How to encourage people to volunteer in charity shops

Retail provides around £387 million a year to charities with the number of transactions in shops continuing to increase. This makes recruiting and retaining volunteers for charity shops increasingly important. But volunteer numbers in charity shops have fallen compared to five years ago.

 

In early 2020 there were some 220,000 volunteers working in charity shops – now there are about 186,000. The drop in volunteer numbers is affecting the sector, with some member charities of the Charity Retail Association filling the gap with paid staff or opening their shops for fewer hours.

 

Chief Executive of the Charity Retail Association, Robin Osterley, says that there has been a considerable drop off in the number of people volunteering in charity shops since the pandemic. “Sadly some older and more vulnerable people are still fearful about going out too far and are dialling down their volunteering commitments”.

 

He adds: “This has coincided with the cost of living crisis. There is a greater need for people to make money through second jobs, rather than volunteer.”

 

 

The benefits of charity retail

 

There are a lot of benefits to charities of having shops on the high street. One of the biggest advantages is that it provides unrestricted income. It also gives charities a physical presence which helps to remind the public about charitable causes.

 

There is also demand from the public for charity shops, from those who use them for financial reasons to those who want to support the environment.

 

So, what can charities do to get more people volunteering in their shops?

 

 

Provide flexibility

 

Charities should offer flexible volunteering in their retail shops to recruit more volunteers. For example, Oxfam offers a variety of volunteering roles in its shops, including one-day experiences for companies looking for volunteering for their staff. It also offers activities that are low commitment, such as sorting donations for a few hours or covering lunch breaks on the till for an hour.

 

Age UK offers a number of volunteering roles in its charity shops. These include:

• Social media experts
• Artists to create artwork and promote campaigns on chalk boards that are positioned outside shops
• Van drivers’ mates who travel with van drivers to help them collect and deliver stock

 

Offer micro volunteering

 

Micro volunteering is on the rise in the charity sector. It gives people the flexibility to fit volunteering in around their other commitments. Volunteers can drop in for an hour or two rather than do regular shifts.

 

The British Heart Foundation has seen an increase in micro volunteering, with younger volunteers working ad hoc hours in their shops.

 

Age UK also offers flexible hours in its charity shops. Nick Smith, Retail Director at Age UK, says: “Even if somebody has just an hour a week spare, we can always find them a task to do that will make them feel valued and that they are giving back.”

 

 

Provide an insight into volunteering

 

It’s a good idea to offer taster sessions so people can get an idea of what it’s like to volunteer with your charity before signing up to help. Age UK and Oxfam both offer taster sessions for people who are interested in volunteering in their shops.

 

 

Make the volunteering process accessible 

 

When charities onboard new volunteers, Osterley advises that they set up an online process for this. “Don’t ask people to fill out long and cumbersome forms as they may get bored and go away,” explains Osterley. “Doing the basics on an app or website can make it much easier.”

 

Oxfam has tried to make its application and onboarding process as simple and accessible as possible. It lists opportunities online and provides application and onboarding materials in a variety of languages to suit different individuals.

 

 

Promote volunteering

 

It’s important for charities to promote volunteering opportunities in their shops. This includes running marketing campaigns, which is what Oxfam does. The charity uses campaigns to inform people about the benefits and impact of volunteering.

 

A spokesperson for Oxfam says: “We make sure we have posters with QR codes and links inside our shops too, which is often where our volunteers first hear about opportunities. These posters can flag specific opportunities and details for getting involved.”

 

Charities should make sure their communications promote the benefits of volunteering in shops. The British Heart Foundation says the benefits of volunteering include meeting new people, getting involved in creative tasks such as decorating chalk boards outside of shops, and improving someone’s mental health.

 

 

Support volunteers

 

In the same way charities support employees and give them training to do their jobs, they should look after their volunteers. This will make volunteers feel supported and happy. It will also help to prepare them to do their roles and make them feel more confident completing tasks.

 

As well as training, there are other ways to support volunteers. People volunteering in The Salvation Army charity shops can access a 24-hour employee assistance programme to get free confidential support. They are also nominated for awards and recognised for their work.