How To Retain Volunteers & Prevent Burnout In 2026

Overcoming the formal volunteering decline Australia is currently facing requires a proactive approach to modern club volunteer management. As organisations demand more hours from fewer people, knowing how to prevent volunteer burnout has become the absolute top priority for long-term survival. By implementing proven volunteer retention strategies in 2026, such as adopting an all-in-one membership management software to automate heavy administrative workloads, clubs can finally offer the remote and flexible volunteering options that modern helpers demand. Combine this operational shift with comprehensive volunteer training and proper recognition, and your organisation will build a sustainable, burnout-free culture for years to come.

If you’re feeling like it’s getting harder to find people to volunteer around your organisation, you’re not imagining it. While the demand for volunteers has never been higher, the number of hands on deck has been slowly declining since the turn of the century. Over the same period, the average time spent volunteering has steadily increased, creating a dangerous reliance on a small group of volunteers who are doing more work than ever to make up the shortfall.

That is far from ideal; it’s a recipe for volunteers to become overworked and burned out. So, today, let’s look at practical strategies you can use to protect your core team, make their lives easier, and keep them around for the long haul.

Quick Answer: How Can Clubs Overcome Declining Volunteer Numbers?

If you are looking for the short version, combating the drop in formal volunteering and preventing committee burnout requires shifting to flexible, modern management. Here is how your club can adapt:

• Automate the heavy lifting: Use membership management software to replace manual admin, allowing a smaller team to do more in less time.

• Offer flexible, remote roles: Let volunteers manage renewals and events from their laptops at home instead of driving to a clubhouse.

• Invest in proper onboarding: Ensure volunteers receive comprehensive training on their roles and your club's software so they feel confident.

Fewer Volunteers, More Work

Since 2000, the rate of formal volunteering (volunteering in clubs and organisations) has slowly declined. Different sources and methods produce slightly different percentages, but all agree on one core trend. The number of volunteers is declining, while the average hours they work are increasing.

For example, insights from the HILDA Survey show that in 2001, the rate of formal volunteering was 23.2%. By 2019, it had reduced to 18%. 

COVID caused an understandable low point in volunteering (dropping to 14.3%). Since then, numbers have bounced back to pre-pandemic levels, but the overall downward trend remains. 

The University of Sydney also researched this topic, and while they came up with slightly different numbers from the HILDA, the narrative is the same: fewer people are volunteering in official club roles.

According to research from the University of Sydney, formal volunteering rates dropped from 36% in 2019 down to 26.7% in 2022. 

As the HILDA Survey noted: "While there was a decreasing proportion of Australians who were willing to be volunteers, the average number of hours of unpaid work performed by volunteers increased over time."

The Burnout Barrier

Fewer people are volunteering, which means the people who are left have to work longer just to make ends meet.

This should be a massive concern. As we discussed in The 2026 Volunteer Profile: Demographics & Trends for Australian Clubs, the biggest constraint stopping people from helping out is time. In fact, 40% of people cite a lack of time as their main barrier, with a further 12% stating that burnout is the primary reason they step away. 

This pressure is actively reshaping what volunteers expect from clubs. The 2025 NSW State of Volunteering Report cited the largest current shifts in the sector as: 

• Volunteers wanting more flexible hours
• A continued decrease in formal volunteering 

The reality for 2026 is simple, clubs are losing hands, and the volunteers who are still showing up are working longer, pushing harder, and burning out faster. It is no wonder they are begging for more flexible ways to give their time. 

While we aren’t at a crisis point yet, the squeeze is absolutely on for organisations that rely on volunteers to survive. 

To put it in perspective, imagine two broadly similar clubs:

• Club A asks its volunteers to drive 40 minutes to the clubhouse just to spend a full Saturday stuffing envelopes and manually processing paper renewals. 
• Club B asks its volunteers to log in to an all-in-one cloud system from their lounges, managing those exact same renewals in less time than Club A's volunteers spent sitting in traffic. 

When burnout is high and free time is low, which of those clubs do you think is going to keep its volunteers around for the long haul?

How To Improve Volunteer Retention At Your Membership Organisation 

I think we all know how vital volunteers are for clubs and associations. I often say that members are the lifeblood of an organisation, and that’s true. But volunteers are the heart and circulatory system that keeps that blood pumping. Attracting and, more importantly, retaining volunteers for the long haul is absolutely crucial to your club's long-term survival. 

Having looked through the latest reports and census data on the state of volunteering, it is clear what modern volunteers want and what drives them away. If you want to keep your people around, there are a few straightforward strategies you need to implement.

The keys to keeping your club's volunteers include: 

• Build personal relationships with your volunteers
• Automate as many of your processes as possible 
• Ensure your volunteers are properly trained
• More flexible volunteering hours 
• Allow volunteers to work from home 
• Recruit younger volunteers
• Make your organisation’s systems more efficient
• Have awards and recognition to celebrate your volunteers

Invest In Training For Your Volunteers 

One of the biggest findings from recent volunteering reports is that volunteers need and want better training. They need clear guidance on what their role actually entails and how to use the technology at your organisation. No one likes being thrown in the deep end, especially when they are generously giving up their free time to help you out. 

Ensure all your volunteers receive proper onboarding so they feel confident in their ability to do what you are asking of them. If you do choose to use a membership management system, the vast majority of providers offer free or paid training to help ensure everyone knows exactly what they are doing.  

Whether your club uses the most state-of-the-art digital system or classic pen and paper, ensuring your volunteers are properly trained and comfortable is non-negotiable if you want to keep them long-term. 

If you use Member Jungle and want to know how to ensure all your volunteers have the right training, check out Don't Let Your Committee Get Lost in the Jungle: A Guide To Member Jungle Committee Access.

Show Your Volunteers Proper Appreciation 

Software and streamlined systems are great for fixing the operational issues caused by declining volunteer numbers, but never forget that the heart of any club is its community. Your volunteers aren't your employees; they're friends who share your passion. 

You need to show them how much you appreciate them. Nominate them for awards through your state's peak volunteering body, celebrate their wins within the club, and give them a massive shout-out during National Volunteer Week (18–24 May 2026). The theme for 2026 is "Your Year to Volunteer," making it the perfect time to go above and beyond to show some love to the people who keep your association running.

Showing your gratitude doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as simple as ordering pizza for everyone to share during a long committee meeting. If your team is spending a whole day volunteering at an event, factor it into the budget to buy them all coffee and lunch. People shouldn't incur personal costs to spend all day helping your organisation. Even handing out a few free drink vouchers to your committee at your annual presentation night goes a remarkably long way toward showing them you care.

Make The Most Of Your Volunteers’ Time & Stop Burnout

If you have fewer volunteers, or they are only available for a few hours a week, it is essential to use their time as effectively as possible.

The smartest solution is to use a digital system that streamlines the administrative processes involved in running your organisation. If your admin is quicker and easier, the tasks you give your volunteers will be less demanding and require far less time to complete. This means your core team will be much less overworked, will get more done, and will be significantly less likely to burn out and quit. 

The main tool that can help you achieve this is a membership management system like Member Jungle. This software is designed specifically to help clubs, associations, and volunteer-run organisations by automating operations and drastically reducing the workload for everyone involved. 

While I won't go too deep into the technical specifics, here is how a membership management system directly improves retention:

• If you have a reduced volunteer workforce, automation steps in to pick up the slack, making the workload manageable.
• If your volunteers can only spare a few hours a week, streamlined software allows them to complete their tasks in a fraction of the time.
• A secure cloud-based system allows volunteers to handle membership renewals, event planning, and emails from their phones or laptops while sitting comfortably at home. As people become increasingly time-poor, removing the need to drive to an office has a massive impact. 

If you want to know more about how this software works, check out What Is Membership Management Software For Nonprofits? - All Your Questions Answered.

What Are The Best Strategies To Retain Club Volunteers?

To keep your volunteers around for the long haul and protect them from burnout, your organisation needs to focus on:

• Replacing time-consuming manual processes with all-in-one digital systems.

• Giving volunteers the flexibility to contribute remotely and around their own schedules.

• Providing clear, comprehensive training for every role.

• Building a culture of genuine appreciation, celebration, and recognition.

What Are Your Next Steps To Ensure Your Organisation Thrives Despite Dropping Volunteer Rates?

I hope this has given you some ideas on how to keep the volunteers you have and ensure that they stay happy and engaged parts of your organisation. 

If you haven’t read our breakdown of who exactly is volunteering, do check it out; it has a lot of great insight into how volunteers are. The 2026 Volunteer Profile: Demographics & Trends for Australian Clubs. 

For more information on how a system like Member Jungle can help your organisation keep volunteers, have a look at  What Is Membership Management Software For Nonprofits? - All Your Questions Answered.