, volunteers are frequently supported by systems that would be unacceptable for paid staff: spreadsheets, paper forms, fragmented databases, and manual processes that rely on individual knowledge rather than organisational capability.
This gap matters. At scale, it creates risk, inefficiency, and missed opportunity.
A workforce evolving – and an opportunity to lead
Volunteering is changing, and for charity leaders, that change brings real opportunity.
Today’s volunteers are digitally native, purpose-driven, and time-conscious. They value clarity, flexibility, and communication, and they expect the same standard of experience they receive from the digital services they use every day.
Organisations that respond to these expectations are seeing stronger engagement, higher retention, and deeper connection to the mission. Those that don’t risk losing volunteers not through lack of goodwill, but through friction.
This isn’t about chasing trends. It’s about creating a volunteering experience that is resilient, scalable, and rewarding for everyone involved.
Volunteers don’t just give time, they drive growth
The strategic value of volunteers extends far beyond the hours they contribute.
Research shows that 73% of volunteers also donate, and they tend to give more over time. When volunteers feel supported and connected, they become advocates, fundraisers, and long-term supporters of the cause.
In 2024, WaterAid raised an additional £23,000 in donations from volunteers – enabled through improved engagement and seamless donation journeys. That value didn’t come from launching additional campaigns, it came from investing in the volunteer experience itself.
For charity leaders focused on sustainability and income diversification, this connection between engagement and funding is increasingly clear.
Why volunteer management is a leadership decision
Despite their importance, many volunteer programmes are still supported by outdated systems. From a leadership perspective, this creates three key challenges:
- Operational fragility: When processes and knowledge sit with individuals rather than systems, organisations become harder to scale and more vulnerable to disruption.
- Governance and data security: In an environment of increasing cyber threats and regulatory scrutiny, managing volunteer data in unsecured or fragmented tools introduces unnecessary risk.
- Capacity constraints: Manual administration consumes staff time, contributes to burnout, and limits an organisation’s ability to respond to growth or increased demand.
Seen through this lens, volunteer management is no longer a purely operational concern. It is a strategic investment in efficiency, resilience, and long-term impact.
What does successful digital change require?
Many leaders have experienced digital projects that promised transformation but delivered little value. In most cases, the issue wasn’t the technology itself – it’s how implementation was approached.
Successful transformation depends on clear leadership, realistic planning, and thoughtful change management. It also requires working with partners who understand the complexity of volunteer-led organisations.
When done well, technology doesn’t replace the human element of volunteering. It protects it – by freeing teams from administrative burden and allowing them to focus on relationships, supports, and impact.
A practical guide for confident decision-making
To support charities navigating these decisions, Rosterfy created How to Choose Volunteer Management Software: The Complete Buyer’s Guide.
This guide is designed for senior leaders and programme owners who want to:
- Assess organisational readiness
- Understand the return on investment
- Evaluate potential partners
- Plan for successful implementation
This is a practical resource for organisations ready to make informed, confident decisions about the future of their volunteer workforce.
Investing in the workforce that powers your mission
Volunteers are already one of your organisation’s greatest assets. The opportunity now is to support them with systems that reflect their value and enable them to thrive.
The charities leading the way are not simply adopting new technology – they are strengthening the workforce that powers their mission.
Start planning a more resilient, effective approach to volunteer management.