EPISODIC VOLUNTEERING: A Rapid Literature Review

13/04/2021

Date Published:         2017

Authors:                     Dr Melanie Randle and Dr Samantha Reis

Published by:             Department of Family and Community Services, Inclusion and Early Intervention Directorate

This review integrated data from 33 relevant reports/articles. It included academic and grey literature from Australian and international literature, primarily from 2007 onwards.

Key points include:

  • Episodic volunteers prefer short-term, time-limited, or irregular volunteering opportunities.
  • Episodic volunteers tend to be time poor.
  • Flexibility is extremely important for episodic volunteers.
  • Because of the importance of flexibility, volunteering opportunities that offer options such as job sharing or flexible hours are highly attractive to episodic volunteers.
  • Volunteer roles should be perceived as making a meaningful contribution to the broader mission of the organisation.
  • Episodic volunteering roles should be well defined, designed specifically for short-term work and have discrete completion points.
  • There are a number of effective management practices for episodic volunteering programs; for example, conducting an initial needs assessment for possible volunteer roles.
    • Being personally asked to take part in an episodic volunteering opportunity is important.
    • A range of communication channels should be used to inform people about episodic volunteering opportunities including the internet, mobile applications, and social media.
    • Reasons for engaging in episodic volunteering can be both altruistic (e.g., a desire to ‘make a difference’) and egoistic (e.g., socialising). Episodic volunteers who are involved for altruistic reasons are more likely to ‘bounce back’.
  • Motivations for volunteering vary according to the type of event or cause volunteered for, and recruitment messages should align with these motivations.
  • Older people are often particularly suited to episodic volunteering; for example, they may travel for extended periods (if retired) or their health may be declining, making them unsuitable for more regular volunteering. Other challenges are specific to older, episodic volunteers, including mobility issues and transport. Older, episodic volunteers are often keen to use the skills and knowledge they gained while in paid employment, or to connect with the community they are.

The full report is available here.