Volunteering: is the word just a massive turn-off

Let’s be honest. The word volunteering has a bit of an image problem. Mention it and be prepared to see people look down, turn their heads and desperately avoid eye contact in a silent plea: please no, not me.  Don’t get me started on skills-based volunteering.

I know what these people are thinking. More work. Unpaid work. A drain on my time. Giving back. Eurgh, it all sounds so heavy. Maybe a bit worthy. A nice idea, but right now I have more than enough on my plate thanks. I would like to do it one day… most likely when I’m retired.

But this is a real shame, as volunteering is far more than the one-sided narrative this word conjures up. And when your whole mission is to try and inspire people into volunteering, this image problem becomes a pretty big challenge. 

The branding gap

We recently ran a volunteer roadshow at an organisation as part of a wider ‘learning at work’ programme.  The people who attended loved it and told us they came away feeling motivated to get involved, recognising the benefits for themselves as well as the charities. 

But the problem was, not many people showed up. A session the day before focused on developing your career prospects had more than three times the number of attendees. 

The irony is, volunteering is one of the best ways to develop your career:

• It’s a chance to build new skills outside your day job - not just technical know-how - 80% of volunteers report improved communication, influencing and relationship skills

  
  

• It expands your professional network — connecting you with new colleagues, peers and mentors

  
  

• It enhances your CV, providing leadership experience and helping you stand out from you peers

  
  

• It gives you exposure to a different sector and insights into how change actually happens in communities

  
  

Plus, it boosts your wellbeing, with many volunteers reporting a stronger sense of purpose and improved mental health.

In short, it’s both CV-enhancing and personally fulfilling — a win-win that’s worth the time investment ten times over.

But none of that comes to mind when people hear the word volunteering.

Skills-based volunteering… or purpose in practice?

ChatGPT gave me some interesting suggestions as to how we could rebrand skills-based volunteering to better reflect that it is not just a one-way street of ‘giving back’

• Skills-sharing 

• Expertise exchange

• Changemaking

• Community collaboration

• Social impact

• Purpose in practice

It also suggest some new verbs which I am not so sure are going to take off… Coimpacting and Thriveworking but never say never.

This isn’t about hiding the fact that volunteering is generous, or about pretending it’s not unpaid. It’s about recognising that the current narrative focuses entirely on what you give — and ignores what you get. 

No one wakes up thinking, “I want to do some unpaid work today.”  But they do wake up thinking:

“How can I get on a board?”

“How can I gain leadership experience?”

“How can I make my CV stand out?”

Which event are you more likely to attend:  “Volunteering 101: How to Give Back.”  vs. “Accelerate your career: Gain leadership experience and secure your first Board role.”  

Changing the story

At Charterpath we are not marketing gurus - we are still trying to figure out the best way to promote volunteering without appearing worthy or preachy. But we are committed to trying to change the narrative by spotlighting real volunteer stories and highlighting how much everyone gains - not just the organisations being supported.

As the summer rolls on, offices get quieter and holidays take-off, it is a great time to rest and also to reset. It’s a natural time to reflect on what’s been working (and what hasn’t), and to consider the kind of impact you want to have in the second half of the year. Sometimes all it takes is a shift in perspective.

Whether you're looking for a fresh career experience, your first board role, or simply more personal fulfilment, don’t write off the idea just because it’s packaged as “volunteering.”

Look beyond the label. Share your skills. And see what you get back.

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About Charterpath

Charterpath CIO is a UK registered charity (1207509) charting a path between non-profits and volunteers with financial skills. Charterpath was co-founded by Alice Clementi and Alex Marsh, both chartered accountants with extensive volunteering and fundraising experience alongside their professional careers. They were inspired to start Charterpath in 2020, after seeing first-hand the unprecedented financial challenges facing the non-profit sector from the pandemic.

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