Blog Post from Volunteering for Health
If Money Was No Object, Would We Still Need Volunteers?
One of the most thought-provoking moments at this year’s Volunteering for Health Conference came when keynote speaker Rob Jackson posed a simple but powerful question:
“If your organisation had access to all the money you could ever want, would you still involve volunteers?”
At first glance, it sounds like an easy question. After all, if budgets weren’t a challenge, wouldn’t every role simply become a paid role?
But as delegates from across health, care, and the voluntary sector reflected on the question throughout the day, a different picture emerged.
The answer was clear.
Yes. Absolutely.
In fact, one delegate went even further, responding:
“Absolutely, if not more!”
More Than a Cost-Saving Measure
The responses revealed a strong consensus that volunteering is about far more than filling gaps or extending limited resources.
Many delegates felt that even with unlimited funding, volunteers would remain an essential part of health and care services because they bring something that money simply cannot buy.
One of the most common themes was lived experience.
Several responses were remarkably concise, simply stating:
“Lived experience.”
Those two words capture something fundamental about the value volunteers bring. Volunteers often offer perspectives shaped by their own experiences of health services, caring responsibilities, recovery journeys, community involvement, or life circumstances. Those insights can help organisations remain grounded in the realities of the people they serve.
A Different Perspective
Delegates also highlighted the unique viewpoints volunteers contribute.
One participant described volunteers as bringing:
“different perspectives, expertise and validation”
while another noted that volunteers are:
“invaluable.”
The significance of this cannot be overstated. Volunteers often see organisations through a different lens. They ask different questions, notice different issues, and can challenge established thinking in constructive ways.
Their contribution is not simply about adding capacity, but about adding value.
Keeping Connected to Communities
Another recurring theme was the connection volunteers create between organisations and communities.
One response stated:
“Volunteers offer a connection to our community.”
Another simply noted:
“helps community.”
In a health and care environment where partnership working, prevention, engagement and co-production are increasingly important, volunteers play a crucial role as bridges between services and the people they exist to support.
They help organisations remain connected, relevant and responsive to local needs.
Purpose, Belonging and Choice
The responses also recognised the benefits volunteering creates for volunteers themselves.
One delegate answered:
“Yes. Give people purpose.”
Another reflected that volunteers are valuable because:
“they are the ones who choose to be here because they have an interest.”
This speaks to something unique about volunteering. Volunteers participate because they want to. Their motivation is rooted in personal commitment, passion, experience and a desire to contribute.
That sense of purpose benefits not only organisations and communities, but also the individuals who choose to give their time.
Why This Question Matters
Rob Jackson’s challenge wasn’t really about money.
It was about helping organisations think differently about why they involve volunteers in the first place.
If the primary reason for involving volunteers is to save money, then unlimited funding would remove the need for them. But if volunteers bring lived experience, community connection, credibility, fresh perspectives and purpose, then their contribution remains valuable regardless of budget.
The responses from delegates suggest the latter is overwhelmingly true.
Across the conference, participants recognised volunteers not as a substitute for paid staff, but as people who bring something uniquely human to health and care services.
Something that cannot simply be purchased.
Looking Ahead
The responses to this single question generated some fascinating conversations throughout the day and offered a powerful reminder of the unique role volunteers play across health and care.
This blog offers just a snapshot of the rich discussions and insights generated throughout the Volunteering for Health Conference. A full conference report, exploring the findings, themes and practical actions in greater detail, will be published soon. Watch this space.
