A perfect volunteer recommendation letter in your application will heavily weigh your higher education or job application. Who can write it and how to write it? We have prepared this blog to answer all your questions regarding the reference letter for a volunteer. This blog will give you a comprehensive overview of:
- What is a recommendation letter for volunteer work?
- What are the points to discuss in it?
- How to draw insights from a volunteer recommendation letter sample?
What Is a Volunteer Recommendation Letter?
A volunteer recommendation letter is written by someone who oversaw or supervised you while you volunteered at an organization. It talks about the unique qualities, characters, attitude and calibre you showed while undertaking the volunteering project.
Why Is a Letter of Recommendation for Volunteer Work Important?
- Volunteer experiences are valued in many places and thus a volunteer recommendation letter is an important document.
- A carefully crafted volunteer recommendation letter will highlight your accomplishments, skills and relevant experiences, establishing how reliable you were to contribute to the organization, performing specific tasks or working as a team player.
- A strong volunteer recommendation letter can enable you to grow a network of like-minded people among employers, partners, or colleagues since it throws a light on your work ethic, and dedication to work.
- It serves as proof of your character. A volunteer recommendation letter provides strong proof of the candidate’s work ethic, character and dedication.
- An impressive volunteer recommendation letter doubles your job or higher study acceptance chance since it clearly sets you apart from other candidates.
- A volunteer recommendation letter serves as a great addition to your portfolio since it provides proof for a lot of your areas over a specific period.
| Letter of Recommendation for Student | LOR for Coworker | Letter of Recommendation for Job |
| LOR for Graduate School | LOR for Higher Studies | Letter of Recommendation for Internship |
Questions You Should Answer Before Writing Community Service Letter of Recommendation
Find answers to these questions to help you write a strong and winning volunteer recommendation letter.
- In what capacity did the volunteer serve your organization and what were his/her duties and responsibilities?
- Did the candidate accomplish any specific task or excel in a particular role?
- How was the candidate’s interaction with other members of the organization, for instance, staff, management, community and other volunteers?
- How do you think the candidate’s skills, attitudes, strengths and character will benefit the new role that he or she is applying for?
- What skills and strengths did you observe in the candidate during his association with your organization?
- Did the candidate’s work ethic and attitude align with the organization’s mission, vision and goals?
- Did the candidate show any potential weaknesses that cannot be ignored?
What Do Selection Officers Look for in a Volunteer Recommendation Letter?
Here is a list of components that selection officers will look for when they review your volunteer LOR.
Personal attributes: | Colleges or organizations greatly value the personal attributes of their potential candidates. When they review a volunteer recommendation letter, the first thing they look for is evidence of these. |
Social commitment: | Socially committed individuals are preferred everywhere because it shows their integrity. In the volunteer recommendation letter, admission officers will look for evidence of the candidate’s social commitment such as community involvement. |
Third-person perspective: | One of the biggest benefits of a recommendation letter is that it gives a third-person perspective of a candidate. Obviously, the admission officers who look at a volunteer recommendation letter will look for it in your letter. |
Skills and Strengths: | The recruiting or selection panel are keen to know about the relevant skills or strengths that could make the candidate excel in the role being given or the higher study program being enrolled. For instance, the candidate’s skills in project management, leadership and problem-solving. |
Impact on the organization: | Since everyone can volunteer these days and get a recommendation letter, admission officers will specifically want to see how a candidate’s involvement made a positive impact on the organisation. |
| Letter of Recommendation for Teacher | Letter of Recommendation for Friend | Letter of Recommendation for Masters |
| LOR for MBA | How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation | Character Reference Letter |
How Long Should Your Recommendation Letter for Volunteer Work Be?
Keep the following figures in mind while drafting your volunteer recommendation letter.
- Word count: 400 to 500
- Character count: 2000 to 2500
- Page: 1 or 2
Volunteer Recommendation Letter Samples
Welcome to our collection of sample letter of recommendation for community involvement and volunteer work. In this collection, you will see tailored volunteer LOR samples written for specific purposes.
To Whom It May Concern
I am deeply honoured and excited to write this recommendation letter on behalf of Mr Alex to recommend him for the advertised volunteer position in your esteemed organization. I have known Mr Alex for a period of five years in various capacities – as a co-worker, friend and fellow human being. In all these, I am fully convinced of his ability to be responsible in any role he dons.
I first met Mr Alex when he joined a three months community service program that our company organized. While most participants were our own employees, a few outsiders were given chances too and Alex was one of them. I was in charge of the participants who came from outside. On the first day of our meeting, I gave everyone clear instructions about what they are expected and what they are not. Alex showed a sincere interest in the program from day one and kept that till the end. He was punctual to report, attend meetings and presenting reports.
During this time, I could also learn about Alex’s other strengths. Apart from the completing daily tasks of the voluntary program, he was active in various cultural events conducted in the evenings. I strongly believe it was only because of his strong involvement in such activities that we all could endure the three months of community service without boredom. Alex not only made sure that his part was perfect, but he was also ready to reach out to his colleagues and co-workers and lent his support whenever they needed his hand.
One of the greatest strengths of Alex is his ability to work effortlessly in a team setting. He possessed strong interpersonal skills, which helped him immensely in interacting with everyone in the team and building amicable relationships. Everyone in the team seemed to enjoy his company and was ready to show up in programs that were led by Alex. Part of the reason for this was his equal and kind treatment of everyone. I have never seen him prejudiced on the basis of caste, religion, gender, language or any other societal differences. He respected everyone and enjoyed the respect of everyone in return.
Several years have passed since that community service. However, I have maintained contact with Alex. He has kept on with his dedication, passion for helping fellow human beings and reliability. Based on my close association with Alex, I am fully convinced that he could be a great participant in the voluntary program you have announced. Not only that he could contribute to the program but also be a strong organizer, leader and entertainer for his fellow participants which in turn will help boost their involvement in it.
Thank you for taking the time to review this recommendation letter. I am happy to respond to your queries in case you wish to know anything further about Mr Alex.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
| Fulbright Recommendation Letter | Harvard Recommendation Letter | Sorority Recommendation Letter |
| Character letter for Court | Recommendation Letter for Fellowship | Law School Letter of Recommendation |
Guidelines for Using Samples
- Refer to samples from trusted sources.
- Never modify or copy from a volunteer recommendation letter sample
- Evaluate how the referee has used his perspective and experiences to recommend the candidate
- Review the volunteer recommendation letter samples to help you brainstorm for points
- Compare your own writing with a sample and see how closely the purpose has been met in your writing.
Write Your Reference Letter for A Volunteer In 6 Simple Steps
Here are the six easy steps to help you write a strong volunteer LOR.
| Introduce yourself: | Start the LOR by giving a self-introduction and the nature and length of your association with the volunteer. Mention your name as well as your designation in the organization. |
| Talk about the volunteer’s activities: | Give a brief account of activities that the volunteer was accountable for in the organization. This will help the reader identify the nature as well as seriousness of the role the candidate handled. |
| Highlight the candidate’s skills and strengths: | Next, write about the skills and strengths that you noticed in the candidate/volunteer during your association with him. Share specific examples where you saw the candidate demonstrating them. |
| Talk about the candidate’s character: | You can illustrate it in a number of ways, for instance, by talking about the attitude and work ethic of the candidate towards his duties and responsibilities, interactions with others and sense of accountability. |
| Write a strong personal recommendation: | Write a strong personal recommendation for the candidate based on your experience of associating with them over this period to help them get admission or a job. Explain why you think this candidate has the potential to be successful in what they have chosen or applied. |
| Offer readiness to be contacted: | Wind up LOR by offering your willingness to be contacted for providing any additional information if the selection panel needs it. Share your contact details, email or phone number. |
| Volunteer Recommendation Letter | Recommendation Letter for Leadership | ERAS Letter of Recommendation |
| Doctor Recommendation Letter | Nursing Letter of Recommendation |
Who Is Eligible to Write Volunteer LORs?
You must get a volunteer LOR from someone who has closely associated with you while you volunteered somewhere. The question of who can write your volunteer LOR depends on where you volunteered. Here are some common people.
Coordinator: | The coordinator of the volunteer program is an authentic person to write a legit volunteer recommendation letter. |
Co-workers: | The colleagues or fellow volunteers who worked along with you on the project can be considered for writing your volunteer LOR. |
Manager or supervisor: | The manager or supervisor of the volunteer project can also be requested to write a strong volunteer recommendation letter. |
Professors or teachers: | If you volunteer as a student, as part of a school program, the teacher or professor who oversaw your participation can write a volunteer LOR. |
Final Checklist Before Submitting Your Volunteer LOR
Do not submit your volunteer LOR if it does not tick the following boxes.
- Does the LOR strongly recommend the volunteer?
- Does the LOR establish a relationship between the volunteer/candidate and referee in the introduction?
- Is the volunteer recommendation letter free from grammatical mistakes and spelling errors?
- Does the LOR have a strong introduction, an engaging body and a reiterating conclusion?
- Is the volunteer LOR tailored for the purpose for which it is being used?
| MPH Recommendation Letter | Letter of Recommendation for Civil Engineer | Social Work Letter of Recommendation |
| LOR for Computer Science | LOR for Data Science | LOR for Cyber Security |
Dos and Don’ts in Writing Reference Letter For A Volunteer
Here are some Dos and Don’ts for you to abide by while writing the recommendation letter for volunteer work.
Dos:
- Write a powerful introduction that says who you are, how you know the candidate and the purpose of the LOR.
- Maintain a positive tone throughout the volunteer recommendation letter.
- Customize the LOR to its purpose. Know whether it is for higher education or job application or any other purpose.
- Include specific examples that prove the candidate’s good character, accomplishments, skills and strengths.
- Highlight the potential strengths or abilities of the candidate to succeed in what he or she has chosen to do.
Don’ts
- Avoid complicated language or jargon. Use simple terms that communicate the messages easily.
- Do not write anything if you are not 100% certain, for instance, the candidate’s accomplishments or strengths
- Do not agree to write a volunteer LOR for someone if you cannot write it positively and enthusiastically.
- Do not write an overly lengthy or too short LOR. Maintain the recommended word count which is between 400 and 500.
- Do not try to stuff in too many points in the LOR. Choose a few points that you can vividly illustrate and highlight them.
Conclusion
Did this blog help you in getting ready with an impactful volunteer recommendation letter? Approach the right person to write your LOR and provide them with all the necessary details. Also, recommend this blog to them to help them write the LOR in the correct way.
If you need any further assistance with writing volunteer LOR and want to review more volunteer recommendation letter samples, feel free to let us know in the comments below.
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