The volunteers deserve a few kind words for doing their best for every event. That’s why your nonprofit must take the initiative of praising your volunteers. Their selflessness, dedication, and hard work must never go unrecognized.
To show your volunteers that they are valued you won’t have to do a lot. But even a little bit of your work can have a big impact and help you create a motivated team. Moreover, you can use volunteer software to simplify the process.
A volunteer platform is a great tool when it comes to handling your events and volunteers. But it does have some features that can help you express some nice words for your volunteers. Also, by appreciating your volunteers you can build a strong bond. That’s why, knowing and sharing a few volunteer quotes is necessary.
Let’s now see how a volunteer platform can help you appreciate the efforts of your volunteers. Here are a few volunteer appreciation ideas that you must consider.
How to Appreciate Your Volunteers: 7 Helpful Tips
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- A Spotlight Award:
If you have advanced volunteer software you can use it to shine a spotlight on your volunteers. This way you can recognize their great efforts and hard work. You must also recognize their efforts with awards or certificates. Also, you can create various categories to make them realize how special they are. For instance, declare the “The Volunteer of the Month” or the “Most Dedicated Volunteer”. Also, keep in mind that you need to create categories that align with your nonprofit’s goals and values.
- Thank You Note:
Simple thank-you notes can make the faces of your prized gems smile. That’s why, find quotes or words that will help you make them realize their importance. Therefore, take the time to compose heartfelt notes that recognize the specific achievements of each volunteer. Also, you can use your volunteer software to ultimately send them through emails or SMS.
- Share Gift Cards:
Knowing the preferences of your volunteer is not at all easy. That’s why you can choose gift cards for all your hardworking volunteers. Instead of selecting any particular object, sharing gift cards is a smart move. Using these cards the volunteers can collect gifts of their choice. But how will you share the cards? Take the help of your volunteer management software. Attach a soft copy of the card with emails and send them to the volunteers. Thus, they can easily download the card and collect their gifts.
- Appreciation Week or Month:
If you want to make your volunteers feel special then dedicating an entire week or month for them will certainly work. Throughout this time you can celebrate or appreciate the hard work of your volunteers. But how will you make this time special for them? You can plan a series of activities and surprises throughout this period. For instance, announcing volunteers of the day or week, sending daily thank you messages or virtual gatherings are going to make those special days more special. Why not involve your volunteer in organizing the appreciation month or week to make it more interesting?
- Share Vouchers or Coupons:
Give your volunteers some shopping vouchers or coupons to keep them motivated. Moreover, it’s another way to praise their hard work. Using these vouchers your volunteers can buy whatever they desire. Again, your volunteer software can help you circulate the vouchers to the right candidates. How come? You can send emails or messages and share the vouchers with ease.
- Outings with Volunteers:
You can also take your volunteers to some interesting places. When the purpose is to make them feel special, an outing is certainly going to benefit you. This is the time to know your team well and express to them that you care. Moreover, this is also a great scope to build a stronger relationship with them. So, you can organize a simple team dinner, or game nights for your team. Also, encouraging them to participate in outdoor activities may work.
- Training Opportunities:
Giving upskilling opportunities to your volunteers also means appreciating them. So, help them find better courses that will help them upgrade their skills. Your nonprofit can also organize upskilling programs by collaborating with experts. Encourage your volunteers to join these programs so that they can grow professionally. Your volunteer software will allow you to mark the date of the session in the calendar. Also, to ensure that no one misses the training session, send reminders to all.
Endnote:
Sharing a few encouraging words is important because your volunteers are your greatest asset. But sending thank you notes or sharing gift vouchers one by one is not easy. But using the volunteer software, you can complete the task easily. So, check the features of your software and decide how you will use it to appreciate your great gems. Also, keep in mind the tips that we have shared here and you will find it easy to motivate your volunteers.
Appreciating your volunteers is a continuous process rather than a one-time event. Therefore, your nonprofit needs to embrace this habit and keep encouraging them. In the coming days, they will help you write your success story.
