Beyond Surveys: Practical Ways to Hear Volunteer Voices

Home Leading Volunteers Resources and Knowledge Library Beyond Surveys: Practical Ways to Hear Volunteer Voices

Small conversations can create meaningful insight

Many organisations already measure activities to show what you did.

Measuring impact is the next step in understanding and sharing the difference that has been made.  

Evaluation isn’t about ticking boxes; it’s about learning from what’s working, strengthening volunteer engagement, and deepening the good you’re already doing.

Measuring change and impact helps organisations explore practical, people-centred evaluation approaches.

Community work isn’t easily reduced to numbers, and it shouldn’t be.

Types of data

The type of data you choose to capture supports your organisation to understand the difference your volunteer program is making. Each have their own benefits, with there being three main types:

  • Quantitative (numbers based) – collects data you can count or measure. Examples: surveys, attendance logs, or participation hours.
  • Qualitative (stories and experiences) – gathers detailed insights about people’s views, experiences, and feelings. Examples: interviews, focus groups or observations.
  • Mixed method – combines both numbers and stories for a fuller picture.
Creative ways to capture impact and volunteer experiences

Photovoice

Ask participants to take and share photos using prompts such as:

  • Capture something that represents a challenge you have experienced.
  • Take a photo of something that makes you feel connected or supported.
  • Take a photo of what volunteering means to you at [organisation].

Use open questions and allow participants to interpret prompts in their own way. The discussion after the photos is often where the richest insights emerge.

Great for: capturing stories, emotion, belonging, confidence, and community impact

Feedback Walls

Set up a wall, board, or butcher’s paper with prompts like:

  • What is one thing that you learned today?
  • What should we do differently?
  • What changed for you?

Participants can add sticky notes anonymously or as a group. The notes can then be grouped and themed to understand the impact of events or workshops.

Great for: real-time workshop feedback and inclusive participation.

Journey Mapping

Invite participants to map their experience over time using:

  • Key moments or milestones
  • Highs and lows
  • Challenges and achievements
  • Turning points or moments of growth

Use prompts such as:

  • When did you feel most connected or confident?
  • What helped you continue through challenges?

Journey maps can be created individually or as a group using drawings, timelines, words, or symbols.

Great for: understanding change over time, identifying barriers and supports, and exploring personal growth and experiences.

Storytelling

Invite participants to share short stories, reflections, or moments that capture their experiences and the changes they have noticed. Use prompts such as:

  • Share a moment that felt meaningful.
  • What changed for you through this experience?
  • What is something you will remember?

Stories can be shared verbally, written down, illustrated, or recorded in audio or video format.

Great for: capturing lived experience, emotion, personal insight, and meaningful examples of change and impact.

Dot Voting

Write questions, ideas, or feedback themes on a board or wall and invite participants to place dots or stickers beside the responses that resonate most. Use prompts such as:

  • What had the biggest impact?
  • What should we focus on more?
  • What challenges are most important to address?

Encourage participants to reflect before voting and discuss any patterns or surprises as a group.

Great for: identifying shared priorities, encouraging participation, and quickly highlighting common experiences or themes.

Reflection Circles

Bring participants together in small groups or circles to reflect on their experiences through guided conversation. Use prompts such as:

  • What is something you learned or discovered?
  • What challenged you?
  • What are you taking away from this experience?

Create a safe and respectful space where participants can share openly and listen to different perspectives.

Great for: building connection, capturing diverse perspectives, and encouraging deeper reflection and shared learning.

Closing the loop

Closing the loop means sharing what you’ve learned, using the findings to make improvements and recognising everyone who contributed – especially volunteers. It’s the step that turns measurement into meaningful change and shows your commitment to open, inclusive engagement.

Closing the loop moves your evaluation from insight to action.

  • It ensures findings lead to real improvements, not just discussion.
  • It shows your organisation values feedback and is willing to act on it.
  • It can give stakeholders a sense of connection, and satisfaction about the role they have played in effecting change.
  • It builds accountability with clear roles, timelines, and follow-up actions.
  • It helps teams strengthen their change management skills and adapt over time.

By closing the loop, you build trust, drive continuous improvement, and embed an impact mindset into everyday practice.

How measuring impact fits with your work

Measuring change doesn’t have to be separate task – but instead can be built into the everyday rhythm of your projects and programs.

By checking in along the way, you can make small tweaks, celebrate success, and keep things moving in the right direction.

Think of evaluation as a simple learning cycle:

Measuring Change Project

An outcome and impact measurement toolkit for the sector, by the sector.

Impact measurement has become an increasingly essential area of practice for organisations that engage volunteers, but can often be a time-consuming and confusing area of practice.

Volunteering WA has taken action to close this gap with the Measuring Change project, supported by Lotterywest.

Resources Project Announcement