Valuing Volunteers

The New For Purpose CEO

Have you always had volunteers in every organisation you've worked with? For many NFPs, volunteers are not just helpful, they are essential. With around 5 million Australians volunteering through formal organisations, their contribution to the sector is immense.

In this episode, we explore the role of volunteers in NFPs, from governance to frontline service delivery, and how CEOs can best leverage their time and skills.

Key Topics:

✅ The wide range of volunteer roles—fundraising, events, administration, service delivery, and even board positions

✅ The economic value of volunteering—billions of dollars annually

✅ The benefits of volunteering - well-being, skills development, and social connection

✅ Challenges - managing volunteers effectively, ensuring reliability, and setting expectations

Volunteer Types & Management Strategies

Formal Placements – University students completing research or semester-based projects

Casual Volunteers – Weekly or ad-hoc support roles like data entry, bookkeeping, or reception

Work for the Dole participants - people on unemployment benefits meeting their mutual obligation through volunteering.

Corporate Volunteering – Teams from businesses supporting projects (must align with purpose!)

Essential Considerations:

Background checks – Are police or Working with Children checks required?

Induction & Training – How do you set volunteers up for success?

Workplace Safety – Volunteers aren’t covered by workers comp, so what protections do you have in place?

Whether it’s tonight or tomorrow, Join us as we unpack the opportunities and challenges of working with volunteers, and how you, as an NFP CEO, can ensure their contributions are both impactful and sustainable.

Connect with us:

LinkedIn: The NFP CEO: Overview | LinkedIn

Website: thenfpceo.com.au

Michelle Cutler: Michelle Cutler | LinkedIn

Danielle Ballantine: Danielle Ballantine | LinkedIn