“The Y is more than a gym and swim — it’s a powerful force for good, driven by dedicated volunteers.”

👉🏻 Want a guide to the YMCA & VolunteerMatters partnership?
Download the FREE guide: https://public.volunteermatters.org/files/podcast/whitepapers/VolunteerMatters_White_Paper-YMCA+Volunteering_(ep22).pdf

Join Mark, President, and Sophia, Success Coach at VolunteerMatters, a leading volunteer management software dedicated to helping nonprofits build stronger, more impactful volunteer programs.

This episode dives deep into:
- Our decade-long partnership with YMCA
- How YMCA volunteer programs shaped our platform
- Strategies for scaling across 500+ locations
- The gold standard in volunteer safety and compliance
- Personal stories from growing up at the Y
…and more

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction & why the YMCA matters
01:02 - The global scale of YMCA volunteerism
02:20 - From volunteer-run to professionally staffed
04:04 - “More than just a gym and swim”
05:08 - Volunteering as a gateway to the mission
06:00 - Mark’s personal story with the Y
08:10 - Our national partnership with YMCA USA
08:55 - How YMCA needs shaped our product
12:00 - Why flexibility is essential in VMS
13:50 - Empowering part-time admins
16:50 - Industry-leading safety and compliance
19:20 - Praesidium Accreditation: What it is and why it matters
21:00 - Automating onboarding, credentials & workflows
25:00 - Case Study: From 26% to 90% compliance in 2 months
30:40 - A thank-you to the YMCA

Check out VolunteerMatters on:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VolunteerMatters
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/volunteermatters/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/volunteer-matters
Twitter/X: https://x.com/VolnteerMatters
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VolunteerMatters
Website: https://www.volunteermatters.com/
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-volunteermatters-podcast/id1765384042
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/41OzyIlomp8LLrZ68fgb77?si=sg92xnBGRDuL4HDnB_F1Rg