The 21st Century Volunteer

nfpSynergy

Free

Although volunteers began as the heart and soul of the voluntary sector, the rise of professional fundraising and the professionalisation of the sector as a whole over the past few decades has often resulted in the role of volunteers being downplayed.

However, as the realisation dawns that the goodwill of volunteers is as valuable an asset - and as formidable a force - as funds raised from supporters, the important role played by volunteers and volunteer managers, is again coming to the fore.

This is an exciting development as it means that the volunteer managers of today are working with a relatively blank slate and have the power and opportunity to determine the way in which volunteering develops into the 21st Century.

Of course, it is not just exciting - it is also an incredibly serious responsibility.

The volunteering experience that volunteer managers create will shape the effectiveness of the sector and the attitude with which the public will approach volunteering.

This report aims to help voluntary organisations understand the current volunteering environment and to anticipate how volunteering will change over the coming years.

In particular, it aims to disseminate the ways in which volunteer management will need to develop in order to accommodate changes in the external environment.

Read the report by signing on at the Nfp Synergy website - a not for profit think tank.