As a nonprofit leader, you know the value of Volunteer work. No one’s got to tell you, but we’ll remind you anyway. Volunteers not only provide a helping hand, but they also foster a sense of community. Of course, that can lead to a greater good for those you serve. But have you ever considered steering volunteer work toward advocacy?
Let’s face it. Chances are countless great causes exist in your town or city. Moreover, you might have others in your area doing more or less what you do. So, how do you stand out from the rest? Well, one approach is to become an advocacy leader in the community.
When you steer volunteer work toward advocacy, you provide your nonprofit supporters with another path to help your cause. And that allows you to stand out! (Get your free ebook, How to Increase and Impact Nonprofit Social Media Marketing & Fundraising)
What is advocacy?
Nonprofit advocacy is like a superhero. It’s the act of speaking out and standing up for change. So, it’s a crucial tool for any nonprofit looking to make a difference. You can consider advocacy like a megaphone for your cause. It amplifies your message, rallies support, and creates lasting change.
In essence, when you and your volunteer work focus on advocacy, you bring your nonprofit’s voice to the government, the public, and the media. Moreover, it’s the process of finding common ground between your nonprofit goals and those of the public. For instance, you could seek to change laws that support your cause.
Further, you could look to advocacy to promote your brand and its work. For example, you could recruit volunteers to write letters to legislators, attend rallies, or even use social media to speak up. Ultimately the point of advocacy is to communicate and organize to bring an issue to the attention of decision-makers or the public. In other words, advocacy is within reach for everyone.
Redirecting your champion’s energy
Again, your city or town probably has several organizations like yours. So, what makes you different? Why should volunteers support you? One answer is to offer a way to get engaged and involved, not provided by others. Yes, advocacy is a great approach. Think of it like putting rocket fuel in the engine of change.
Think about it. Your volunteers already believe in your cause and are passionate about making the world a better place. So, by harnessing that energy and redirecting it toward advocacy, you create a way to expand and amplify your work. And more importantly, you have the chance to get more people involved in the cause.
The fact is that you can spark your community to become change agents. You just have to direct or channel their collective energy into something like advocacy. For them, it doesn’t cost anything but their time. And the deeper they get into an issue, the chances are that they’ll likely become more regular donors of your nonprofit.
So, why steer volunteers toward advocacy? Because it’s a win-win situation. Your volunteers get to flex their activism muscles and make a real difference. And your cause gets the boost (e.g., time, talent, and treasure) it needs to create meaningful change. It’s the perfect combination of altruism and awesomeness.
How to steer volunteer work to advocacy
Wondering how to get started? Well, for one, create a volunteer program if you don’t already have one. Once you have a volunteer effort established, include advocacy work. Make sure to take the following elements into consideration.
- Educate your volunteers: Before you ask your volunteers to redirect their volunteer work to advocacy, make sure they understand the issues and the impact you make. So, provide them with resources and training to help them feel confident.
- Make it easy: Advocacy can seem daunting. But by breaking it down into manageable tasks, you help volunteers feel more comfortable. For example, you might ask volunteers to write letters to their elected officials or share your cause on social media.
- Encourage creativity: Advocacy can take many forms. So encourage your volunteers to be creative. For example, you might organize a community art project that raises awareness for your cause.
- Recognize their efforts: Finally, be sure to recognize and celebrate the efforts of your volunteers. Whether through a simple thank you or a more formal recognition event, show your appreciation to encourage volunteers to continue their advocacy.
Amplify your nonprofit message
By leveraging the voices of volunteers, you can amplify your message, reach a wider audience, and increase the impact of your advocacy efforts. In short, steering volunteers toward advocacy is a no-brainer. It’s like taking a good thing and making it great. So, go ahead, and unleash the power of your volunteer work advocacy in your community.
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