Chapter 12: Giving Volunteers and Team Members a Voice
A nonprofit’s public story should not be told only by its founder or executive director. Volunteers, staff members, board members, program leaders, interns, advisers, and community partners often experience the mission from different perspectives. Their stories can reveal how the organization operates, why people choose to become involved, and what the work means to those carrying it forward.
Giving volunteers and team members a voice helps audiences see the human side of nonprofit work. A mission statement may explain what an organization intends to accomplish, while a volunteer story can show what participation looks like in practice. A staff member can describe the commitment required to deliver a program, and a board member can explain how professional expertise supports the nonprofit’s long-term development.
These perspectives can make a nonprofit more relatable to potential volunteers, employees, donors, sponsors, businesses, professionals, institutions, and community partners. They also show that the organization is supported by a team rather than defined entirely by one leader.
Volunteer stories are particularly valuable because volunteers can explain why they decided to contribute their time. Some may have a personal connection to the cause. Others may want to serve their community, meet people, develop skills, use their professional expertise, or support an issue they consider important.
A compelling volunteer story can explore several questions:
- How did the volunteer first learn about the nonprofit?
- Why did the mission appeal to them?
- What responsibilities do they perform?
- What have they learned through the experience?
- What has surprised or inspired them?
- What would they tell someone considering volunteering?
Specific examples make these stories credible. Instead of publishing a general statement such as “Volunteering here is very rewarding,” explain what the person actually does. A volunteer might mentor students twice a month, deliver groceries to older adults, photograph community events, translate educational materials, assist with fundraising, maintain the website, or provide professional advice.
Staff perspectives can offer a deeper understanding of the nonprofit’s daily work. Program employees may see challenges and achievements that senior leaders do not encounter directly. A volunteer coordinator can describe how community members become involved. A case manager can explain the care required when helping families navigate services. A communications employee can discuss how the organization educates the public about an overlooked issue.
Team stories should not present nonprofit work as effortless. Staff and volunteers may face increasing demand, limited resources, emotional challenges, scheduling difficulties, or complicated community needs. Discussing these realities appropriately can help audiences appreciate the dedication behind the mission. However, public stories should not disclose confidential workplace matters, private beneficiary information, or internal disagreements.
Board members and professional advisers can also contribute useful perspectives. An accountant may discuss the importance of responsible financial oversight. An attorney might explain why governance and compliance matter. A healthcare professional, educator, researcher, or technology expert can show how specialized knowledge strengthens the nonprofit’s programs. These stories can encourage other professionals to consider skills-based volunteering or advisory roles.
When inviting team members to share their experiences, participation should be voluntary. Employees and volunteers should never feel that public storytelling is a condition of continued involvement. Explain where the story, photograph, quotation, or video may appear and obtain appropriate permission before publication.
People should also have a reasonable opportunity to review quotations attributed to them. Editing for clarity or length may be necessary, but the final wording should preserve the speaker’s meaning. Avoid transforming an honest reflection into exaggerated praise or a promotional claim the person did not make.
Privacy deserves special attention when team stories involve beneficiaries. A volunteer may be eager to describe a meaningful interaction, but that does not automatically authorize the nonprofit to reveal another person’s identity or circumstances. Names, photographs, health information, immigration status, financial difficulties, family histories, and other sensitive details should not be shared without proper permission.
Even when identifying information is removed, the nonprofit should consider whether people within the community could recognize the individual from the circumstances. Stories can often focus on what the volunteer learned or contributed without exposing the beneficiary.
Organizations should also represent the full team fairly. Featuring only executives or the most socially connected volunteers can make other contributors feel invisible. Consider highlighting people from different programs, roles, professional backgrounds, ages, cultures, and lengths of service. Recognition should reflect genuine participation rather than popularity.
A nonprofit can share team voices in many formats. A written volunteer spotlight can introduce one person’s experience. A featured story can include quotations from several staff members. A video conversation can bring together a founder, program leader, volunteer, and subject-matter expert. Educational articles can allow team members to share knowledge gained through their work.
Sanj Talks can help nonprofits highlight volunteers and team members through written interviews, featured stories, talk shows, videos, educational content, digital visibility, and community conversations. A volunteer may discuss why they became involved, while a program leader explains how that contribution supports the broader mission. A professional adviser can help audiences understand the expertise needed behind the scenes.
Local nonprofit representatives may also participate in Sanj Talks events, where they can meet business owners, professionals, community leaders, and other organizations. Nonprofits operating elsewhere may use written and digital storytelling opportunities to introduce their teams to broader audiences.
Before approaching Sanj Talks, identify several people whose experiences represent different aspects of the organization. Prepare accurate biographies, role descriptions, approved photographs, quotations, and specific examples of their contributions. Confirm that each participant understands the purpose and scope of the feature or interview.
Team stories can also strengthen volunteer recruitment. People considering involvement often want to know what they would do, how much time would be required, what support they would receive, and whether their contribution would be meaningful. Honest accounts from current volunteers can answer these questions more convincingly than a general recruitment message.
Visibility through Sanj Talks does not guarantee volunteers, donors, sponsors, partnerships, or other results. It can, however, help people understand the range of individuals behind a nonprofit and recognize possible ways to participate.
Every nonprofit is built through human effort. When volunteers and team members are invited to speak with honesty, dignity, and appropriate safeguards, their experiences can show that the mission is not merely an organizational statement. It is work performed by real people—and an opportunity for others to contribute their time, knowledge, and commitment.
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