Burnout and Compassion Fatigue: Protecting the Mental Health of Our Volunteers

Caring for the mental health of volunteers is vital, especially in these COVID times when so many are already dealing with depression and anxiety as a result of isolation and illness. In this timely and important Engage feature, Karen Knight, a Volunteer Management strategist and mentor from Canada, explains why burnout and compassion fatigue are two very different but nonetheless two of the most pressing mental health issues facing volunteers today. She argues, however, that both “are preventable. And it is the responsibility of the organization, and the Volunteer Engagement leader specifically, to implement and follow the protocols to prevent them.” Knight's review of how to prevent volunteer burnout and compassion fatigue is a must read.