30 Effective Exit Interview Questions for Volunteers

Last updated on
October 20, 2023
Volunteers work serving food at a pop-up humanitarian kitchen.

If your organisation depends upon volunteers, you'll find an exit interview survey allows you to capture unique insights that can significantly benefit your programme in future. Your objective is to identify what you are doing well, whilst also pinpointing areas that could be improved upon.

To help you in this, below we've listed 30 sample questions divided into six key categories, aimed at collecting comprehensive feedback from departing volunteers. These are: the volunteer experience, satisfaction in the role, communication and support, the team dynamics, thoughts on resource availability, and finally some general feedback and recommendations.

The loss of a volunteer, for whatever reason, is an opportune moment to solicit feedback that is both candid and actionable. Addressing the points raised in these questions can significantly enhance your volunteer programme's efficacy, as by tailoring your inquiry to these key areas, you're taking a step towards fostering a rewarding environment for both current and future volunteers.

Example volunteer exit questions

Volunteer experience

1. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your overall experience volunteering with us?

2. Did our initial orientation provide you with a solid understanding of our mission and your role?

3. Were the training sessions helpful and relevant to your volunteer tasks?

4. How welcomed did you feel when you first joined the team?

5. Is there anything you wish you had known before starting your volunteer role?

Role satisfaction

6. Did the role you were assigned match what you were told or what you expected?

7. Did you feel your skills and talents were put to good use?

8. How meaningful did you find the tasks you were performing?

9. Was the time commitment reasonable for the tasks assigned to you?

10. Would you recommend this volunteer role to a friend?

Communication and support

11. Were the lines of communication open and effective between you and the team leaders?

12. Did you feel comfortable approaching management with questions or concerns?

13. Were your responsibilities clearly defined from the outset?

14. Did you feel supported in your role by the staff?

15. Was constructive feedback provided to help you improve?

Team dynamics

16. How well did the team collaborate on shared objectives?

17. Did you experience any challenges with team communication?

18. How inclusive did you find the work environment?

19. Would you say there was a strong sense of camaraderie among volunteers?

20. Do you have suggestions for enhancing team cohesion?

Resource availability

21. Were the necessary tools and resources readily available for you to complete your tasks?

22. Did you have adequate access to information to perform your role effectively?

23. Were any additional training materials or sessions needed?

24. Was the workspace conducive to completing your tasks?

25. Did you have to invest personal resources (like time or money) beyond what you had anticipated?

Feedback and recommendations

26. What did you find most rewarding during your time as a volunteer?

27. What would you identify as an area requiring immediate improvement?

28. Do you have any recommendations for future volunteer events or activities?

29. What would have made your volunteer experience better?

30. Would you consider returning as a volunteer at a later date?

In a hurry? Use a survey template

Get started quickly and easily by using one of our not-for-profit survey templates. Pre-populated with a sample of relevant questions, each can be used as provided or adapted to your unique needs.

Get started and create your first survey

If you would like more information then please get in touch.