Elephant Paths: Why Volunteers are Choosing Their Own Way

2025-11-18

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What if volunteers aren’t walking away — they’re just choosing a path that feels right for them?In Episode 3 of Making a Ruckus, Tracey O’Neill explores the metaphor of Elephant Paths — those natural shortcuts peoplecarve when the “official path” just doesn’t make sense for them. And what these paths tell us about volunteer behaviour today.Instead of seeing low recruitment conversion or disengagement as a sign that people don’t want to volunteer, Tracey reframes it: people are volunteering — they’re just stepping around the hoops, del...

What if volunteers aren’t walking away — they’re just choosing a path that feels right for them?

In Episode 3 of Making a Ruckus, Tracey O’Neill explores the metaphor of Elephant Paths — those natural shortcuts peoplecarve when the “official path” just doesn’t make sense for them. And what these paths tell us about volunteer behaviour today.

Instead of seeing low recruitment conversion or disengagement as a sign that people don’t want to volunteer, Tracey reframes it: people are volunteering — they’re just stepping around the hoops, delays, and rigid processes. They’re choosing paths that feel intuitive, meaningful, flexible — paths that fit with their real life.

You’ll hear:

Why many people start the journey to volunteer…and then step away
How delays, friction, rigid processes andmisaligned roles shape these “paths”
Why informal volunteering isn’t competition —it’s communication
How Elephant Paths mirror Aboriginal Songlinesand the ancient wisdom of following meaning, not control
How you can “read the map” volunteers arealready drawing — and design systems people want to walk

This episode will change how you understand disengagement.
It’s not apathy. It’s adaptation.
A quiet—but powerful—signal about where meaning and momentum truly live.

Stay bold. Stay curious. Keep making a ruckus.

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