Volunteers are the heartbeat of the third sector—but how do we inspire and retain them in an age of changing expectations, busy lives, and digital distractions?
In this special pre-Volunteers' Week episode of The Charity Show, hosts Tim Beynon and Piers Townley sit down with two of the sector’s most passionate volunteer advocates: Flik Williams from WCVA and Alice O'Boyle from Volunteer Now.
Together, they explore how volunteering is evolving—from flexible, micro-opportunities to family-friendly roles—and why charities need to reimagine how they engage, celebrate and support their volunteers.
In This Episode:
✨ What makes a meaningful volunteer experience in 2025? From awards to personal thank-yous and impact storytelling.
⏳ Why micro-volunteering matters—and how it could help charities reach new audiences and build lifelong supporters.
👥 The rise of family and intergenerational volunteering—and how it promotes inclusion, empathy and community cohesion.
🚨 The often overlooked role of volunteer managers—and why they deserve better support, training and recognition.
🚀 Practical advice for small charities on starting or scaling volunteer programmes, even with limited resources.
If your organisation relies on volunteers, this is an essential listen to help you navigate today’s challenges and prepare for the future of volunteering.
Useful Links
Chapters:
(00:00) Welcome to Episode 26(02:17) The last couple of weeks(09:19) Introducing Flik and Alice(34:31) Third Sector News(43:54) Flik and Alice - Part 2(1:08:58) Small charity spotlight(1:13:30) Coming up next time
Get Involved:
📍 Listen to The Charity Show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favourite platform.
📧 Share your charity’s story or nominate a small charity for a future spotlight: thecharityshowpod@gmail.com
🔗 For all links and episodes: https://linktr.ee/thecharityshow
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