This summer, Maryland government employees will have more time to give back in their communities. Under the new “Maryland Unites” campaign, state workers will be able to take four hours of paid leave to complete service work. It is a great example of a creative way to engage volunteers and harness the caring power of communities.
Volunteering has long been a cornerstone of strong communities. And while many routinely carve out time to give back and serve their neighbors, the way people engage with each other and their communities continues to evolve. At United Way, we’re always looking at how we can improve volunteer programs so they can serve communities in big ways.
United Way of Central Maryland delivering hope to Baltimore with UPS' help in May 2015
As a part of this process, we surveyed local United Way leaders to learn how they do it best in their communities. Here are their top three tips for engaging volunteers more effectively (and you can find the full report here):
1. Mobilize ambassadors. Eighty percent of CEOs surveyed said that having existing volunteers make a personal ask of prospective volunteers is the best way to get new people to step forward. Existing volunteers can be effective ambassadors by connecting with peers and demonstrating the impact the have. In some cases, just asking people to volunteer connects them to an experience that leads them to become involved for life.
2. Communicate purpose. Connecting individual work to a larger goal is also essential. When people see the direct connection between their work and the impact it has, they become more invested and gain a greater sense of purpose.
3. Align volunteers with community needs. Two-thirds of those surveyed said creating and promoting more volunteer opportunities aligned with community priorities would help existing volunteers make a greater impact.
Success for the volunteer, nonprofit and community requires establishing shared goals and deploying volunteers strategically to achieve them. When volunteers buy into what’s at stake, they become even more engaged and their impact is amplified.