Volunteering and COVID-19: Time to Connect the Informal with the Formal

It’s a fact: 70 percent of volunteerism throughout the world is done by passionate individuals who wish to serve others and do so outside the framework of an organization or other entity. And during the COVID-19 pandemic – when organizational volunteerism is being reduced or eliminated – this concept of informal volunteerism is on the rise.

In this Engage feature, author Karmit Bulman explains what volunteer managers and the entire volunteer management profession can learn from volunteers who step up to address problems and concerns outside the structure of organizational volunteerism. As she describes this emerging trend and argues that it may be here to stay, Bulman explains why it is essential for volunteer engagement professionals to not only learn from but to reach out to informal volunteers who are caring for those in need now more than ever. As Bulman writes, “Now might be a good time to connect the informal with the formal.”