Resonate With Stories: Empowering Volunteers Through Connection

Volunteering isn’t broken.

But it has been buried—beneath a heap of forms, policies, frameworks, and metrics that sometimes forget the very people they’re meant to serve.

What if we flipped the lens?

What if instead of asking how many hours were clocked, we asked what stories emerged from those hours?

Because volunteers don’t show up for forms.

They show up for meaning.

They show up to feel part of something larger—something human.

At Firefly, we don’t build programs. We build people. And we do it through stories that inspire, connect, and elevate every voice in the room. Volunteers aren’t just helping out. They’re the heartbeat of the story we’re writing together.

We believe the most powerful thing we can offer a volunteer isn’t a checklist. It’s a narrative they can step into. Not a task list, but a role in a bigger mission. Our approach is simple: people stay where their stories are heard, honoured, and shared.

Why Storytelling Is the Future of Volunteer Engagement

Belonging Starts With Recognition

People want to see their values in action—and themselves in the centre of the story. Volunteering becomes transformative when it's not just something someone does, but something they are part of.

Research from Volunteering Australia highlights that emotional connection is one of the biggest predictors of long-term volunteer commitment. When volunteers hear stories they can relate to—or see their own story being told—they stay. Not out of obligation, but because it resonates.

Shared Stories Build Stronger Communities

Stories are glue. They connect people across backgrounds, ages, and lived experiences. That’s especially true in volunteer spaces, where people often join without knowing anyone, driven only by a sense of purpose.

As seen in the community-first model championed by GoVolunteer, storytelling plays a role in bridging those initial gaps. Volunteers who hear how others have overcome challenges, contributed to impact, or found belonging in their roles are more likely to invest their time and energy authentically.

Authenticity Beats Optics Every Time

Polished stories are fine. But real stories—the awkward moments, the small wins, the quiet impact—are what linger. These are the stories that stick with people long after the project ends.

The team at Volunteering Victoria emphasises this in their learning and development programs: real stories help move beyond the idea of “helping” into the territory of belonging and becoming.

Creating a Story-Driven Culture: How to Start

1. Make Storytelling a Habit, Not a Highlight

Stories shouldn’t live only in newsletters or end-of-year reports. They should be embedded into everyday rhythms—shared at team check-ins, reflected in internal chats, written in debriefs, and spoken aloud in volunteer huddles.

We embed these moments throughout our own rhythm. Our newsletter series is built not just to inform but to remind every volunteer of the story they’re helping to shape—week by week, project by project.

2. Turn Volunteers Into Storytellers

Don’t just tell stories about your volunteers—invite them to tell their own. Whether it’s a one-minute voice note, a snapshot and quote, or a reflection scribbled in a journal—every person has something worth sharing.

On platforms like VolunteerMatch, storytelling is treated as a skill, not an afterthought. Volunteers are supported to own their narratives and share why they do what they do, in their own words.

3. Focus on the ‘Why’, Not the Role

Every role—from admin support to campaign lead—has a ripple effect. Help volunteers trace the thread between what they’re doing and who it’s helping. When they understand why it matters, they give more of themselves.

In our insights and stories hub, this ethos comes alive through raw, first-person accounts. Some of the most powerful entries come from volunteers who didn’t think their story was worth sharing—until they saw how deeply it resonated with someone else.

4. Celebrate Micro-Moments, Not Just Major Milestones

Not every story has to be epic. Sometimes, it’s a quiet moment—someone stepping outside their comfort zone, showing up consistently, learning something new. These small moments build the culture. They deserve to be seen.

This practice of micro-recognition is at the heart of UN Volunteers, who regularly highlight brief, personal reflections from volunteers in over 150 countries. These snapshots remind us that impact doesn’t need to be grand—it just needs to be real.

5. Use Feedback as Fuel for New Stories

When you listen, you uncover the stories you weren’t expecting. Feedback isn’t just about improvement—it’s about discovery. What do your volunteers wish more people knew? What surprised them? What made them proud?

Through our volunteer surveys, we’ve unearthed countless moments that have reshaped how we recruit, communicate, and show gratitude. Listening leads to richer storytelling—and storytelling, in turn, deepens that listening.

Moving From Transactional to Transformational

Many organisations still treat volunteering as a transactional act: here’s the task, here’s the timeframe, thank you and goodbye. But the organisations building movements—the ones that last—are the ones that see volunteering as part of identity formation.

As outlined in the Centre for Volunteering NSW research, people are no longer just looking to give back. They’re looking to belong forward—to align their time with their values and to connect with others who share those values through lived action.

This Is the Story That Resonates

When people tell others they volunteer with your organisation, what story are they telling?

Is it just a list of tasks? Or is it a moment of pride? A spark of transformation? A connection to something meaningful?

This is the challenge—and the invitation.

To build something that resonates, not just functions. To invite people into a story they’d be proud to retell. To make every single volunteer feel like their chapter matters.

Because when we build a culture that leads with real stories, we don’t just keep people around longer—we build something worth staying for.

This Is the Power of Story

Your volunteers don’t need more to-dos. They need more whys.

They need to hear, “Because of you, this happened.” 

They need to see, “Your effort changed someone’s story.” 

They need to feel, “You’re not a number. You’re a name—and a vital part of our journey.”

At Firefly, we don’t just tell stories—we build movements around them. Because when a story resonates, it doesn’t just inspire action. It creates legacy.

Tell the stories that matter. And let your volunteers see themselves in every word.