#4 Remind decision makers of key messages
Wherever you are communicating with decision makers, for example in a meeting or by email, remember these key messages as it must not be assumed everyone is aware:
Volunteering is not a nice to have but an essential part of how our society functions. Volunteering is often perceived as a “nice to have” as if it were the icing on the cake, but the reality is that it is a key ingredient of the cake itself. The ‘What if everyone stops volunteering?’ UK report highlights well that volunteering is fundamental to how our society operates, including law and justice, health and care, environment, sport, democracy, education and heritage.
Volunteering is not free - the act of volunteering is usually free but there is almost always a cost in organising it and providing tools and materials for it to be carried out.
Volunteering does not just happen by itself - volunteering needs to be organised and for a culture of volunteering to be established in an area, you need volunteer infrastructure to implement strategic development of volunteering. ‘Volunteering does not just happen by accident’ is a campaign launched in Jan 2026 by NAVCA.
Volunteering must be voluntary, a free choice by the person carrying it out.
Volunteering has a multiplier effect, meaning that changes to the overall level of volunteering lead to a much more significant change for society and the economy. If volunteering grows it has a bigger positive effect for society and when it decreases it has an even larger negative effect.
Volunteering is not just about charities, it is the social infrastructure of communities. People often think of volunteering as just being a formal role within a charity but volunteering is giving free time in all ways, whether it is looking out for a neighbour, helping at a community event, etc. Volunteering is what makes communities strong and resilient.
