2020 Annual Volunteer Satisfaction Survey

In November 2020 we solicited annual feedback from our over 2,000 volunteers. This input is critical to our programs’ health and our volunteers’ responses inform the next year’s priorities and decisions. Below are highlights from the latest Annual Volunteer Satisfaction Survey. For the full report please click the PDF.

Overall Satisfaction and Volunteer Program Progress in 2020

• Overall volunteer satisfaction continued to be high at 96% in 2020. Dissatisfaction increased slightly (4% in 2020 vs. 2% in 2019) but respondents who were “very satisfied” increased by 9% in 2020 (77%) compared to 2019 (68%).
• Despite the pandemic, 38% of respondents perceived that the volunteer program improved in the last year. Additionally, those satisfied with staff support were increasingly “very satisfied” (73%) compared to 2019 (66%) and 2018 (61%). Overall satisfaction with staff support continued to be high at 93%. Volunteer leaders specifically commented that they felt increased support in 2020.
• One of our biggest successes this year was our Digital Engagement Initiative. 96% of respondents who attended webinars found them to be useful and 94% want us to continue webinars.
• Of those respondents who attended group events under our COVID-19 Protocols, the vast majority (97%) felt comfortable.
• More volunteers ‘strongly agreed’ that the Trail Conference widely articulates applicable policies and procedures in 2020 (59%) compared to previous years (44% in 2018 and 2019). Overall agreement was high at 90%.
• Feelings of appreciation from the Trail Conference organization as a whole increased by 10.6% from 2019 (42%) to 2020 (53%). We will continue working to raise this.

Areas for Improvement Identified

• Volunteer training and skills building is an area we will continue improving. 94% of those who attended a webinar want to see the program continue and have online learning be built out. Additionally, many volunteers continue to request more opportunities for growth and learning. We are evaluating how to refine digital learning and our catalogue of in-person workshop opportunities.
• Many volunteers noted they feel disconnected because they don’t have a volunteer leader for their region or their current leader is not communicative. Recruitment to fill vacant leadership positions will be a key priority in 2021 and we hope this will improve not only the disconnection felt by those with no leader, but that these open positions will provide the growth opportunities so many are looking for. In addition to recruitment, we will also improve the onboarding and training of leaders since there is not a sufficiently structured and streamlined process. A more robust onboarding process will set new leaders up for success and ensure they all know expectations of the role, such as proactively and openly communicating with their team members.
• Feelings of appreciation from the Trail Conference organization as a whole increased by 10.6% from 2019 (42%) to 2020 (53%), however this percentage needs to continue to grow so that all volunteers know just how much we value them. In response to 2019 survey recommendations we had planned more social and appreciation events in 2020, however due to the pandemic we were unable to implement these events like we had planned. If conditions improve with the pandemic in 2021 we will revisit those plans. In lieu of in-person events we will continue to find digital ways to demonstrate our gratitude.