What if the most important impacts of volunteering can't be counted?

In this episode of Making a Ruckus, Tracey is joined by volunteerism researcher, writer, and thought leader Sue Carter Kahl, whose work has challenged volunteer engagement professionals around the world to rethink how we understand and talk about impact.

Sue shares insights from more than 30 years in the sector, including the research behind her doctoral dissertation, Making the Invisible Visible, and her ongoing work exploring the multidimensional value of volunteering.

Together, Tracey and Sue unpack why so many organisations remain stuck reporting volunteer numbers, hours, and dollar values — and why, even when we do get more creative with data, it often still doesn't shift minds or unlock resources. Because the real barrier might not be the data at all. It might be the unexamined beliefs about volunteering that are unintentionally shaping decisions at every level of our organisations.

They explore:

• Why hours and wage replacement rarely tell the full story of volunteering
• How to uncover and articulate the outcomes that matter most
• Practical ways to move beyond counting activities and start capturing impact
• The role of stories, relationships, and "witnessing" in understanding change
• Why leaders of volunteer engagement shouldn't wait for permission to tell better stories
• The hidden beliefs about volunteering that may be blocking change — and how to surface them

This conversation is about more than impact reporting. It's about what's at stake when we reduce volunteering to economic value — and what we risk losing if we start to commodify community. It's about the future of volunteer engagement itself: the stories we tell, the assumptions we challenge, and the role volunteering can play in building stronger, more connected communities.

If you've ever felt frustrated that volunteer reports don't capture what you know is happening in your community, this conversation will give you practical ideas, fresh language, and permission to think differently.

Because not everything that matters can be counted. And not everything that can be counted is what matters most.

Want to hear more? Sign up for my newsletter at ⁠www.traceyoneillconsulting.com.au⁠ for weekly thinking on volunteer engagement, impact, and making a ruckus.

Be Bold. Stay Curious. Keep making a Ruckus.

Mentioned:

• Sue Carter Kahl Volunteer Commons website
• Connect with Sue on LinkedIn: @sue-carter-kahl
• Sue's article "I Love Tracking My Volunteer Hours! - No Volunteer Ever"
• Sue's article "Trading Measurement for Witnessing"
• IAVE's Call to Action for the Future of Volunteering

Connect:

• Learn more: ⁠traceyoneillconsulting.com.au⁠
• Join the conversation on LinkedIn: ⁠@traceyoneillcva⁠
• Follow on Instagram: ⁠@tracey.volunteerengagement⁠
• Follow on Facebook: ⁠Tracey O’Neill Consulting