All Things Volunteer Engagement and 2020

All Things Volunteer Engagement and 2020

In this Points of View, Rob Jackson and Erin Spink sit down (well, Rob stood up!) to chat on video about all things volunteer engagement and 2020. In what was an exceptional year for the whole world, volunteer engagement professionals faced new challenges and opportunities of a scale and at a speed that few had ever encountered before. The two authors seek answers to such questions as:

  • What were the most unexpected outcomes of 2020 for leaders of volunteers?
  • What are some of the silver linings that have come from last year?
  • How could leaders of volunteers reacted differently?
  • What's an important lesson to take from 2020?
  • Where are we still falling short?

As 2021 gets underway, this Points of View recording provides a great chance to grab a cuppa and listen (and watch) as Rob and Erin discuss important themes and issues that will challenge and inspire you for the year ahead.

  • Rob Jackson
    Headshot
    Editor-in-Chief Rob Jackson has worked in the volunteering movement for more than 25 years, during which time he has led and managed volunteers and volunteering in education, advice, fundraising and children’s services settings at local, regional and national levels.Jackson worked for Volunteering… Read more
  • Erin R. Spink
    Headshot
    Erin Spink’s interest in volunteers started at the age of six when she pronounced that while it was wrong to eat animals, hamburgers at McDonald’s came from “volunteer cows” and therefore an exception could be made.   Fascinated by the subject, she completed a Certificate with Distinction in… Read more
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Fri, 01/15/2021

Excellent discussion! Within the long-term care community, at least here in the U.S., the pandemic caused the nursing homes to close their doors to all visitors and volunteers. I don't have the stats but many older adults just shut down due to social isolation. They gave up. There is no reason, why a cadre of volunteers could have been trained and allowed to make visits with the people living in nursing homes, except that many owner/operators do not see volunteers as a valuable component of their workforce. You're correct, we need to be forward thinking instead of waiting for a disaster to react. Thank you for all you are doing!  Paul

Wed, 01/27/2021

Thanks for the thought provoking discussion. It is helpful to hear some of the trends you all see and we feel and may not admit to yet: less volunteers in the future? What is our value with less volunteers? Program impact keeps increasing in importance. With all the adjustments in 2020, we (should be) are more prepared to adapt our programs to meet current and future needs. The Pandemic provided the wake up call some of us needed! Keep being the beacon for us practitioners! 

Thu, 04/29/2021

Erin, can you provide a link to the research you mentioned that 60% of volunteer engagement professionals are at the decision make table?

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