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Pack 6: Working In Groups

It can be a difficult and complex thing being a group member and your volunteers may need a bit of help. This training pack will do just that.
Author

Kay Curtis

Resources

Handouts, Activity Sheets & Case Studies

Experience Level Needed

Beginner

Access

Download and Online Access

Duration

3 hours

Price

£
50

What's included?

  • Session Timetable
  • Timed Activities
  • Trainer notes
  • Training material in PPT files 
  • Pre Course questionnaire
  • Training Evaluation form
  • Session extension ideas
  • Activity sheets
  • Case Studies
  • Achievement cards and certificates

Overview

It can be a difficult and complex thing being a group member and your volunteers may need a bit of help. This training pack will do just that.

A two hour session essential for volunteers working in groups – an often forgotten band of volunteers, who may need support to deal with their special role. This can be run in conjunction with An Introduction or as a separate workshop.

Objective

By the end of this session participants will:

- have identified group volunteer situations
- have considered the benefits and difficulties of working in a group
- be able to define their role and responsibilities within the group
- have explored ways of dealing with difficult group situations
- have recognised the qualities needed to work in a group or a team
- have discussed ways the organisation can help and support group volunteers
WHY IT MATTERS

Why motivating and retaining volunteers matters more in 2026 than ever.

📅 Pack content last reviewed: April 2026
✍️ Authored by Kay Curtis · 30+ years' UK voluntary-sector specialism

The Motivating and Retaining Volunteers Training Pack is a complete trainer-led session for UK volunteer coordinators — covering what motivates volunteers to stay, why they leave, the role of recognition and development opportunities, and the practical actions that turn first-month volunteers into multi-year contributors.

Volunteer retention has never been more critical to UK charities. NCVO's Time Well Spent 2023 research shows 80% of volunteers say they're likely to continue with their main organisation — but only when their experience is positive. Among dissatisfied volunteers, only 26% expect to continue. The single biggest predictor of retention isn't pay, conditions, or location — it's whether the volunteer feels supported, valued, and able to develop.

Retention in 2026 also matters in a sector where the volunteer pool is shrinking. NCVO data shows formal volunteering down across most age groups since the pandemic, with under-35s the most affected. Organisations that could replace a leaving volunteer easily five years ago now face longer recruitment cycles and smaller applicant pools.

Stress is also a rising factor. Time Well Spent 2023 reports a measurable increase since 2019 in volunteers citing "it causes me too much stress" as a reason for stopping — driven by understaffing, post-pandemic demand pressure, and emotional demands of front-line voluntary work.

This training pack equips your volunteer coordinator with practical retention frameworks built on current NCVO research — adaptable for organisations with 5 volunteers or 500.
80%
Volunteers likely to continue
From NCVO Time Well Spent 2023 — but only 26% of dissatisfied volunteers continue. Experience quality is the lever.
69%
Continue when development is 'good'
vs only 34% when development opportunities are rated 'poor'. Development is one of the strongest single retention factors.
STRESS RISING
As a reason to stop volunteering
Volunteers citing stress as a reason to stop has risen measurably since 2019 — recognising stress is now core retention work.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Quick answers from buyers like you.

QWhat actually motivates volunteers to stay?
NCVO's Time Well Spent research consistently identifies three top motivators: attachment to the organisation, commitment to the cause, and feeling the difference they make. The pack covers how to nurture each of these systematically — through induction, supervision, recognition, and development conversations — rather than relying on any one factor.
QHow do I recognise volunteers without making it feel awkward?
Recognition that lands well is specific, timely, and proportionate to the contribution. Generic thank-you cards and annual awards work less well than a coordinator who notices and names a specific thing the volunteer did. The pack covers the full range — informal recognition, formal recognition, peer recognition, and the awkward edge cases.
QDoes it cover supporting volunteers experiencing burnout?
Yes. With stress-related drop-off rising since 2019, the pack covers recognising signs of volunteer burnout, having supportive conversations early, and the boundary between organisational support and signposting to professional services. For volunteers in particularly demanding roles, pair this with the relevant role-specific pack.
QHow does this differ from the Supervision pack?
Supervision is the structured conversation framework; this pack is the retention strategy that sits above it. Supervision gives you the meeting; this pack tells you what to do in the meeting to keep volunteers committed. Both work best as a pair — the supervision skill plus the retention knowledge — and both are included in the £295 library licence.
QIs it better to buy this pack or the full library?
Retention training works best alongside supervision, recognition, and difficult-behaviour packs. If retention is your only training need, the £50 single pack works. If you want the full retention framework, the £295 licence pays for itself after six packs and includes all 54+ resources for a year.
RELATED TRAINING PACKS

Retention is the outcome of everything else done well.

Coordinators typically pair this pack with:

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