The most recent WFH strategic planning process reconfirmed the invaluable contribution of volunteers in achieving our mission to improve and sustain care for people with inherited bleeding disorders around the world. It also highlighted the need to ensure we are engaging volunteers meaningfully and effectively. To that end, we reached out to our volunteers in the Fall of 2022 to learn more about their experiences collaborating with us.
As we are the only bleeding disorder organization with a global reach, we build community solidarity that transcends borders. A big part of this community solidarity is driven by the passion of our volunteers. Through a survey and focus groups, we reached hundreds of current and past volunteers to qualitatively and quantitatively understand their experiences, and determine how we can improve and build on the rich contributions they already provide to our organization.
The response to the survey and our focus groups was overwhelming. It was encouraging to hear how motivated WFH volunteers are by their contributions to the WFH and to the global bleeding disorders community, and how supported and appreciated they feel. In fact, respondents rated their overall experience volunteering with the WFH as a 4.4 out of 5—and over 90% said they intended to continue their work with us. We are truly humbled by their passion, commitment, and invaluable contributions throughout the years.
The survey—as well as the subsequent focus groups and interviews that were conducted with dozens of volunteers and staff—also allowed us to identify areas for improvement. Based on their feedback, and with the help of an external consultant, we developed a series of recommendations that will be turned into a phased action plan to be implemented over the next few years.
In the months ahead, we will be laying the foundation to clarify roles and expectations, particularly for our volunteer committees, and we will create an infrastructure that will allow us to better track and coordinate volunteer engagement. We will also be looking at how to recruit and train volunteers, as well as how we can better recognize and communicate the impact of volunteer contributions in all aspects of our work.
On behalf of WFH staff, our Board of Directors, and the entire global bleeding disorders community, we would like to thank our volunteers for their commitment to ensuring more people have access to care, regardless of their type of bleeding disorder, their gender, or where they live. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with volunteers, and leveraging their input as we strive to make their experiences as effective, meaningful, and engaging as possible.
To find out a little more about what it’s like volunteering with the WFH, read “Making an impact, together!” here.
