April Volunteer Leadership Network: Championing Volunteers from the Inside Out
Purpose and use of the Advocacy Map: The advocacy map is a tool to visualise key stakeholders, their level of influence and interest, and the tailored messages needed to demonstrate the value of volunteers. It helps leaders anticipate questions like “What if volunteers disappeared?” and align messaging to different audiences, ensuring volunteer contributions are communicated, understood, and integrated across the organisation.
The map categorises stakeholders into groups such as key players, keep satisfied, keep informed, and minimal effort, each with suggested engagement strategies. By encouraging teams to determine who has influence, who’s an ally, and who’s indifferent, the advocacy map provides a clear picture of WHO to advocate to and HOW.