Volunteering engagement and satisfaction report - July 2025
Volunteering is more than just hours logged, it’s a pathway to personal growth, meaningful impact, and lasting connection.
Between September 2024 and July 2025, our Volunteering Department, in collaboration with the Human Potential Team, conducted a comprehensive assessment of scholar engagement in both individual and team-based volunteering. With a streamlined data collection process and new Self-Assessment and Team-Assessment forms, we more than doubled the response rate from last year – receiving 58 detailed submissions. The results offer valuable insights into what our volunteers value, where they shine, and how we can do better.
📊 Volunteering in Numbers
Volunteering hours peaked between February and July 2025, primarily driven by short-term opportunities such as event participation and project contributions. However, the majority of total volunteering time still came from long-term, team-based involvement, reinforcing the importance of sustained community engagement within BHFF.
💬 How Scholars Feel About Volunteering
When asked to rate their overall volunteering experience, scholars gave an average score of 8.62/10, describing it as fun, purposeful, and rewarding. A majority rated it a perfect 10, highlighting the positive emotional and personal impact of their involvement.
From organizing high-impact events like Future Leaders Summit (FLS) to mentoring peers through the Buddy and Tutoring programs, scholars shared stories of pride, connection, and transformation. One scholar reflected:
“Volunteering at FLS was unforgettable. Seeing how inspired the attendees were reminded me how impactful our work truly is.”
🚧 Challenges & Honest Feedback
While the feedback was overwhelmingly positive, scholars also voiced real challenges. Many cited academic workloads, personal commitments, and mental health as barriers to deeper involvement. First-year students and those studying abroad particularly highlighted difficulties in balancing responsibilities.
Other suggestions included:
More short-term or online volunteering options
Opportunities outside Sarajevo
Field-specific engagements in areas like medicine, science, and engineering
A simplified tracking system for volunteer hours
One scholar wrote:
“I truly value the opportunities BHFF offers, but sometimes volunteering and obligatory events take too much time. A more flexible structure would help a lot.”
🤝 Teamwork Makes the Mission Work
In the Team Assessment section, scholars praised collaboration, leadership, and team culture, giving an average collaboration rating of 8.86/10.
Most said they would happily volunteer with the same team again, describing the experience as “motivating,” “supportive,” and “like a family.”
Leadership, especially, stood out as a key factor in positive team experiences:
“Usame is a great leader. He communicates clearly, distributes tasks fairly, and creates a space where we feel supported.”
However, a few scholars expressed a need for:
Clearer communication
Stronger accountability across team members
More in-person team bonding
These reflections provide important insights for continued growth and team development.
🌱 Ideas to Strengthen the Volunteering Program
Scholars offered forward-thinking ideas for the next chapter of volunteering at BHFF, including:
Recognition of Passion Project work as part of volunteering hours
Internal volunteer calls for project support
A gamified system with mini-challenges and rewards
Interactive dashboards to track hours and celebrate top contributors
Language exchange meetups and field-specific micro-internships
Participation in social impact events like Race for the Cure
One scholar suggested:
“We should recognize how much time and effort goes into Passion Projects. They should count as volunteering hours – and we should be able to invite other scholars to support us when needed.”
🔚 Conclusion: Volunteering as a Foundation for Growth
This year’s results affirm what we’ve always believed at BHFF: volunteering isn’t just about giving back — it’s a powerful tool for learning, leadership, and lifelong connection. Whether through mentoring, event organizing, designing campaigns, or simply being there for a peer, our scholars continue to embody the spirit of purpose-driven action.
As we look ahead, we remain committed to listening, evolving, and co-creating a volunteer experience that is accessible, impactful, and fulfilling for every scholar — wherever they are on their journey.
To our scholars, alumni, and mentors — thank you. The future is brighter because of you.