What Deters Volunteers?

Why do some people come back day after day to serve, while others try it once and never return? According to Dr. Don Simmons, “We don’t have a recruitment issue with volunteers; we have a retention issue.” Simmons gives his Top 10 reasons volunteers quit or fail to perform their services:

1. A sense that their service is not valuable.
2. A sense that they do not matter as a person, only as a “worker.”
3. A sense that their contribution is not as valid as others.
4. A lack of community.
5. A lack of connection with a bigger purpose.
6. Poor leadership and management.
7. Poor communication/direction.
8. Lack of appreciation.
9. Failure to recognize them as a donor.
10. Lack of development of them as a person.

This is taken from Jay Lorenzen's 'On Movements' blog. Jay always has really great nuggets like this- you can access his blog by clicking on his link under the "blogs we're reading" column to the right.