Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd

@robjconsulting.bsky.social

382 Followers 198 Following

Independent consultant, trainer, speaker and author, specialising in strategic volunteer engagement. Engaging and inspiring people to bring about change. Labour Town Councillor for Arnoldfield, Grantham. He / Him. https://linktr.ee/robjconsulting

I get tired hearing "will Al take my job?" as if that's the brave question. It isn't. The brave question is: if I'm honest about what Al can already do, how much of what I call "my job" is actually just friction I've learned to live with? And if that friction disappears, who am I without it? That question is uncomfortable. It should be. You Must Change Your Life Rahim Hirji
Flexibility is a critical enabler of volunteering for people from under-represented groups, particularly those with a disability or living in an area of high deprivation, with rigid schedules, complex onboarding, upfront costs, and digital only processes often acting as significant barriers.
In short, the sustainability of volunteering depends heavily on the sustainability of its leaders. Ensuring that Leaders of Volunteers are equipped, supported, and valued is not an ancillary concern - it's fundamental. Investing in their growth and wellbeing will not only reduce turnover but will also build stronger, more resilient volunteering programs overall. 2025 State of Volunteering Report Volunteering Victoria
Measure what you can, evaluate what you measure, and appreciate that you cannot measure the vast majority of what you do. And at least every once in a while, make time to take a step back and think about what you are doing. Creativity, Inc. Ed Catmull
"We are never going to address the volunteer crisis if it's individually done by each organization." Yvonne Rodney
With the constant changes in the world today, the go-to solutions that have always worked in the past are not as effective as they once were. Things that were "best practices" even four years ago, simply don't work anymore. New challenges require new solutions, and that means creative thinking.
If you've come to wonder if people still want to volunteer, stop. People do want to volunteer. They are volunteering right here, right now. But they are doing so on their own terms. If you are a part of a nonprofit organization, know that our community members WANT to volunteer. It's your job to make that flexible, accessible, and with systems that move at the speed of community and volunteer values.
The question is no longer just how to recruit more volunteers, but how to completely rethink what recruitment even means in a society that's changed.
In short, the sustainability of volunteering depends heavily on the sustainability of its leaders. Ensuring that Leaders of Volunteers are equipped, supported, and valued is not an ancillary concern - it's fundamental. Investing in their growth and wellbeing will not only reduce turnover but will also build stronger, more resilient volunteering programs overall. 2025 State of Volunteering Report Volunteering Victoria
Wooden blocks in a line with the numbers 2026 painted onto them
“Almost every charity that wishes to fundraise extensively will have a Director of Fundraising on its senior management team. Yet there are many many charities who use volunteers extensively but don't have a Director of Volunteering on the senior management team. There are many CEOs who are supportive of volunteering, but warm words butter no parsnips.” nfpresearch.com
The desire to help hasn't vanished. What has vanished is people's tolerance for rigid, outdated, and uninspiring "offers" that don't respect their lives.
Volunteer Involvement is not about filling gaps or completing tasks; it's about connecting people to purpose and possibility.
When people engage in volunteer activities driven by self-interest, they often bring a dedication, focus and drive that they might not otherwise have offered, resulting in a more committed and impactful contribution. The Case for Selfish Volunteers Karen Knight
“In our haste to develop machines that know everything, we've overlooked something vital: the power was never in the knowing. It has always been in the understanding.” Knowledge Is No Longer Power Rahim Hirji
Total volunteer hours dropped to 1.2 billion, down by over a quarter from 1.7 billion in 2018 and nearly four fifths from 2.0 billion in 2013. In total, this is equivalent to a decline of roughly 451,000 full-time jobs. New Results From Statistics Canada'
For years, many experts in the volunteer engagement field have been sounding a warning that volunteer expectations have been shifting, and the older models of volunteering are losing their appeal. We cannot keep doing the same thing over and over and expect the same results. volunteerplaintalk
More volunteers are casual, giving a few hours a month to their chosen charity, a new State of Volunteering report has found. "This new trend overturns the idea of the 'civic core' of a few people doing the most voluntary work. We're now hearing that a quarter of volunteers in organisations perform up to five hours of volunteer work a month, while only 7% do 20 hours or more" Volunteering New Zealand
Panellists say on stools holding microphones