Member Article

Using Direct Mail to mobilise volunteers

Volunteering levels hit a recent high during the Covid-19 pandemic according to a new government report.

The latest Community Life Survey, an annual exercise that polls more than 10,000 people in England about a range of subjects relating to community activity, shows that 33 per cent of respondents said they had been involved in informal volunteering at least once a month in 2020/21.

The figure is the highest rate since the survey began eight years ago and up five percentage points on last year.

Whilst the proportion of people who said they had been involved at least once a month in formal volunteering fell six percentage points year on year, due to lockdowns, overall, the proportion of people who said they had been involved in formal or informal volunteering rose two percentage points over the past 12 months to 41 per cent, the highest level since 2014/15.

The survey also showed the proportion of people who agreed that people in their neighbourhood pulled together to help the community was up six percentage points year on year to 65 per cent.

Clearly, the pandemic has had a positive impact on community spirit and people are now more inclined than ever to donate their time.

For charities volunteers are an important labour source – but many charities are not experiencing the full benefits. The survey shows thousands of hours of untapped resource as many people don’t know how to get involved with their favourite charities.

There is a clear opportunity for charities to mobilise this desire to volunteer by sending their supporters information on how to get involved.

A new marketing campaign by Royal Mail showcases the benefits of direct mail. Its unique ability to engage with individuals and tell complex stories makes it the perfect channel for charities to outline the opportunities for supporters to lend their time.

Nick Hames, The Production Hub

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by The Production Hub .