Draft a volunteer newsletter
Celebrate your volunteers, share what you've achieved and keep your community connected.
Steps
1. Describe the task
Your volunteer newsletter is more than a round-up - it's a way of saying thank you, keeping people connected, and reminding your community why their contribution matters. AI can help you produce a warm, well-structured draft quickly, freeing you up to focus on the personal details only you can add.
Before you start, think about your newsletter's structure. A simple three-section format - what we've achieved, who to thank, what's coming up - often works well, but adapt it to suit your organisation.
Copy and paste this prompt into the chat box, then send it as is - there's nothing to edit first. The AI will respond with questions rather than a draft. That's by design as it needs context before it can produce something useful. Answer as if you're briefing a colleague, and if you're unsure of an answer, just say so - working it out together is part of the process.
Using Worthwhile Chat?
This prompt is ready-made: just select it in your chat box and it will self-populate.
Act as a communications professional with experience in the UK voluntary sector.
Draft a volunteer newsletter with a warm, friendly tone that makes our volunteers feel valued and connected. Use clear headings, short paragraphs, and accessible, jargon-free language. Follow this structure: a warm opening message, highlights from the period covered, volunteer recognition, upcoming opportunities, and a closing message of thanks.
The newsletter is for our volunteer community - people who give their time regularly and care deeply about our mission. Write as if speaking to someone you know and appreciate.
Start by asking me questions about: our organisation and who we support; the length of the newsletter; and the time period this edition should cover; and if I have any drafts, notes or updates to upload. Then use this information to draft the newsletter.
As you draft, watch out for and avoid: language that diminishes, stereotypes, or positions the people we support as passive recipients - describe them in a way they'd be comfortable reading about themselves.
2. Provide context
When the AI asks if you have any drafts or notes, you can upload documents or paste in information to help it understand your work more deeply. Don't worry about having everything perfectly organised - bullet points, rough notes, or copied-in stats all work well.
Important context (add as much of this as you can)
- A summary of what happened in the last month or quarter - programmes, events, milestones
- Key numbers - volunteer hours contributed, people supported, sessions delivered
- Two or three volunteer names or roles to recognise (with their permission - see below)
- Upcoming opportunities - dates, roles, how to sign up
- How you’re delivering this - i.e. whether via plain-text email / Mailchimp / etc?
Additional context to add depth and detail
- A short quote or story from a volunteer about what the work means to them
- Any particular challenges your team overcame together
- News about funding, partnerships, or programme developments your volunteers would want to know
- A previous newsletter - to help match your tone and style
- Your organisation's comms guidelines or tone of voice document
Before you upload files: check for sensitive data
Review your documents for personal or sensitive information about beneficiaries. Anonymise names and identifying details before uploading. Even though Worthwhile Chat is privacy-first, good data practice starts with you. If you're using other AI tools, check their data settings too - many train on your data by default. How much you share depends on your existing privacy and data policies, and how much control you have over the tools you use.
If you’re unsure, ask yourself: “If this document were seen by someone outside our organisation, could anyone be identified or harmed?” If yes, anonymise first.
Here's the information you need for this month's newsletter:
[Paste your notes, stats, volunteer names, and updates here]
I've also attached our last newsletter so you can match the tone and format.
3. Review the output
A first draft will be generated based on what you've shared. The AI may ask clarifying questions - for example, what a volunteer role involves or whether a figure refers to one programme or the whole organisation. This is normal and helps improve the output.
Read through the draft and ask yourself:
- Does this sound like us - or does it feel like it could belong to any organisation?
- Does the opening feel warm and genuine, or does it read as formulaic?
- Have we named and celebrated the right people in the right way?
- Are volunteers described as active contributors, not just helpers?
- Are the people we support described in a way they'd be comfortable reading about themselves?
- Is the information accurate - do the dates, names, and figures match our records?
- Is the tone consistent throughout, or does it shift unexpectedly?
If something doesn't feel right, that's fine - you can refine it in the next step.
4. Follow up prompts
Getting a newsletter that sounds authentically like you often takes more than one go. Think of this as a conversation - keep refining until you're happy.
Ask for revisions
If it isn't quite right, try:
Tone:
- "The tone feels a bit corporate - make it warmer and more conversational."
- "The opening paragraph reads as formal - rewrite it as if a colleague is talking to a friend."
Length:
- "This is too long - cut it to 400 words while keeping the thank-you section in full."
- "Write a shorter version of this for our volunteer WhatsApp group."
Structure:
- "Lead with the volunteer story rather than the statistics."
- "Add a short 'what's on' section at the end with the key dates listed clearly."
Representation:
- "Can you rewrite the section about our beneficiaries so it emphasises what they've achieved, not what they've received?"
- "The description of [group] feels a bit 'done to' - make it more empowering."
If you're not happy with the draft, try starting fresh with different instructions.
Add what only you know
AI can't replace your insider knowledge. Once you have a solid draft, add:
- Specific details about individual volunteers that make recognition feel genuine
- Recent news or context that your volunteers would want to hear directly from you
- Personal sign-offs, acknowledgements, or in-jokes that make your community feel like a community
- Your own voice - especially in the opening and closing
5. Tips and good practice
Always check names, dates and details
Volunteers will notice if something is wrong - especially if it's their name or a date they're signed up for. Before sending, check every specific detail against your records. AI can misread figures or introduce plausible-sounding errors.
Get consent before naming anyone
If you're naming volunteers, recognising individuals, or sharing quotes, make sure they're happy to be included. Even positive recognition should be opt-in - some people prefer to volunteer quietly. Anonymise or use first names only if in doubt.
Always have a human review before sending
Never send AI-assisted content to your volunteers without a person reading it through first. Ask yourself: does this feel true to us? Is anything inaccurate or off-brand? Would volunteers feel recognised and valued when they read this?
Be transparent about AI use
Consider noting that AI tools supported the drafting of this newsletter. More organisations are being open about this, and it's in line with our Worthwhile AI values. Your volunteers are likely curious about AI - being honest builds trust.
Save your prompt for next time
Once you've created a newsletter you're happy with, save the prompt and the structure that worked. Volunteer newsletters are recurring - having a reusable template means each edition gets faster and easier to produce.
