How can you build trust with skeptical volunteers for community organizing?

1 Be transparent

One of the best ways to build trust with skeptical volunteers is to be transparent about your goals, your strategies, and your expectations. Explain to them why you are organizing, what you hope to achieve, and how you plan to do it. Share with them the challenges and the opportunities that you face, and how they can contribute to your success. Be honest about the risks and the rewards of being involved, and don't make promises that you can't keep. Transparency will help you establish credibility and accountability with your volunteers, and show them that you respect their intelligence and their opinions.

2 Be respectful

Another key factor to build trust with skeptical volunteers is to be respectful of their backgrounds, their perspectives, and their concerns. Don't assume that they share your assumptions, your values, or your experiences. Listen to them attentively, and try to understand where they are coming from. Acknowledge their doubts, and address them with empathy and evidence. Don't dismiss their questions, or criticize their views. Respect their autonomy, and don't pressure them to commit or to conform. Respect will help you create a rapport and a dialogue with your volunteers, and show them that you appreciate their diversity and their input.

3 Be consistent

A third essential element to build trust with skeptical volunteers is to be consistent in your words and your actions. Don't say one thing and do another, or change your mind frequently. Follow through on your commitments, and deliver on your results. Communicate regularly, and update your volunteers on your progress and your challenges. Keep your messages clear, concise, and coherent. Don't contradict yourself, or confuse your volunteers. Consistency will help you demonstrate reliability and professionalism with your volunteers, and show them that you are trustworthy and dependable.

4 Be supportive

A fourth important aspect to build trust with skeptical volunteers is to be supportive of their needs, their interests, and their goals. Provide them with the resources, the training, and the feedback that they need to succeed in their roles. Recognize their strengths, and help them develop their skills. Encourage their creativity, and welcome their suggestions. Celebrate their achievements, and appreciate their efforts. Don't take them for granted, or exploit them. Support will help you foster a sense of belonging and a culture of learning with your volunteers, and show them that you care about their growth and their satisfaction.

5 Be collaborative

A fifth vital component to build trust with skeptical volunteers is to be collaborative in your approach and your attitude. Don't treat them as subordinates, or as tools. Treat them as partners, or as allies. Involve them in your decision-making, and value their opinions. Share your power, and delegate your responsibilities. Work with them, not for them, or against them. Don't compete with them, or undermine them. Collaborate will help you build a team spirit and a shared vision with your volunteers, and show them that you respect their agency and their contribution.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?