Behind every volunteer, normally there is a volunteer coordinator or mentor. These are the people who make sure that volunteers are well prepared to conduct their volunteer activity, that all needed information and materials are available, that the volunteer efforts are coordinated and well-directed, and that there will be a reaction in case something goes wrong. All over Europe (and the world) volunteer coordinators and mentors design and move forward volunteer programs, making sure that the efforts of the volunteers will go where needed. Our MP4Mentors project seeks to support these extremely valuable people as they coordinate volunteer programs and for us to do that, we wanted to know who are they, what they think and what they need. For that reason we have conducted a survey, collecting the opinions of 235 volunteer coordinators and mentors from Austria, Cyprus, Romania, Spain and Sweden. So, what do we know now?
The Profile of the Volunteer Coordinator/Mentor
Our research results paint a diverse demographic picture for the people who contribute to the world of volunteering. Taking into consideration there are sometimes stark differences in the diverse national contexts, we have reached the following conclusions:
- Volunteers and people working on the field of volunteering are relatively young. Other age groups are also well represented, so programs, opportunities and interventions should not be exclusively tailor-made for young people.
- The majority of the volunteers and/or people working with volunteers, have somewhat limited experience in the field of 3 years or less. While this is not to say that the field is generally low-experienced, the possibility of loss of knowledge, practices and know-how could be considered.
- There is a nearly equal distribution across male and female genders among the people working in the field of volunteering.
- The motivational factors for people to volunteer and/or to work in the field demonstrate an increased awareness of the multiple benefits of volunteering: for people in need, for social causes and for the ones that do the job themselves.
- The field of volunteering might be under-resourced: with a limited number of people serving as volunteer coordinators and indications for precarious situations of paid staff working on volunteering programs.
The Type of Organizations and Volunteers
To understand the organizational context across the entities who promote volunteering and run volunteering interventions, here is an attempt for profiling the organizations and their volunteering efforts:
- The majority of volunteering programs tend to be local, close to the immediate community and aimed at supporting people in need, with a clear focus on protecting and enhancing human rights.
- Volunteer programs vary in their scope, but tend to be rather small- to medium-scale, the majority of which engage up to 50 volunteers.
- Civil society entities clearly look at volunteering programs not only as a way to support populations in need, but also as a way to provide opportunities for development for the volunteers themselves.
- There are policies and practices in place among many organizations for recruiting and training volunteers, but they appear to be limited by the capacity of the civil society organizations and groups.
Skills, Competencies and Training needs
In attempt to identify training practices and needs among people working in the field of volunteers both in terms of topics and in terms of format and support:
- The people working in the field of volunteering are both used to and in want of further training opportunities. The majority of the respondents invest time and effort for further training.
- Training is sought not only to be better at their job, but also to enhance their personal development.
- There is rather a preference for in-person learning processes, but online courses remain a popular option.
- The lack of time remains the most frequent barrier for people to engage with learning processes.
Challenges and proposals
- Nearly half of the people working in the field of volunteering have faced challenges. The gaps in training, resources and insufficient policies, along with the repeatedly identified lack of time, create challenging situations for the volunteering experiences.
- There are diverse needs in the field both in terms of content and in terms of format. Nevertheless, peer learning (building and sustaining a community of practice), practical solutions (concrete tools, practices, including digital solutions), along with virtual resources tend to dominate the demand for different types of training.
To access the Full Report from our global Survey, click on the link below.
About the project
The MP4Mentors initiative, co-funded by the Erasmus+ program of the European Union, seeks to improve the abilities and mindset of volunteer mentors and coordinators across five partner nations: Sweden, Austria, Spain, Cyprus, and Romania.
The project creates resources designed to assist coordinators and mentors of volunteers within various civil society entities such as organisations, associations, civic initiatives, collectives, and similar bodies that provide volunteer opportunities and oversee volunteering programs. These resources consist of a manual and an internet-based training course, focusing on essential aspects of volunteer management like program administration, assessment, advocacy, efficient financial management, and collaboration with businesses.
