The Role of Volunteerism in Social Work Practice: Research Findings on Community Engagement in a Digital Age

This presentation introduces emerging research on volunteer engagement with critical implications for social work leadership, practice, and education. Based on data gathered from more than 250 geographically diverse nonprofit organizations across the United States, the study utilizes the Index for Volunteer Engagement (IVE)—a rigorously developed and validated tool designed to assess a nonprofit’s capacity to meaningfully and effectively engage volunteers.

Originally created through a grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service and refined over time through collaboration between scholars and practitioners, the IVE provides an evidence-based framework for strengthening volunteer infrastructure and strategy. Among our key findings, 78% of nonprofit leaders report that effective volunteer engagement is essential to achieving their organization’s mission and vision. This underscores the need for social work leaders to cultivate a deep understanding of volunteer management as a core leadership competency.

This session will also explore how volunteerism has been reshaped in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and within a rapidly evolving digital and social media environment. While innovations such as virtual volunteering and more flexible service models have emerged, traditional engagement has declined, and new barriers—such as overly rigid credentialing processes and the isolating effects of digital culture—have begun to reshape the volunteer landscape. These trends raise urgent questions for social work professionals committed to fostering community connection and civic participation.

Bridging empirical research with social work practice, this session offers innovative insights into how nonprofits and their leaders can adapt and thrive in this new context. The findings have direct applications for advancing community engagement, informing social work education, and promoting inclusive, equitable strategies for mobilizing volunteers. By positioning volunteerism as both a practical intervention and a vital area of inquiry, this research contributes to the growing body of knowledge guiding social work leadership in a post-pandemic, increasingly digital society.