Be BOLD. Make Change.

How BOLD are you? Every year on November 5, International Volunteer Managers Day gives us a chance to recognise and celebrate ourselves and other volunteer engagement professionals. It’s our day, when we pay tribute to the creativity, care and courage of all those who lead volunteers. The coming year’s theme, Be BOLD, Make Change, is an invitation to stretch even further, to challenge the status quo, and to take those scary steps that move volunteer engagement forward.

Don’t worry; being bold doesn’t always mean taking big, risky leaps.

Sometimes it just means being seen. Speaking up in a meeting when you’d rather stay quiet. Experimenting with a new idea that might fail — but might also transform how volunteers experience their work. You know as well as I do that the best changes often start small but ripple outward.

A colleague once told me about how he transformed a hospital’s volunteer onboarding process. For years, it had been a PowerPoint lecture in a windowless room. When he suggested it could be interactive, complete with department tours and short meet-and-greets with staff, he met resistance. “We don’t have time for that,” one manager said. But he persisted, quietly piloting his new approach with one small group. The feedback was so positive that the new format became standard within six months. And it didn’t even take that much longer than the lecture! His boldness wasn’t loud; it was steady, thoughtful, and rooted in a desire to make the experience better for volunteers.

That’s one of the simplest but most powerful ways to “Be BOLD, Make Change”.

Fight for the volunteer experience. We often get tied up in the day-to-day minutia; we juggle endless logistics — schedules, policies, reporting — and it’s so easy to lose sight of what volunteers actually feel. A bold leader looks at each process and asks, “Is this necessary? Is it helpful?” If the answer is no, it’s time to change. Maybe that means replacing a daylong training with short, on-demand videos. Maybe it means tossing unnecessary forms or adjusting roles to suit modern preferences.

Another bold move is to claim your seat at the leadership table. Again, it’s about being seen. It’s challenging, and can be scary, but volunteer programs improve when volunteer engagement is discussed at the board level. That may mean preparing a five minute impact report for executives showing how volunteer contributions align with organisational goals. It may mean proposing metrics that highlight quality and outcomes, not just numbers of hours. The more you can link volunteer efforts to the organisation’s mission, the stronger your position becomes. My resources page has a sample board presentation that might give you a place to start.

Change also comes from the way we communicate and the words we use. Are you still talking about “using” volunteers, rather than “engaging” them? Do you ignore it when other staff talk that way?

Making change also means embracing diversity, and I’m not just talking about ethnic or gender inclusion, though that’s important, but actually reshaping your systems to make volunteering accessible to more people. Could you offer micro-volunteering roles for those with limited time? Provide remote options for those who are house-bound? Simplify your application process to remove barriers for those who don’t fit the “traditional” volunteer mould? Hey, change often starts by noticing who isn’t showing up and asking why.

And, sometimes, the boldest step is investing in yourself.

Let’s face it, volunteer managers are natural givers, often putting others’ needs first. But bold leadership means continuing to learn and connect, and to prioritise self-care. Seek out professional development opportunities. Join networks where you can share ideas (and frustrations!) openly. Set boundaries around your personal time. These aren’t luxuries; they’re what keep you strong, the program effective, and the mission moving forward.

Every act of boldness, no matter how small, contributes to a culture where volunteer engagement is innovative, inclusive and impactful. Challenge outdated assumptions, experiment with a new approach, or stand up for the value of volunteers in your organisation.

So, not just on November 5 but throughout the year, take time to celebrate yourself and your peers. Reflect on the bold steps you’ve already taken, and choose one or more new ones to try in the year ahead. The world needs volunteer leaders who aren’t afraid to make waves, to speak up for change, and to reimagine what’s possible. Because when you do, you don’t just make change in your program, you make change in the world. You can do it! Be BOLD, Make Change!