Community of Practice: AI & Volunteering

AI is rapidly reshaping how charities work and volunteer managers need clarity more than hype.

This session offers an accessible introduction to the AI landscape, exploring what’s emerging across the non-profit sector and what it might mean for volunteering.

With insights from Third Sector Lab, the VCSE Data Observatory and the Open Data Institute, plus practical guidance from Volunteering Matters, we’ll help you build confidence and ask the right questions.

We’ll also share early findings from our Digital in Volunteering survey to highlight priorities for 2026.

Confirmed speakers:

• Ross McCulloch, founder of Third Sector Lab
  
• Amanda Naylor OBE, Chief Executive of Volunteering Matters
  
• Daniel King and Taha Osman, VCSE Data Observatory at Nottingham Trent University
  
• Andrew Newman / David Tarrant - The Open Data Institute

About the Toolkit

The Digital in Volunteering Toolkit was created to help volunteer managers "do digital" with confidence. Launched in 2024, Part 1 included five self-serve modules for building a digital roadmap.

Part 2 goes further – diving into key challenges in the volunteer journey, with stand-alone launches covering:

• Marketing, communications & interoperability
• Reward, recognition & incentives (this session!)
• Digital for infrastructure orgs
• Inclusion & accessibility
• Compliance & quality
• Task-based volunteering

Each element comes with a launch session packed with expert input, peer learning and practical tools.