Learning patterns/How to retain existing volunteers

A learning pattern forvolunteer management

Learning Pattern Library

How to retain existing volunteers

problemRetaining existing volunteers is as important as recruiting new ones.

solutionRespect existing volunteers, don't be hostile to them, appreciate their contributions, listen to them, create an enabling environment for them to contribute, and respect their time

creator• T Cells

created on16:49, 29 January 2021 (UTC)

status:DRAFT

What problem does this solve?

Why do we need to retain existing volunteers?

Volunteers are the greatest assets of the Wikimedia movement. They create the contents of Wikimedia projects, including the encyclopedia (Wikipedia in various languages), maintain it, and organize several programs to improve the quantity and quality of these project.

It's important to retain them as they are the bedrock of our movement. Every volunteers matter, regardless of color, gender, religion, and race.

When a volunteer leaves a community, the community lose their contributions, and participation. Sometimes, the community struggle to getting another volunteer with the same or similar level of skills, experience, dedication and understanding of how the community work. We must strive hard to reduce volunteers drop-off to the barest minimum.

Volunteers drop-off and lack of good management and retention strategy is essentially a problem to a community that depends on volunteers to thrive.

What is the solution?

Essentially, there are several factors volunteers consider before they decide on whether to stick around or leave the project. These factors includes but not limited to the following.

1. Mission and overall objectives of the projects
2. Benefit of the projects to them and possibly to the society
3. Cultural background of volunteers, and sometimes the local laws
4. People involved in the projects (other participants)
5. Friendly or safe space to participate

See also

External links

• Wikimedia Polska's approach to countering volunteer burnout through volunteer tracking, recognition, mindfulness, fun and cultivating a community culture of care, as shared during Wikimania 2021
  • Session overview from Wikimania 2021 Program
  • Fairly detailed etherpad notes on session