Rethinking Volunteer Engagement at The Huntington
 

📍 A formative insight study guiding post-pandemic engagement, retention, and community-building for one of California’s most respected cultural institutions. 

🗂 Project Snapshot

• - Client: The Huntington, San Marino, CA
• - Role: Evaluation Manager
• - Collaborator: Associate Director of Audience Engagement and Interpretation
• - Timeline: Spring 2024

🎯 Project Overview

In response to a strategic initiative from the Associate Director of Audience Engagement, I led an insight-driven assessment to support docent volunteers transitioning back into in-person roles after the pandemic.

Our goal: understand docent motivations, challenges, and preferences to improve training, engagement, and communication strategies across The Huntington’s public-facing programs.

Through a blend of survey data and thematic analysis, I synthesized key findings to inform decision-making around volunteer operations, retention, and inclusive experience design.

📊 Key Insights

👥 Demographics

• - Age: 48% aged 65–74; 32% aged 75–84
• - Gender: Majority female
• - Ethnicity: 75% White/Caucasian; 11% Asian/Pacific Islander
• - Education: 40% Master’s, 29% Bachelor’s, 17% Doctorates

🧠 Learning Preferences

1. - Format: 49% hybrid, 47% in-person
2. - Comfort with technology: 50% very comfortable; 30% somewhat comfortable
3. - Top content interests: Guest lectures (83%), curator interaction (81%), interactive workshops (50%)

💬 Community Building

• - 51% rated it “very important”; 70% showed interest in informal gatherings
• - Preferred formats: Monthly meetings (76%), group discussions (55%)

🧭 Operational Themes

• - Scheduling conflicts and limited availability
• - Staffing gaps and lack of onboarding follow-up
• - Accessibility challenges (post-COVID stamina, parking, closures)
• - Some docents felt underutilized in roles

💡 Recommendations

• - Introduce more hands-on, interactive training
• - Strengthen onboarding and communication support
• - Improve role clarity and offer practical engagement paths
• - Foster community through monthly gatherings and informal events
• - Provide consistent, visible leadership to improve cohesion

✅ Outcome

This project delivered actionable insight into the evolving needs of The Huntington’s volunteer base. By centering docent voices, we created a clearer path toward re-engagement, retention, and satisfaction, ensuring volunteers feel seen, supported, and connected to the institution’s mission.