Beyond Professional Skills: Diversifying Volunteer Opportunities

POSTED ON JANUARY 29, 2025   BY COBI SHARPE

© Daniel Thornton

There is a growing trend of working professionals who are looking for volunteer opportunities outside of their career fields. They’re looking for diversity and it’s part of the work-life balance movement.

This shift in volunteerism matters because people are looking for personal growth, stress relief, and the opportunity to find something meaningful to engage in.

Why Professionals Seek Diversified Opportunities

Escape from routine: Volunteers are looking for a chance to step away from their usual work environment.

Learn new skills: Volunteers want opportunities to grow in areas unrelated to their jobs.

Pursue personal interests: Volunteers want to align opportunities with hobbies or causes that are close to their hearts.

Balance mental health: Volunteers are looking for low-pressure, fulfilling opportunities.

Benefits for Organizations

Diversifying volunteer opportunities will help organizations to broaden their volunteer base. It can tap into varying perspectives and creativity from professionals working outside of their fiend. And it can build a more engaged and satisfied volunteer community.

How to Offer Diversified Roles

  1. Conduct interest surveys: Find out what potential volunteers want to do.
  2. Create non-traditional roles: Offer creative, hands-on, or community focused opportunities. Examples:
    1. Community Connector: volunteers could help organize and host neighborhood potlucks, storytelling nights, or cultural exchange events to bring community together and promote the organization’s mission.
    2. Pop-Up Event Coordinator: volunteers could plan and run temporary events like art installations, public murals, or mini markets to raise awareness for the organization’s cause in a fun and creative way.
    3. Social Media Storyteller: rather than standard office or admin tasks, volunteers could help create social media content by capturing photos, writing personal stories, or making short videos that showcase the organization’s impact.
  3. Flexibility matters: Allow volunteers to try different roles or switch when needed.
  4. Focus on soft skills: Highlight how non-professional roles build interpersonal or team skills.

More Examples of Diversified Opportunities

  • Professionals in finance volunteering for gardening or animal care roles.
  • Healthcare workers joining arts and crafts programs.
  • IT specialists leading outdoor activities or community cleanups.


Organizations could start by working on one of the examples above on how to offer diversified roles, and work through them. Changing with the needs of modern-day volunteers will help to build a solid volunteering foundation.