“We need more volunteers.” It is a phrase frequently heard across Portuguese associations, social solidarity institutions, and non-governmental organisations. It comes up when there are not enough people to support activities, when projects expand, or when volunteers simply stop showing up.
But perhaps we are asking the wrong question. What if the problem is not just our difficulty in finding volunteers, but also our ability to make them want to stay?
Volunteering continues to play an important role in Portuguese society. According to the 2018 Volunteer Work Survey, conducted by Statistics Portugal (INE) and CASES, volunteering represents a relevant dimension of the social economy. Meanwhile, the 2019–2020 Social Economy Satellite Account highlights the importance of a sector that accounted for 5.2% of total national employment in 2020.
These figures do not mean that there are enough volunteers, nor do they tell us how many leave their organisations. However, they help us understand the scale of a sector whose sustainability also depends on its ability to engage and value people.
It is important to recognise that people’s availability to volunteer does not depend solely on personal motivation. Job insecurity, demanding working hours, family responsibilities, and financial difficulties all affect how much time individuals can offer. Organisations cannot always overcome these barriers.
Nevertheless, there is one area where we can make a difference: how we manage volunteering.
How many organisations invest time in recruiting volunteers but have no structured process to welcome them? How many enthusiastically present their mission without clearly explaining what is expected of each person? How many only contact volunteers when they need something?
A volunteer may arrive motivated and willing to contribute, only to find unclear responsibilities, inconsistent communication, and little support. Over time, that initial enthusiasm can turn into frustration. And when that person eventually leaves, the organisation once again concludes that there are not enough volunteers.
Could this sometimes be a management problem?
Portugal’s Volunteering Law (Law No. 71/98 of 3 November) already establishes rights related to training, participation, and the definition of a volunteering programme. In other words, the importance of structuring the relationship between volunteers and organisations is hardly a new idea.
The real challenge is turning these principles into everyday practice.
And that does not necessarily require major financial investment. An initial conversation to understand expectations, a clear description of responsibilities, someone available to provide guidance, and regular opportunities for feedback can make a meaningful difference.
CASES also provides resources to support organisations in developing volunteering programmes. The knowledge and some of the necessary tools already exist. What is often missing is the capacity to put them into practice.
Of course, volunteer coordination requires time, skills, and resources that many organisations struggle to secure. But continuing to treat coordination as a secondary responsibility also comes at a cost: disrupted activities, lost knowledge, and a constant need to recruit new people.
Managing volunteers does not mean professionalising solidarity to the point where it loses its spontaneity. It means respecting the time, skills, and expectations of those who choose to contribute.
Perhaps it is time for organisational leaders to stop measuring the success of their volunteering programmes solely by the number of people they manage to attract.
Because an organisation that is truly prepared to work with volunteers is not simply one that knows how to open its doors.
It is one that gives people a reason to stay.
Sources consulted
- Statistics Portugal (INE) and CASES — Social Economy Satellite Account and Volunteer Work Survey. National data on the social economy and volunteering participation.
- INE and CASES (2023) — Social Economy Satellite Account 2019–2020. Economic and employment data on Portugal’s social economy.
- Portuguese Parliament (1998) — Law No. 71/98 of 3 November. Legal framework establishing volunteers’ rights and responsibilities.
- CASES — Volunteering: Framework and Support Resources. Guidance and practical resources for volunteer-involving organisations.