Skip to main content
Create an account for suggestions personalised to you and your organisation
Research and Reports
1 minute read

Measurement & Impact: Providing the Evidence that Volunteering is Good for Society and Good for You

Meeting National Standards and Strategy Seal Meeting National Standards and Strategy What's this?

Introduction

Often the focus is on providing the evidence to record, measure and showcase the impact of volunteering. While it has always been important for volunteers to know that their involvement has made a difference, volunteering can also be of great benefit to the individual volunteer.

Summary

This paper explores how we can measure impact through volunteer experience and how these experiences influence volunteers’ future opportunities and behaviors. It also discusses methods of tracking the aspirations and needs of the communities where they volunteer. 2020. It is free to download but asks for name, organisation and email. Available in English.

Benefits for Volunteer Organisations

Volunteer organisations can benefit from this document by understanding the importance of measuring the impact of their activities. It provides insights into different approaches and methods for data collection, helping organisations to validate their contributions towards societal goals.

Application for Volunteer Management Practitioners

Volunteer management practitioners can use this resource to develop better strategies for monitoring and evaluating volunteer activities. By aligning volunteer efforts with high-level objectives like the Sustainable Development Goals, practitioners can demonstrate the tangible benefits of volunteering, thereby attracting more support and resources.

Downloads and sources

More about the author

International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE) creates a more just and sustainable world by enabling the leaders, organizations, and environments that empower volunteers.

Contribute to the Gateway

Leave feedback

Was this resource useful?

Make a Suggestion

If you find a great resource that isn't in the directory or want to provide feedback on the Volunteering Gateway, drop us a line!

More like this

Templates

Volunteer role risk assessment

Template to support organisations to assess and manage risks associated with volunteer roles.
1 minute read
Volunteer Edinburgh
General
Guides

Youth Ready Assessment

A guide to check and assess how well a volunteering program appeals to young people across five focus areas.
1 minute read
Volunteering Victoria
Youth or Student
Research and Reports

Youth volunteering key statistics

Key statistics and insights about youth volunteering participation and trends in Australia.
1 minute read
Volunteering Australia
Youth or Student
Volaby
Tech

Volaby

Volaby is an end-to-end volunteer and people management platform, enabling organisations to do more with less! Built from the collective voice of our volunteer managers using the platform, Volaby helps you automate and simplify the volunteer and manager experience to save time and scale impact.
Volunteer database Recruitment Rostering / scheduling Onboarding / training Volunteer performance/recognition Communication / engagement Task management Compliance Reporting Resource management Event management
Better Impact
Tech

Better Impact

Better Impact offers a comprehensive software solution for volunteer program management, to simplify administrative tasks and enhance volunteer engagement across every stage of the volunteer lifecycle.
Volunteer database Recruitment Rostering / scheduling Onboarding / training Volunteer performance/recognition Communication / engagement Compliance Reporting Social media Donations
VIKTOR Lite
Tech

VIKTOR Lite

VIKTOR Lite enables volunteer involving organisations to recruit volunteers via a range of websites run by local governments, state peaks, local volunteer resource centres, Volunteering Australia and SEEK Volunteer.
Volunteer database Recruitment Onboarding / training Reporting
scheduled

Values Based Leadership

Values should be more than just words on a wall. Well-developed and defined organisational values can shape culture, guide action, and become one of your strongest tools for attracting volunteers.
Volunteering Victoria
Free
scheduled

Paying Volunteers and Board Members: What Not-for-profits Need to Know - Oct 2026

A plain-language legal webinar on paying volunteers and board members, covering key legal issues, governance considerations, and best-practice tips to help your organisation make confident, informed decisions.
Justice Connect's Not-for-profit Law Training
A$49.00
scheduled

Gladstone Satellite Event - Queensland Volunteering Conference

Volunteering Queensland and Gladstone Regional Council invite you to connect with the 2026 Queensland Volunteering Conference through an affordable local satellite event.
Volunteering Queensland
A$38.00