People Don't Want to Volunteer. They Want to Belong: a conversation with Tom Gill

Tom Gill doesn't work in the volunteering sector. He's a cultural placemaking consultant and writer for The Guardian, who spends his career studying how cities and communities create connection. So, when he wanted to find community for himself, he didn't start with the research. He went looking for it in person, in his own neighbourhood. In this episode, Tom and I talk about what he found: what happened when he tried to volunteer, why the invitation to get involved can feel more like a job application than an invitation at all, and what gets lost when connection moves online. This one's for anyone who shapes how people first encounter your organisation, and for anyone who's wondered what volunteering might look like if we designed it around people and place rather than process. Want to hear more? Sign up for my newsletter at ⁠⁠www.traceyoneillconsulting.com.au⁠⁠ for fortnightly thinking on volunteer engagement, impact, and making a ruckus. Be Bold. Stay Curious. Keep making a Ruckus. Mentioned: Tom's website and Substack: www.Tom-gill.com Follow Tom on Instagram: ⁠@tomgill Tom's article How to find community in 2025: ‘The most important thing I’ve learned is I’m not alone’ Tom's article Write a card, read a poem, take fewer photos: how to feel more human in 2026 Tom Gill's profile on The Guardian Robert Putnam's Bowling Alone Hugh Mackay's books Organisations mentioned Red Frogs, Australia Riding for the Disabled, UK Volunteering Australia Connecting the Cause City of Melbourne, Visitor Services Australian Neighbourhood Houses and Centres Connect: Learn more: ⁠⁠traceyoneillconsulting.com.au⁠⁠ Join the conversation on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠@traceyoneillcva⁠⁠ Follow on Instagram: ⁠⁠@tracey.volunteerengagement⁠⁠ Follow on Facebook: ⁠⁠Tracey O’Neill Consulting