Why Volunteers Matter

Volunteers are the heart and soul of bicycle advocacy and bike community events. They bring passion, energy, and a commitment to making streets safer and communities stronger. But recruiting, training, and retaining volunteers isn't just about asking people to show up—it’s about making them feel valued, inspired, and part of something bigger.

This guide is your go-to resource for building a solid volunteer team that not only shows up but comes back, bringing their friends and their enthusiasm. We’ll cover:

• Recruitment strategies that get people excited
• Training processes that make volunteers feel confident
• Retention techniques that keep volunteers engaged long after the event
• Tools for sign-up, communication, and management
• Pre- and post-event messaging templates
• Standard event scripts and checklists to make your events run like clockwork

Volunteer Recruitment – Get People Excited

Who Are You Looking For?

Not all volunteers are the same. Explicitly define the type(s) of volunteers you need for your event or project. Knowing who you need will make recruitment much easier:

• Passionate advocates who love talking about cycling and safety.
• Event-day helpers who can handle logistics, setup, and teardown.
• Skill-based volunteers (photographers, first-aid providers, mechanics, social media managers, etc.).
• Team leaders who can take charge of different event areas.

Understanding Volunteer Motivations

Volunteers get involved for different reasons. By understanding what drives them, you can better engage and retain them. Here are key motivators and how to integrate them into opportunities:

Social Connection

Some people volunteer to meet like-minded individuals and build community. Try to:

• Encourage team-based assignments where volunteers work together.
• Host post-event social gatherings or appreciation parties.
• Provide networking opportunities during and after the event.

Skill Development

Many volunteers seek experiences that enhance their skills or help build a resume. Consider:

• Offeingr leadership roles for returning volunteers.
• Provide specialized training in event coordination, bike maintenance, or public speaking.
• Shadowing and mentorship with more experienced team members
• Write recommendation letters or offer volunteer certificates.

Making an Impact

Volunteers want to feel that their efforts create positive change.

• Share success stories and impact metrics after events.
• Allow volunteers to see the direct results of their work (e.g., before-and-after photos of advocacy projects).
• Publicly recognize and celebrate their contributions.

Where to Find Volunteers

• Your existing community – Start with past event attendees, bike shop customers, and advocacy group members.
• Social media & online platforms – Post calls to action on Instagram, Facebook groups, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Be explicit in your call to action with clear sign-up instructions and details on what is required. Check out our marketing guide for tips.
• Email newsletters – Your email list is GOLD. Craft a compelling call to action.
• Local universities & high schools – Some of our most passionate and consistent volunteers are high school students.
• Corporate partnerships – Many businesses encourage employees to volunteer.

Easy and Accessible Volunteer Sign-Ups

To attract and retain volunteers, you need a simple, low-friction sign-up process. Remove every possible barrier to entry. The easier it is to sign up, the more likely people will commit. Just asking people to email or message on social media to sign-up can significantly lower engagement. In general, you'll have more successful volunteer engagement by getting as many people to sign-up as possible, even if some are not committed and do not attend the final event.

Quick & Easy Sign-Up Solutions:

• Start with a free Google Form – It's fast, familiar, and effective.
• Need a more robust system? Contact Tempe Bicycle Action Group for assistance in setting up a free volunteer website powered by a free database like AirTable.

The goal is to eliminate friction—no complicated logins, no unnecessary steps. Just a fast and seamless way for people to raise their hands and get involved!

Volunteer Onboarding

A well-prepared volunteer is a happy volunteer. It's helpful to set up quarterly or semi-annual pre-event training session (virtual or in-person) where you:

• Introduce them to your mission and why this event matters.
• Explain their roles in detail.
• Walk them through safety procedures.
• Answer their questions.
• Allow volunteers to socialize and build community
• Keep it casual

Check out our detailed volunteer orientation guide for more tips.

Day Of Volunteer Coordinator

Even if it's a small event with only a couple volunteers, always assign someone the responsibility of volunteer coordinator to greet volunteers as they arrive and immediately get them engaged. The primary event coordinator will often need to interface with multiple groups and

• Walk through volunteer responsibilities
• Highlight important facility information such as toilets, water, and layout
• Identify important procedures (e.g. crash or injury, bike repairs)
• Show them how to handle common situations
• Build excitement & confidence!

Volunteer Check-In Checklist

✅ Have a designated check-in table with name tags ✅ Give volunteers their role assignments ✅ Go over the event schedule and emergency procedures ✅ When possible, try to get new volunteers to shadow someone experienced or assign a buddy system for new volunteers

Volunteer Kickoff Speech

🎤 “Hey everyone! THANK YOU for being here today. This event wouldn’t be possible without you. You’re helping make our streets safer and our community stronger.

Here’s what’s happening today: [Quick Overview]. If you have any questions, find me or [Volunteer Coordinator’s Name]. Most importantly – have fun and make people feel welcome! Let’s do this!

Post-Event Debrief Questions

Take a few minutes at the end of every event to celebrate your success and identify growth opportunities. Make sure someone is repsonsible for taking notes. Consider discussing:

• What went well?
• What did volunteers enjoy the most? What did participants most enjoy?
• What can we improve next time?
• How can we keep volunteers engaged for future events?
• Document impact, e.g. # of participants, lessons learned, connections made.

Retaining Volunteers – Keep Them Coming Back

Make Them Feel Valued

• Shoutouts on social media – Tag and thank your volunteers.
• Give small perks – A free coffee, a VIP badge for next time.
• Personal thank-you notes – Handwritten notes go a LONG way.
• Follow up with impact – Share photos and the results of their work.

Appreciation Events

• Organize a simple pizza night or a group ride exclusive to volunteers.
• Volunteer appreciation events do not need to cost a lot of money or be big. The goal is to continuously buidling positive group dynamics with your core volunteer team. Many volunteers are looking for opportunities to socialize and build connections with others.
• Celebrate wins, big and small.

Volunteer Feedback

• Send a quick survey: What went well? What could improve?
• Encourage honesty. Validate and implement changes based on their feedback.
• Publicly acknowledge volunteers’ suggestions that shape future events—this fosters a sense of co-ownership.

Skill-Building Opportunities

• Offer free training or workshops throughout the year related to bike maintenance, first aid, or leadership.
• When volunteers see personal growth, they invest in your cause long-term.

Post-Event Thank You Email Template

Subject: 🚲 Huge Thanks for a Spoke-tacular [Event]! 🚲 Hey rock star volunteers,

You absolutely crushed it today! Thanks to your time, energy, and bike-loving awesomeness, the [Event] was a massive success. From fitting helmets to running obstacle courses and tuning up bikes, you helped keep kids rolling safely and made it all fun in the process.

We’d love to hear your thoughts! What worked well? What could we improve? Hit reply and let us know; your feedback helps us make these events even better.

Next up: [Event] on [Date]! We’ll be back with bike education and free tune-ups, and we’d love to have you join us again. Mark your calendars!

Thanks again for being the best crew on two wheels. See you soon! 🚴💨 [Name]

Post-Event Thank You Email Template

Subject: You Made a Difference at [Event Name]! 🚲❤️

Hey [First Name],

WOW – you were amazing! Thanks to you and our incredible volunteer team, [Event Name] was a huge success. Here’s what we accomplished together:

✅ [X] Participants had a safe and fun experience ✅ [X] Bikes were tuned up ✅ [X] Smiles were shared, and new friendships made!

We’d love to have you back for future events. Stay connected with us on [Social Media Links] and check out our upcoming events here: [Website/Sign-Up Page]

Thank you for being part of our movement. You’re making a real impact! 🚴💛 [Your Name & Organization]

Best Practices Overview

Define Clear Roles and Responsibilities

• Why It Matters: Volunteers thrive when they know exactly what is expected of them.
• How to Implement: Provide written role descriptions that outline tasks, required skills, and estimated time commitments.

Communicate Early and Often

• Why It Matters: Trust is built through consistent, honest communication.
• How to Implement: Send regular updates via email or text and schedule quick check-ins for volunteers to ask questions.

Empower and Appreciate

• Why It Matters: Volunteers are motivated by the feeling that they are making a difference, not just ticking boxes.
• How to Implement: Highlight the impact of their work in pre- and post-event communications, give personal shout-outs, and share success stories.

Train Thoroughly

• Why It Matters: Volunteers who are prepared will be more confident and better able to adapt when the unexpected happens.
• How to Implement: Offer both virtual and in-person orientations, complete with role-specific SOPs.
• Resources: Check out our volunteer orientation guide for detailed recommendations on organizing initial training.

Provide Adequate Support

• Why It Matters: Volunteers should never feel stranded if they have questions or emergencies.
• How to Implement: Assign Team Leads to small volunteer groups, equip them with the right communication channels (walkie-talkies, group chat, phone numbers), and designate a clear chain of command.

Celebrate and Retain

• Why It Matters: Retention reduces the need to constantly recruit and train new volunteers.
• How to Implement: Celebrate successes after each event and maintain relationships with volunteers throughout the year.

Tools & Platforms

• SignUpGenius – Easy event sign-ups
• Better Impact – Comprehensive volunteer management
• Google Forms – Simple and free sign-up collection
• Trello – Task management for organizing volunteer roles

Final Thoughts: Keep the Energy High

Volunteering should be fun, engaging, and rewarding. When you make volunteers feel like a crucial part of the movement, they’ll keep coming back and bringing more people along.