Flexible volunteering: Offer better opportunities to volunteers

According to a recent report by Rosterfy, the landscape of volunteering is facing a drastic transformation, driven by technological advancements and evolving social dynamics. In the UK, we’ve seen a steady decline in formal volunteering, falling from 37% in 2020 to 27% in 2026.

 

But the overall appetite for volunteering has not declined. The next generation of volunteers are simply looking to volunteer in different ways, in ways that meet their needs. We’re witnessing a rising demand for flexible volunteering, particularly among Gen Z, and a massive shift towards digitally accessible volunteering programmes. Charities, if they want to attract new volunteers, need to offer opportunities that tally with their way of life. That means going digital.

 

And that’s particularly true of certain charities. There are more than 45,000 youth-focussed charities in the UK, many of whom are using outdated systems that struggle to onboard digital volunteers. This provides a huge opportunity for such charities, particularly considering their service users are more likely to rely on digital.

 

So, with that in mind, we want to explore the unique challenges facing youth-focused charities and emphasise the need for digital volunteer management software (VMS).

 

Check out Rosterfy

 

 

The importance of digital onboarding

 

Youth-focussed charities have a huge opportunity, as mentioned. And they often rely on younger volunteers: to inform, to support, to define their charities. So it’s crucial that these charities onboard digital solutions for volunteer management, meeting volunteers on their own terms, and inspiring other charities and non-profits to do the same.

Cloud-based and evolving VMSs, such as Rosterfy, serve to streamline recruitment, scheduling, communication, and reporting, improving efficiency during the entire volunteer journey.

 

And, perhaps more importantly, the digital element allows youth-focussed charities to onboard youth-focussed digital volunteers. A VMS provides a seamless, flexible, and digital-first experience that meets the expectations of time-poor tech-savvy volunteers. And, importantly, a VMS promises mobile interaction – a key requirement among younger volunteers, according to the Rosterfy report.

 

Self-service portals on a VMS, often accessible on mobile, streamline scheduling, allow automated shift reminders, and real-time updates via email or SMS. That feature benefits volunteers by keeping them constantly up to date, with relevant information available at a click of a button, and helps youth-focussed charities maintain an engaged and reliable workforce.

 

 

The key to effective compliance

 

A VMS helps charities to meet compliance requirements, which are particularly important for youth-focussed charities, with their DBS and reporting requirements. Rosterfy, for example, provides uCheck Integration, which covers all the checks commonly needed for employees. Charities benefit from efficient safeguarding, which provides complete peace of mind. The digital volunteers benefit because, using smartphones or other devices, they can quickly and efficiently run through the checks. And service users know they’re working with a trustworthy organisation.

 

Youth-focussed charities often rely on funders to perform their vital work. And funders are increasingly expecting compliant and digitally mature charities. The above steps tick both of those boxes. But funders want evidence of good work, too, and that’s another core benefit of a VMS. Platforms such as Rosterfy massively boost impact reporting, allowing you to provide granular and essential data to volunteers, donors, stakeholders, and funders. That’s essential in the modern, digital world, supporting accountability, transparency, and effective reporting.

 

Check out Rosterfy

 

 

Case study: The Literacy Pirates

 

The Literacy Pirates offer after-school programmes, led by teachers and trained volunteers, that give children the confidence to develop their literacy. Learning programmes are developed in Hackney and Haringey, and there’s an online platform for Young Pirates who live further afield.

 

They are a fantastic charity, with a fantastic cause. And they depend on volunteers. Around 300 people regularly offer their time each month to help children improve their reading and writing skills. That’s a huge challenge. And it’s a challenge The Literacy Pirates are meeting by harnessing the power of Rosterfy’s VMS, creating an engaging onboarding experience.

 

The volunteer system greets volunteers with a warm welcome, then encourages them to complete their profile. Each crewmate – their term for volunteer – goes through online training, which details expectations of volunteers and offers advice on getting started. The training is offered as self-service modules, allowing busy volunteers to complete training when it suits them. Rosterfy’s platform enables the charity to track completion rates and simplify data capturing.

 

Background checks are thorough – a vital requirement for any youth-focused charity – but they can be costly. Using Rosterfy, The Literacy Pirates tracked the entire onboarding journey and identified where improvements could be made. They optimised the process so that background checks are only triggered once a crewmate is likely to complete onboarding. This targeted change significantly reduced costs and boosted the overall applicant conversion rate.

 

And, even after the crewmate has climbed aboard, the system works to create a positive volunteer experience. The Literacy Pirates offer a unique reward and recognition programme that directly links to volunteer profiles in Rosterfy. That means badges for milestones, both physical and digital, and other measures of appreciation to the people who have so generously donated their time.

 

The steps Literacy Pirates have taken has yielded impressive results. They streamlined the onboarding process and reduced the general admin. They reduced applicant screening time and screening costs, saving money on unnecessary checks. They reduced training time by an hour. And, perhaps most significantly, The Literacy Pirates have increased volunteer conversation rates by 30%, a massive win for a small, youth-focussed charity.

 

Check out Rosterfy