Tracey O'Neill Consulting

Tracey O'Neill Consulting I help bold leaders reimagine volunteering as a powerful, community-centred strategy for real impact.

Over the past couple of months on the podcast, I’ve been exploring volunteer engagement through the lens of Volunteer Lo...
24/03/2026

Over the past couple of months on the podcast, I’ve been exploring volunteer engagement through the lens of Volunteer Love Languages.

Not to label people.

But to notice something that doesn’t always get named.

That people don’t just volunteer in different ways.

They experience it differently.

And that changes what keeps them there.

Some people stay because they can contribute.
Some stay because they feel seen.
Some stay because of the connection.
Some stay because they have something that reminds them of what they’ve done.
Some stay because the space feels warm, human… like they belong.

None of these are better than the others.

But if our systems only support one or two of them, we start to see patterns.

The same people stepping up.
Recognition that doesn’t quite land.
Connection becoming an afterthought.

Not because leaders are doing it wrong.

But because we haven’t always designed with the experience in mind.

Seeing volunteering differently — so we can design it differently.

🎙 The final episode of the Volunteer Love Languages series is now live.

If you haven’t listened yet, this is a good place to start.

Or go back and explore the full series — each episode looks at one part of the experience.

💚 🩷

Physical touch can feel like a tricky topic in volunteering.There are good reasons for that.Boundaries matter.Safety mat...
18/03/2026

Physical touch can feel like a tricky topic in volunteering.

There are good reasons for that.

Boundaries matter.
Safety matters.
Consent matters.

So many organisations respond by avoiding it completely.

But this episode isn’t really about touch.

It’s about something deeper.

It’s about presence.

The volunteers who help people feel safe just by being there.
The ones who notice when something shifts.
The ones who bring calm, warmth and reassurance into a space.

And what happens when that kind of care isn’t recognised.

Because when we remove warmth in the name of professionalism…
something important can go missing.

🎙 New episode of Making a Ruckus is streaming now
Physical Touch in Volunteer Engagement: When Care is Felt, Not Just Done

💚🩷

"Hundreds of people applied to volunteer. The organisation ended up with one volunteer."I once worked with an organisati...
11/03/2026

"Hundreds of people applied to volunteer. The organisation ended up with one volunteer."

I once worked with an organisation that urgently needed volunteers — lots of them — across several programs. Without them, those programs were at risk of closing, along with thousands of dollars in funding tied to their delivery.

Like many organisations in that situation, they focused on recruitment.

In desperation, they invested in social media ads and ran a campaign asking people in their community to step forward and help.

And the response seemed promising.

Hundreds of people applied.

But two months later, the result of that intensive campaign was just one new volunteer.

The issue wasn’t that people didn’t care about the cause. And it wasn’t that the marketing failed.

The problem was that the organisation had focused on one visible part of the system — attracting applicants — while the systems that shape what happens next were struggling to support them.

Communication was slow, and in many instances, non-existent.
People who had expressed interest didn’t have a clear or welcoming path forward.
The people responsible for recruitment weren't resourced to respond to such a high volume of applications.

So many potential volunteers quietly drifted away before they even had the chance to begin.

When organisations struggle to recruit volunteers, the instinct is often to reach more people.

But very often the real opportunity sits somewhere else entirely — in the systems and experiences that greet the people who have already said yes.

This is the work I love doing with organisations: reviewing and strengthening the systems that sit behind meaningful volunteer experiences, so more people who want to contribute actually get the chance to do so.

Have you ever seen a recruitment campaign fail because the experience behind it wasn’t ready?

When organisations think about volunteer recognition, we often focus on words.Thank-you speeches.Certificates.Social med...
10/03/2026

When organisations think about volunteer recognition, we often focus on words.

Thank-you speeches.
Certificates.
Social media posts.

And those things matter.

But some volunteers connect with appreciation in a different way.

They keep the photo from an event.
The handwritten card.
The small object tied to a moment that meant something.

Not because of the object itself — but because of what it represents.

A memory.
A contribution.
A place in the story.

This week’s episode of Making a Ruckus explores the volunteer love language Receiving Gifts, and why tangible reminders of appreciation can shape how volunteers experience belonging.

Sometimes the question isn’t “Should we give volunteers gifts?”

It’s:

What do the things we give them actually mean?

🎙 New episode out now.

💚 🩷

Some volunteers aren’t motivated by tasks.They’re motivated by time together.In Episode 10 of Making a Ruckus, we explor...
04/03/2026

Some volunteers aren’t motivated by tasks.

They’re motivated by time together.

In Episode 10 of Making a Ruckus, we explore the volunteer love language of Quality Time — and how protecting small moments of presence shapes belonging.

Not more hours to add to a busy manager’s day.
Just intentional connection.

🎙 Quality Time is live now.

Link in comments.

💚 🩷

26/02/2026

More applicants won’t fix a broken process.

If the application form is long and confusing…
If screening assumes unlimited time and flexibility…
If onboarding expects people to “just figure it out”…
If your systems quietly assume confidence, digital literacy, and insider knowledge…

More applicants won’t help.

Because recruitment isn’t just about attracting people.

It’s about what happens once they say yes.

It’s about whether the experience feels clear.
Supported.
Accessible.
Respectful of their time and contribution.

Recruitment isn’t just attraction.
It’s design.

And design reflects what we assume about the people trying to join us.

What is your process assuming?

💚🩷

25/02/2026

Every system assumes something.

About trust.
About value.
About capability.
About whose time matters most.

If engagement feels hard, look beneath the process.

💚🩷

When I created the Making A Ruckus podcast I didn’t know how it would land. And then a review like this drops! 💚🩷To the ...
25/02/2026

When I created the Making A Ruckus podcast I didn’t know how it would land.

And then a review like this drops! 💚🩷

To the leaders navigating complexity, holding strategy and relationships together, and quietly reshaping how volunteer engagement is understood - this podcast is for you.

Thank you for listening. Thank you for sharing it. And thank you for doing this work with such care and passion.

If you’re all caught up - there’s another episode waiting that dropped today! 🎙️



Image description: a 5 star rating and review of my Making A Ruckus podcast that reads, “What a Cracking Podcast. This is the podcast I didn’t know I needed! As someone who is heavily involved in community and overseeing volunteers myself, it’s super handy to hear insights, ideas, tips & tricks, and also reinforce some things I’m already doing correctly. The only downside is the addictive nature of the pod. Luckily, I’m all caught up now!”

Not everyone hears “thank you” the same way.We’re good at recognition.But for some volunteers, affirmation isn’t about p...
25/02/2026

Not everyone hears “thank you” the same way.

We’re good at recognition.

But for some volunteers, affirmation isn’t about praise.

It’s about being noticed.

In Episode 9 of Making a Ruckus, we explore how to move from recognition events… to a culture of noticing.

Because when contribution is clearly named and connected to impact, belonging deepens.

Generic gratitude builds morale.

Noticing builds belonging.

🎙 Words of Affirmation is live now.

Link in bio.

💚 🩷

24/02/2026

What if it’s not you?

Not your recruitment strategy.
Not your onboarding.
Not your “engagement skills.”

What if it’s the system?

The one that tells you to:
❌ count shifts.
❌ fill gaps.
❌ tick boxes.
❌ prove numbers.

You can’t build belonging inside a structure designed for compliance.

So, before you blame yourself…

Pause.

Is it really your fault?

Or are you trying to create meaning inside a system that was never built for it?

If this hit, save it.
Send it to someone who needs to hear it.

💚 🩷

23/02/2026

Volunteering is not a resource.

It’s a human need — for connection, for community, for belonging.

When we make it transactional, we strip away its meaning.

You can build policies and systems.
But people decide if there’s enough meaning to join you —
and enough belonging to stay.

If we want impact, we must centre community.

💚 🩷

Address

Melbourne, VIC
3000

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Tracey O'Neill Consulting posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category