How To Celebrate National Volunteer Week 2023 At Work
With individuals becoming more socially aware, the number of volunteers has been rising steadily and the causes that they support have diversified over time. The volunteerism spirit has grown to such an extent that corporations have started to acknowledge and help the volunteering efforts of their employees. National Volunteer Week is a great time to recognize the efforts of volunteers and appreciate their contributions. To help you celebrate National Volunteer Week at work this year, we’ve compiled ideas that will help you scale your volunteering impact.
When is National Volunteer Week?
National Volunteer Week is held in USA and Canada in mid to late April. This year, the 3rd week of April i.e, the 16th - 22nd of the month will be celebrated as National Volunteer Week 2023.
In New Zealand and Australia, it is held in May. In the UK, it is held in the first week of June.
If you’re looking for to keep track of all important celebrations happening in 2023, check out our Diversity Calendar for impact teams.
Why do we celebrate National Volunteer Week?
National Volunteer Week or Volunteer Appreciation Week is a celebration observed across the world to promote the spirit of volunteerism and show appreciation to those who spend their time volunteering. It is an opportunity to celebrate the power that volunteers have in the way our society works. They build strong communities and are beacons of hope that we can look up to as role models.
National Volunteer Week is important because it promotes volunteerism's value and tempts more individuals to participate in community service. Moreover, it encourages a culture of giving back to society and fosters a sense of community among people and organizations. The goal of National Volunteer Week is to encourage more people to change the world by recognizing and honoring the kindness and altruism of volunteers.
If you are looking forward to celebrating National Volunteer Week or National Volunteer Month in your organization, you’re at the right place. We’ve compiled a list of ideas for the National Volunteer Week celebration that you can execute to recognize and support the spirit of volunteerism.
6 Effective Ideas to Celebrate National Volunteer Appreciation Week at Work
- Rewards & Recognition
Organizations can throw specific focus on volunteers who have done exceptional work through recognitions such as ‘the best volunteer of the month/year,’ etc.
Use National Volunteer Week to share the stories and journeys of your most exceptional volunteers, you can even feature a few volunteers each day of the week. When you give your volunteers a shout-out on your social media, you’re effectively helping them with a great networking opportunity for them to interact with like-minded individuals.
- Support the non-profits your employees volunteer with
Give your employees a powerful way to give back to their community. Appreciate their efforts with a simple, flexible matching program that matches donations made by your team to non-profit organizations they've consistently volunteered in the past.
You can also ask volunteers to log hours and then donate to the non-profits volunteered on the basis of the number of hours your employees have volunteered with them. This will encourage them to become more active volunteers and will also give your employees a sense of accomplishment and connection to their community.
- Launch a Virtual Volunteering Portal
Virtual volunteering is a way for companies that want to stay relevant and in touch with their employees. Companies can create a portal and give their employees volunteering opportunities that will help them continue cultivating their spirit of volunteerism.
- Usher in more volunteers
While you are celebrating your existing volunteers, use the volunteer week to encourage more employee volunteering.
By encouraging alternative modes of volunteering such as virtual and hybrid activities, your organization will be able to give equal volunteering opportunities to disabled staff, employees from across the globe, and those who are tight with their schedules.
- Talk about your impact
Sharing impact with wider organization can motivate employees and improve employee loyalty.Also, don’t back out on sharing some of the biggest volunteering success stories on your website and social media.
Share data and stories of your beneficiaries and volunteers and ensure that you communicate the impact your volunteers have delivered, for all the world to see. Your volunteers will be overjoyed.
- Create Feedback Loops
There is no better way to show your employee volunteers that you care about them than to give them a forum to share constructive criticism. This volunteer week, open up a channel (A feedback form, a survey, an interactive Q&A) to help your volunteers express the following:
- What motivates them to volunteer?
- How can the volunteering experience be made more interesting?
- What changes need to be made to the volunteering programs?
- What are the biggest challenges with virtual volunteering?
Practicing this will help the employees feel heard and appreciated. But then again, you’ll need to make sure that you take these suggestions and bring forth meaningful changes to your processes if needed.
So there you have it - effective ideas for you to celebrate National Volunteer Week. We can’t wait for you to start implementing these ideas as a part of your volunteering programs. At Goodera, we work hard to connect corporate volunteers to a world of beneficiaries that need them. We would be more than thrilled if you join us and open up more opportunities to do social good.
Have a fun-filled National Volunteer Week!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is National Volunteer Week and why is it celebrated?
National Volunteer Week is an annual observance that recognizes the contributions of volunteers and encourages more people to give their time to community causes. Governments, nonprofits, and companies use the week to spotlight volunteers, share impact stories, and promote a culture of service. It is observed across the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand.
2. When is National Volunteer Week celebrated around the world?
Dates vary by country. In the USA and Canada, National Volunteer Week falls in mid-to-late April, typically the third week. Australia and New Zealand observe it in May, while the UK celebrates Volunteers' Week during the first week of June. Global companies often align activities to each region's calendar or run a unified worldwide week.
3. Why should companies celebrate National Volunteer Week at work?
Celebrating National Volunteer Week at work signals that community impact is part of company culture, not a side activity. It boosts morale, deepens employee engagement, and gives teams a shared sense of purpose. Recognition during the week also encourages colleagues who have not yet volunteered to get involved, strengthening participation across the rest of the year.
4. How can companies celebrate National Volunteer Week with employees?
Practical ideas include recognition awards for standout volunteers, all-hands showcases of volunteer stories, matched donations to employees' favorite nonprofits, a skill-based pro bono day, and a themed volunteering week covering causes like education, environment, hunger, and animal welfare. Social media campaigns and thank-you letters to partner nonprofits amplify the effort beyond the workplace.
5. What are effective ways to recognize employee volunteers during the week?
Effective recognition combines public and personal touches. Companies can present Volunteer of the Year awards, feature employee stories in newsletters or Slack, and host all-hands showcases where volunteers speak about their work. Personalized thank-you notes from leadership, small gifts, or extra volunteer time off make recognition feel meaningful rather than performative.
6. How can remote and hybrid teams participate in National Volunteer Week?
Remote and hybrid teams can join through virtual volunteering activities, online skill-based pro bono projects, or asynchronous campaigns such as story sharing on Slack and internal newsletters. Matched donation drives, virtual nonprofit thank-you sessions, and cross-office themed days let distributed employees participate equally, regardless of location or time zone.
7. Why should leaders visibly volunteer during National Volunteer Week?
Visible leadership participation signals that volunteering is a company priority, not just an HR initiative. When executives volunteer publicly and share their stories, employees are far more likely to sign up. Leaders can join team volunteer events, present recognition awards, or record short videos about the causes they care about during the week.
8. What is a themed volunteering week and how does it work?
A themed volunteering week dedicates each workday to a different cause, such as environment on Monday, education on Tuesday, hunger relief on Wednesday, animal welfare on Thursday, and hospice or senior care on Friday. This format exposes employees to multiple causes, broadens participation, and helps teams discover which issues resonate most with them.
9. How can companies measure the success of National Volunteer Week programs?
Common metrics include volunteer participation rate, total hours contributed, number of nonprofits supported, funds raised through matched donations, and employee engagement scores before and after the week. Qualitative signals matter too: story submissions, nonprofit feedback, and repeat participation in the months after the week ends indicate sustained cultural impact.
10. What common mistakes should companies avoid when celebrating National Volunteer Week?
The biggest mistake is treating National Volunteer Week as a one-week burst rather than a launchpad for year-round volunteering. Other pitfalls include top-down programming with no employee input, thin recognition, ignoring remote colleagues, and choosing causes that do not connect to the workforce. Employee-led cause selection and sustained follow-through avoid these traps.
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