Salvos Stores bounces back to surpass 10,000 volunteers
- 20 hours ago
- 2 min read
BY LAUREN MARTIN
In the years following the COVID-19 lockdowns in Australia, Salvos Stores volunteer numbers – like those of all not-for-profits – plummeted. Now, they’re at record levels and continuing to climb.
“In March 2023, our lowest head count for volunteers within stores was 6900,” said The Salvation Army’s National Volunteer Business Partner, Tracey Walsh, from the Army’s People and Culture Department.
“Although we were at the tail end of the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of people were still concerned about it coming back.”
The Salvation Army has always valued its people, especially its army of volunteers, but in recent years, particularly at Salvos Stores, there has been a deliberate effort to rebuild the friendly and encouraging atmosphere that invites community members to join the team.
“Within stores, we’ve always strived to have a good sense of reward and recognition for our volunteers,” said Tracey. “We make sure that every year during National Volunteer Week, we have celebrations in every store, and we have a recognition program to celebrate our volunteers’ length of service with us.”
As volunteer numbers began to climb again, Salvos Stores and the People and Culture Department set an ambitious target: to reach 10,000 volunteers by the end of 2025.
A recent survey of why volunteers donate their time at Salvos Stores revealed the reason why numbers were steadily increasing:
- 43% of respondents said they had a positive experience of community when volunteering
- 18% knew they were making a difference
- 16% said that volunteering improved their sense of wellbeing
One survey respondent said, “My manager, she is like medicine to my soul.” Another said, “I love my team, they make me laugh and share their lives with me. They feel like family.”
Volunteers play a vital role in all aspects of Salvos Stores’ operations, from helping on the register and sorting donations to styling the shop floor, supporting back-of-house tasks, and creating a friendly, welcoming environment for customers.
Tracey said reaching the 10,000 volunteer milestone is a significant achievement and one that everyone involved with the ministry of Salvos Stores should be proud of: “I give credit to my team but also the frontline managers at Salvos Stores who manage the volunteers day-in and day-out. They make them feel welcome, they make them feel valued.”
She said it’s easy for people in The Salvation Army to say, “we wouldn’t be here without our volunteers”, but to really acknowledge their contribution and value takes more effort and initiative.
“We really wouldn’t be here [operational] without our volunteers. Salvos Stores is the third largest financial contributor to The Salvation Army’s programs – if we don’t have volunteers, we can’t make that contribution.”
What a good reason to take some time to thank a Salvation Army volunteer today!
