Fix the right things in your volunteer program

Understand what’s happening, decide what matters and build what can hold

The program depends on one person. A new system didn’t settle it. A review sits in a folder. When a fix doesn’t hold, the cause usually sits somewhere else.

We work with councils, government departments, parks services, peak bodies and not-for-profits across Australia and New Zealand. Some bring us in for one project. Volunteering Victoria has engaged us for ten, from research that informed the Victorian State Volunteering Strategy to the Transforming Volunteering Pilot, which developed skills across 15 leaders of volunteers.

We organise the work in three phases. Most clients start with See Clearly. It shows you what to fix before you spend money fixing it.

Start with a conversation

See Clearly: what’s happening

Start here whether you can feel the pressure or already see the symptoms. Find the cause before you invest in the fix.

The outcome: you decide from insight, not anxiety.

Volunteer Pathway Design

See where your pathway breaks down. Fix the process, then the system.

What it is

Recruitment and onboarding aren't working the way they should and the cause isn't obvious. Over two half-day sessions we map your pathway from first enquiry to active volunteer, across your teams, technology and handovers. We show where flow stops, where work doubles up and where standardisation will help most.

Who this suits

Each team does its part well, yet volunteers still drop out before they become active. Staff time goes into chasing follow-up. Compliance checks depend on who remembers. Nobody owns the whole pathway, so nobody sees where it breaks.

See what's included

Includes

Two half-day workshops with the teams who touch the pathway, best in person, online available
A current-state map from first enquiry to active volunteer, starting where the volunteer starts
A future-state map with fixes prioritised and agreed
A written report with practical recommendations on process, handovers and technology
Both maps as editable working documents your team keeps

You walk away with:

A clear view of where volunteers wait, where they drop out and where staff time goes
One shared picture of the pathway across every team
A documented, auditable pathway covering placement, induction and compliance
Recommendations you can act on, including what to build into your current system or look for in a new one

From $3,960 inc GST (one pathway)

Working across several programs? We map them together to build one consistent process. Quoted on scope.

Ask about Volunteer Pathway Design

Volunteer Sustainability Review

Will the way you run volunteering hold up over the next three to five years? We look at the roles, governance, systems and information it relies on and take a snapshot against the National Standards for Volunteer Involvement. You see what’s worth keeping, what’s exposed and where to invest first.

Leadership review
For a single program or a smaller organisation. Includes leadership interviews, analysis of your existing volunteer feedback, surveys and reports, a short survey of staff and volunteers, the National Standards snapshot and an executive debrief with clear priorities.

Whole-of-organisation review
For organisations with volunteers across many teams, sites or services. Adds in-depth consultation with staff and volunteers and a map of the volunteer pathway. It ends with an executive workshop to decide what to protect, strengthen, redesign or stop, and a roadmap for the next three to five years.

Need a full benchmark against the National Standards? We run that as a separate review.

Ask about a Sustainability Review

System Review

Before you replace Better Impact or rebuild it, find out what’s working and what isn’t. We audit your setup, data, reporting and user access, then give leadership a written report and a phased 12-month roadmap. You’ll know where to invest before you commit budget.

See what the System Review includes →

“Christine supported an audit of our volunteer program against the National Standards and completed a comprehensive suite of tools to build a quality program with strong supports for our amazing volunteers. I would recommend Christine as a skilled consultant with strong industry knowledge and project management.”
Robina Bradley, CEO, St Mary’s House of Welcome Read more client stories

Strengthen the System: what gets built

Start here when you know what needs to change and need it designed and built.

The outcome: a program that runs on design, not workarounds.

Volunteer strategy

Goodwill alone can’t carry a volunteer program as it grows. Roles drift. Compliance gaps creep in. Effort goes to work that doesn’t serve the organisation’s goals. We set a clear direction that links volunteering to those goals, meets your obligations and respects volunteers’ time.

Volunteer program design

When a program runs on workarounds, every gap becomes someone’s extra job. A program needs working parts: a needs and benefits analysis, role descriptions that match real work, policies that protect everyone, procedures people follow, training that lands and risk and governance that don’t weigh the program down. We design the full set or rebuild the pieces that are missing. We bring change management discipline to the rollout so the changes hold with your team.

Better Impact setup and customisation

We set up and customise Better Impact to fit how your program runs, so the system supports people instead of slowing them down. Many organisations come to this after a Volunteer Pathway Design, to build the improved pathway into their system.

“I can strongly endorse the skills and knowledge of Christine in Volunteer Management Systems and Volunteer Engagement. Christine was engaged by my organisation to provide Better Impact System Customisation & Program Specific Customisation, and her services have provided quantum leaps for volunteer management in our organisation. Christine has been a pleasure to deal with able to provide services to thoroughly guide us in this process in a way tailored for local government.”
Lewis Peach, Senior Community Bushcare Officer, Redland City Council Read more client stories

Build Capability: what stays

Start here when the systems are in place and your team needs to own them.

The outcome: the structure we build, your team keeps.

Volunteer management training

When practice lives in a few people’s heads, it leaves when they do. We build training that gives staff across teams the same language, skills and standards. Topics range from Better Impact essentials and volunteer engagement fundamentals to empowered volunteer leadership.

Mentoring and coaching for volunteer leaders

When one person holds the program’s knowledge, the organisation holds the risk. Coaching builds that judgement across your team, so the program runs without one person carrying it. We sit alongside your volunteer program leaders, ask the hard questions and help them act with confidence on influence, conflict and change.

“Christine also developed important resources for our volunteers and staff to use. We really appreciated our time spent learning from Christine and highly recommend her skills to others.”
Bron Summers, Senior Manager Volunteer Engagement, VMCH Read more client stories

Not sure which problem you have?

If the data doesn’t add up, the same issues keep coming back or leadership can’t see what’s happening, let’s talk.

You’ll leave with a clearer view of where the pressure is coming from and whether you need us at all.

Start with a conversation