Changes in volunteering have accelerated as a result of the pandemic. Charity Digital looks to the future of volunteering in a post-COVID-19 world.

In 2021, The Third Sector reported that a total of 12.4 million people volunteered their time for charities in 2020, compared with eight to nine million annually pre-COVID-19.

But now, we’re two years on, two years into a global pandemic. So, how has the culture of volunteering changed? And what does it look like for the future?

Digital volunteering is here to stay

Across the globe, the pandemic has proven that remote working works.

More than 90% of voluntary organisations moved operations online during the pandemic. And

the number of volunteer roles being carried out remotely increased in 39% of organisations. Many saw brand new volunteers, from all walks of life, join their ranks.

Thanks to programs like Zoom, WhatsApp, and Dropbox, professionals including graphic and web designers, copy writers, photographers, lawyers, engineers, and social media gurus, are able to donate their time and specialist skills to their chosen charities remotely.

Not to mention, digital volunteering is more time efficient, accessible, and inclusive than traditional face-to-face volunteering. Indeed, the 2020 Respond, Recover, and Reset survey found that charities that embraced digital volunteering saw an increase in new volunteers from a diverse range of age, gender, ethnicity, and cultural backgrounds.

Digital volunteering won’t replace traditional volunteering

Conversely, in the same survey, 36% of charities said they had experienced a decline in the number of volunteer workers during the pandemic. This was largely due to social distancing and the number of vulnerable volunteers needing to shield.

The loneliness, frustration, and boredom, caused by various lockdowns and periods of isolation mean that a return to face-to-face volunteering will be more important than ever. As most charities know, the benefits are numerous, from improving confidence, to mental and physical wellbeing.

A Guardian article predicts the return to in-person volunteering, stating: “The reward [from face-to-face volunteering] comes not from witnessing results, but from being in the moment, forming a group and feeling the liveliness move from one person to another; noticing people really listen to each other, support each other, respectfully critique each other and work together.”

Nevertheless, the return will be careful and cautious. Charities should ensure that risk assessments are carried out to make sure volunteers and staff are not being put at further risk.

There are a number of helpful guidelines and risk-assessment documents available online and on the government website.

Blanket volunteering will be ’put to bed’

In the early days of the pandemic, one in three charities were being forced to cancel services due to lack of digital skills.

A year on, in April 2021, Further Education published an article that claimed 50% of charities admit to accepting volunteers out of obligation. And “only 40% of charities receive skills-based volunteering but 70% need it”.

In two years, a lot has changed, and charities have largely embraced digital service delivery as part of their long term strategy. The move towards more digital and micro-volunteering in particular has highlighted the importance of specialisation and skill-based volunteering.

According to a report from Independent Sector, skills-based volunteering is five times more impactful than traditional volunteering.

In a post-pandemic world, skills-based volunteering presents an opportunity for charities to leverage expert knowledge without having to draw on strapped budgets. And skilled volunteers can also be used to support situations that require temporary staffing to address immediate needs, including crisis response, financial re-forecasting, and technology support.

Moreover, skilled volunteers can provide vital support to charities as they contend with staffing transitions during the Great Resignation'.