UPON completion of the latest round of training we now have over 20 prepped volunteers ready and raring to go out with their gig buddies.
We endeavour to ensure our volunteers are kept in the loop and are abreast of the latest developments. Luckily, we are grateful for their understanding when it comes to the time it takes to successfully pair up with a participant: it’s vital that we find the perfect partner for both parties.
Taken from the Volunteer Match website, this week we have adapted and looked at the top five ways to motivate not-for-profit volunteers. Author Kelly Smith put together the following checklist, but do you agree? Should we replicate the suggestions, or could we go further? Is there room for improvement from our perspective?
Feel free to get in touch with us as we’re all ears at Gig Buddies Sydney HQ (pictured above).
1. Know their reasons for volunteering.
In order to keep your volunteers engaged and motivated, you need to first understand the reasons behind their decision to volunteer.
To create a volunteer program that fosters long-term commitment we require a pledge of at least one year. Whether our volunteers do it to feel good about themselves, acquire new skills or just to make a difference, we’re here to find out. If we’re able to further benefit our volunteers beyond LinkedIn recommendations or job references, feel free to hit us up.
2. Communicate!
This is probably the easiest and most effective way of keeping up your volunteers’ motivations. Good communication is key to managing the expectations and responsibilities of your workers, but in order for it to really work you need to be able to listen as well. What you’ll get in return will be people willing to do their best to improve your organisation.
The opinions of our volunteers certainly matter and we definitely welcome suggestions and feedback. We’re only a phone call, a Facebook post, tweet or email away.
3. Show your appreciation.
Even though their volunteering comes from a real passion and good heart, your volunteers still want to be appreciated for what they do. If their efforts are not being recognised, they’re more likely to ditch the cause and become less and less available.
How can we shower you in appreciation? Will a ‘thank you!’ suffice or should we give out rewards, incentives or oganise more events to show our gratitude?
4. Show them how they made a difference.
There’s no better method of keeping up the motivation of your volunteers than by letting them see the results of their hard work.
Enabling people to regularly access and enjoy the buzz of live music – something taken for granted by the majority, is what we strive for. What better way to reap recognition for your efforts than by reveling in the mutual merriment between you and your gig buddy after hearing a DJ drop that ‘hands in the air’ track, or when a solo artist closes out an epic set with a tune that gets the entire place pumping?!
5. Provide social recognition.
Volunteers can have their work recognised not only internally, but externally as well.
We’ll endeavour to use our social media platforms to highlight your success stories. Who knows, maybe such social recognition will inspire another volunteer or gig buddy to sign up!
Before we go… a big thank you to those who have registered their interest in attending our social event at the Slip Inn on Friday 24th July.
The good news is that we’ve still got (very) limited room available. For anyone looking to get down with the Gig Buddies Sydney team and meet our amazing volunteers and participants, RSVP to this address: infotakebackthenight@gmail.com
Matthew Collins
Gig Buddies Sydney Social Media Coordinator
matt@assistcom.org
All donations are gratefully received. If you would like to revel in legendary status please support us in our cause to get more people out to live events in Sydney.