Celebrating International Volunteer Managers Day: Honouring Those Who Empower Others

Each year on 5th November, we celebrate International Volunteer Managers Day, a moment to recognise the incredible people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to support, guide, and champion volunteers. These individuals play a vital role in building strong, caring communities by helping others to give their time, skills, and compassion where it’s needed most.

Volunteer managers are the bridge between organisations and the people who want to make a difference. They nurture confidence, provide direction, and ensure that volunteers feel valued and supported throughout their journey. To mark this special day, we spoke with Sarah-Jayne McClane, Senior Volunteer Coordinator from Hertfordshire Mind Network, to hear her reflections on the role and what it means to her.

What does being a Volunteer Manager mean to you?

Being a volunteer manager is both a challenge and highly rewarding work. It is a real privilege to walk alongside someone from the start of their volunteer journey to finish and everything in between. Volunteering is such a needed part of the vital work we do.

Can you share a moment or achievement that made you particularly proud of your volunteers or team?

There have been several volunteers who have gone onto paid employment within Mind, it is always really heartwarming to see this transition, especially when they have gone full circle and started as a client, progressing to volunteer and then moved onto paid employment.

What do you find most rewarding and most challenging about managing volunteers?

I think the most rewarding aspects of the job are seeing how volunteering is so impactful both in the lives of clients and the volunteers themselves. It is often overlooked, but can play a major role in an individual’s wellbeing. Some of the more challenging aspects of the job can be trying to expand and change the way we work to encompass the growth of Hertfordshire Mind Network. We now have over 160 volunteers so as a volunteer team we need to constantly evolve to meet the needs of all our volunteers and the clients they support.

How do you see the role of volunteering evolving within your organisation or the wider community?

Volunteering is now becoming much more of a ‘bread and butter’ service. Particularly within HMN we are seeing a really high calibre of volunteers, with a wealth of experience doing a variety of different roles within our organisation. This could be compared to a picture in the past where there would be few volunteers, in a small number of roles.

Recognising the Heart of Volunteer Management

Sarah-Jayne’s insights perfectly capture what Volunteer Managers Day is all about - celebrating the dedication, care, and leadership that go into supporting others. Her reflections remind us that behind every successful volunteer programme are people like her, working passionately to ensure that volunteers feel empowered and valued.

So today, on International Volunteer Managers Day, we extend a heartfelt thank you to all the volunteer managers, coordinators, and leaders who make volunteering possible. Your work strengthens communities, changes lives, and inspires others to give back.