Storytelling in Volunteer Management

As volunteer managers, we want to influence others to embrace the values of our organization. We want them to understand the uniqueness of the mission, the needs of clients, and the importance of volunteers’ contributions. We want to encourage them to join us and to support our efforts.

In this Along the Web, writer Faye C. Roberts explores how storytelling is a valuable tool that volunteer managers can use to help accomplish all of these goals – to inspire, to motivate, and to build esprit de corps. She notes that nonprofit managers have multiple options to reach others with compelling stories, including in-person storytelling with individuals or groups as well as storytelling through modern technologies such as filmmaking, websites, and social media platforms that extend our reach. Roberts highlights some of the ways that nonprofits around the world weave together storytelling magic for effective volunteer management.