Retaining and Recruiting Volunteers – Helpful Hints

We all know that volunteers mean the world to small animal charities – from cleaning kennels and pens, socialising animals in care, fundraising to fostering and rescuing wildlife, volunteers bring passion, time, and commitment that money simply can’t buy. But in a world full of distractions and demands, how can small animal charities not only recruit volunteers but keep them coming back?

Dedicated volunteers can make all the difference, so here’s some tips for attracting and retaining the people who will help your charity thrive:

Don’t Ask for Too Much and Make it Simple

Many potential volunteers hesitate because they’re not sure what’s expected, so make your initial ask clear and concise, and try to really avoid piling on additional tasks at the first meeting or soon after they start. Try to avoid more general statements like “We’re always looking for help,” and instead say things like:

• “We need dog walkers for weekday mornings at our shelter in xxxxx.”
• “Can you foster a rabbit for two weeks while we find them a forever home?”

Clear, task-specific asks lower the psychological barrier to getting involved and allow people to imagine exactly how they can help.

The People You Know and the People that Know You are Key

You shouldn’t underestimate the power of your current supporters. Ask regular donors, social media followers, and foster carers to spread the word that you’re looking for volunteers. This is importing as word-of-mouth and personal recommendations are some of the most trusted forms of volunteer (and paid) recruitment. People are more likely to volunteer if they know someone already involved in your charity or if they feel they already have a connection to it.

Make it Easy

Keep your application processes as concise as they can be, try to avoid asking too much at an enquiry stage and even consider how easy it is for your target demographic to apply – eg avoid post, anything that requires printing forms, or anything that uses technology that not everyone may have (eg WhatsApp only). Otherwise, you risk losing people before they start. The best method is just a simple online form. The next thing that is important is to be responsive. If someone expresses interest, aim to follow up within 48 hours – worse case even if it’s just a holding email to say thank you and a timeframe for a fuller response – eg. Thank you so much for your message and interest in helping [charity name]. We have a big rescue on this week, but I’ll aim to get back to you more fully on Monday.

A friendly, human response, especially in the first email or call, goes a long way in making someone feel welcome and needed, and shows that you appreciate that they are kindly offering to give up time for your organisation – as everyone is also busy too!

Be Flexible

Let’s face it, the reality is that most new volunteers will not be able to commit as much time as the charity’s Founder(s), Trustees or long serving volunteers. But, that is completely fine and it’s important to not accidentally judge someone negatively because they have other priorities and distractions in their lives. What’s important is identifying what you need, and pairing volunteers to those tasks. Nowadays, many people want to help but can’t commit to very long hours, or even the same time each week. So, where possible, offer flexible roles such as:

• Event support
• Social media help from home
• Admin or data entry
• On-call transport or fostering

Volunteering shouldn’t feel like a second job. Offering flexibility increases the number of people who can say yes – and that’s the goal.

Retention is as Important as Recruitment

Recruitment is only half the battle, keeping your volunteers (retention) is where your charity will truly benefit. Keeping your volunteers engaged and committed is easier than some think!

• Recognition: Say thank you regularly and sincerely. Celebrate birthdays, share success stories, and highlight great volunteers on social media or your website.
• Training and Growth: Offer training sessions or learning opportunities. Volunteers love to know they’re building skills and growing in their role. Many people volunteer not only because they want to help, but also because they want to get something in return – be that feeling good, gaining new skills, or having something positive on their CV. Ultimately it doesn’t matter, again don’t judge this accidentally, if they can do the tasks well and they are trustworthy and reliable, that’s really all that matters – not their other motivations.
• Community and Belonging: Create a welcoming culture. Whenever you can, host regular volunteer meetups, appreciation days, or even a simple WhatsApp group for daily encouragement and connection. These should be much more informal than meetings.

Share Your Impact (Because it’s Their Impact Too)!

People want to know their time is making a difference. Regularly share updates and outcomes with your volunteers, for example whether it’s “Fluffy found her forever home!” or “We raised £500 this weekend at our collection day, thank you all for helping to make this happen!”

Showing the tangible impact of their efforts builds pride and loyalty.

Listen and Adapt

Finally, create space for open and valued feedback. Ask volunteers what’s working and what isn’t. Be open to ideas and ready to adapt. It is fair to say that in the animals welfare world there are some amazingly dedicated people – volunteers and Founders that give every minute of every day to the cause, and often for many years. They have sacrificed everything for their charities. And that is amazing, but it doesn’t mean that new ideas can’t still flourish. Like any role – paid or unpaid, new blood always brings new ideas, new experiences and ideas for discussion – no matter what age or background. When suggestions are viable and low risk, it’s good to take on some of these suggestions, so the newer volunteers feel heard. Otherwise two things can happen – no change, and no new ideas – as people often stop trying to drive positive change if they think their ideas always fall on deaf ears.

It’s Not About Luck – It’s About Method, Planning and Management

Recruiting and retaining volunteers is not about luck, it’s about intention, care, and small management details. With a clear ask, a warm welcome, and ongoing support, small animal charities can build a strong, committed volunteer base that will help you help more animals.

At The Belforte Trust, we’re proud to support the hard work of small animal organisations and we know that with the right people behind you, anything is possible. We’ve so often seen first hand that even the smallest charity can make a huge difference to animals, so good luck – we know that volunteers are out there and we know you can use them well!