One of the biggest challenges in organising your Trials & Tribulations event is getting people to actually sign up. You might announce the challenge, explain the purpose, and then wait for volunteers to come forward, only to be met with silence. This is where nomination becomes a powerful tool that transforms hesitation into participation.
Why open volunteering often fails
The waiting game
When you simply ask “who wants to join?”, several things happen:
- Everyone waits for someone else: “I’ll join if others are joining”
- Fear of being first: “What if no one else signs up and I look foolish?”
- Permission paralysis: “I shouldn’t put myself forward for something challenging”
- Comparison hesitation: “Other people are more suitable than me”
Cultural and social barriers
For many Muslim women, there are additional factors at play:
- Modesty about capability: Not wanting to appear boastful or presumptuous
- Deference to others: Feeling they should let “better” people volunteer first
- Family dynamics: Waiting to be encouraged or given permission
- Community expectations: Concern about seeming too forward or individualistic
How group nomination breaks the deadlock
Creating instant teams
Nominating several people together is far more effective than individual approaches:
- Shared experience: “We’d like you and five other mums to represent our madrasah”
- Reduced isolation: They know from the start they won’t be alone
- Peer encouragement: They can support each other’s decision
- Built-in community: The group forms before the challenge even begins
- Collective purpose: It’s about the team, not individual heroics
Removing the decision burden
When a group is nominated rather than asked to volunteer:
- External validation: “Our organisation thinks we should do this together”
- Permission granted: “I’m not being presumptuous if we’re all nominated”
- Reduced anxiety: “We’re responding to an invitation as a team”
- Shared responsibility: “We’re all in this together”
The refugee parallel
Reflecting the loss of choice
Group nomination mirrors a crucial aspect of the refugee experience:
- Refugees don’t volunteer: They’re forced into hardship by circumstances
- Families flee together: Displacement affects whole communities, not individuals
- Obligation vs choice: The journey is thrust upon groups, not chosen
- Collective hardship: Everyone faces the same trials together
Creating meaningful discomfort
The semi-obligatory feeling of being nominated as a group:
- Mirrors refugee experience: Communities don’t want to flee but circumstances force them
- Builds authentic empathy: “We didn’t fully choose this either, just like they didn’t”
- Adds realism: Makes the challenge feel like genuine hardship, not adventure tourism
- Deepens meaning: The reluctance itself becomes part of the learning
Primary nomination approaches
Madrasah groups nominating mums
This is the most effective primary approach because:
- Natural community: Mums already connected through their children’s education
- Authority relationship: The madrasah has credibility with parents
- Shared values: Islamic framework already established
- Practical connections: They already attend together, manage schedules together
- Group size: Can nominate 10-15 mums to create strong team dynamic
Example approach: “Assalamu alaikum sisters. We’re organising a Trials & Tribulations challenge to raise funds for refugee families, and we’d like to nominate a group from our madrasah community. We’ve specifically chosen you because of your commitment to Islamic values and your strength as role models for our children. The challenge is deliberately difficult: it’s designed to help us understand a tiny fraction of what displaced families face. We’d like you to participate together as a team representing our madrasah. Would you be willing to discuss this as a group?”
Charity organisations nominating volunteers
Highly effective because:
- Existing commitment: Volunteers already connected to refugee cause
- Shared purpose: Natural alignment with challenge goals
- Organisational backing: Charity’s endorsement provides credibility
- Service connection: Links to their existing volunteer work
- Team building: Strengthens charity’s volunteer community
Example approach: “We’d like to nominate a team of our regular volunteers to participate in a Trials & Tribulations challenge. You’ve all been serving refugee families through our programmes; this would give you direct insight into some of what they’ve experienced. We’re asking you as a group because your combined commitment represents what our charity stands for. Would you be willing to take this on together?”
Halaqas and study groups
Natural fit because:
- Spiritual foundation: Already gather for Islamic learning
- Trust established: Know each other in religious context
- Shared growth: Accustomed to challenging themselves spiritually
- Regular contact: Easy to coordinate and prepare together
- Right size: Typical halaqa is ideal team size
Example approach: “Sisters, we’ve been learning together about perseverance and empathy in Islam. We’d like to suggest our halaqa takes on a practical challenge that puts these principles into action. The Trials & Tribulations event would allow us to experience together a tiny glimpse of refugee hardship while raising funds to help them. Would you consider doing this as our halaqa’s collective project?”
Strategic group composition
Mixing confidence levels
When nominating your group, think about balance:
- Natural leaders: Include 1-2 confident people who’ll encourage others
- Hesitant but capable: The majority — people who need encouragement but will thrive
- Nervous participants: 1-2 very anxious people who’ll be supported by the group
- Age diversity: Mix of younger and older creates intergenerational support
- Varied fitness: Ensure no one feels they’re the only one who’ll struggle
Creating sub-teams within larger groups
For groups of 10+, consider:
- Buddy pairs: Match people who’ll support each other closely
- Small teams: Groups of 3-4 within the larger team
- Role distribution: Different people take lead on different aspects
- Natural groupings: Respect existing friendships while mixing in new connections
Secondary: individual nominations
Husbands nominating wives
This works well as a complement to group nomination:
- Family support: Built-in encouragement from someone who knows them well
- Permission granting: Helps overcome concerns about family obligations
- Practical support: Husband can help with childcare and logistics
- Personal confidence: “My husband thinks I can do this”
Example approach: “I think you should join the madrasah group doing this challenge. You’re always talking about wanting to do something meaningful with the other mums, and I can manage things at home that weekend. The sisters asked you because they see your strength. I really think you’d be amazing at this.”
Note: This works best when there’s already a group for the wife to join—husbands shouldn’t nominate in isolation.
How to nominate groups effectively
Collective conversation
Rather than approaching individuals separately:
- Gather the potential group: Call a special meeting or use existing gathering
- Present together: Explain the challenge and why you’re nominating them as a group
- Allow discussion: Let them talk among themselves about concerns and excitement
- Answer questions: Address worries as a group rather than one-by-one
- Decision as team: They can decide together, supporting each other’s commitment
Make it specific
Group nominations work best when they’re particular:
- Named group: “The madrasah mums” or “our volunteer team” not “anyone interested”
- Clear reasons: “We chose you because of X, Y, Z qualities you share”
- Defined purpose: “You’ll represent our community/charity/values”
- Set timing: “We’re planning this for [date], are you available as a group?”
Create immediate bonding
Once a group accepts nomination:
- First team meeting: Gather soon after to begin planning together
- Shared preparation: Create group chat for coordination and encouragement
- Joint training: Encourage them to prepare physically together
- Team identity: Help them see themselves as “madrasah mums” or “the charity crew”
Addressing group resistance
Common group concerns
Be prepared for individual worries:
- “I’m fit enough”: “That’s exactly why we need you; this isn’t about athletics, it’s about solidarity”
- “I’m too busy”: “It’s one weekend as a team, and you’d be doing something truly meaningful together”
- “Other would be better”: “We specifically want you because of your existing bonds and values”
- “What if some of us can’t do it?”: “The whole point is supporting each other through difficult things”
Managing hesitation
When a nominated individuals waver:
- Acknowledge legitimacy: Their concerns are real and valid
- Emphasise togetherness: They won’t face this alone
- Share the refugee parallel: Their reluctance mirrors refugee experience
- Offer thinking time: “Discuss it among yourselves for a week”
- Provide information: Give them detailed briefing materials to review together
If some decline
What to do when not everyone accepts:
- Respect individual choice: Some may have genuine reasons to opt out
- Maintain core group: 4-6 committed people is better than 10 reluctant ones
- Invite replacements: Can others from the community join the core group?
- Adjust team size: Smaller committed team often works better than large hesitant one
Nomination scripts for groups
For madrasah organisers:
“Assalamu alaikum sisters. Could I have a few minutes of your time after drop-off? I want to talk to you as a group about something important.
[Once gathered] We’ve been thinking about how to make our madrasah’s refugee fundraising more meaningful this year. Rather than just asking for donations, we’d like to create an experience that helps our community truly understand what displaced families face.
We’re nominating you six specifically — not because you’re the fittest or most adventurous, but because you’re the heart of our madrasah community. Your children learn from you, the other mums look up to you, and we think this challenge would be powerful for you and through you, for our whole community.
It’s called Trials & Tribulations — it involves spending a Friday night in basic conditions, fasting through a countryside trek, and completing an obstacle course on Saturday. It’s deliberately difficult. It’s meant to be uncomfortable. That’s the point.
We’d like you to do this as a team, representing our madrasah. You’d train together, fundraise together, and complete the challenge together. What do you think? Can we schedule a time to discuss this properly with all of you?”
For charity coordinators:
“Team, thank you for coming to this volunteer meeting. I want to propose something different for our group this year.
You’ve all been working with refugee families — helping them settle, teaching English, supporting with housing applications. You see the practical needs. But I think there’s something valuable in experiencing, even briefly, a glimpse of what they’ve been through.
I’m nominating our core volunteer team to participate in a Trials & Tribulations challenge together. It’s a physical and spiritual challenge that simulates some refugee hardships—fasting, difficult conditions, physical trials. It’s not comfortable, and that’s intentional.
I think doing this as a team would deepen our understanding and make us better advocates for the families we serve. Plus, we’d raise significant funds for our programs.
This isn’t mandatory — you’re volunteers, not employees. But I genuinely believe this would be powerful for us as a team. Would you be willing to hear more about it and consider it together?”
For halaqa leaders:
“Sisters, we’ve spent months studying sabr and empathy, discussing how to embody Islamic values practically. I want to suggest we put that learning into action together.
There’s a challenge called Trials & Tribulations that combines physical endurance with spiritual reflection, all while raising funds for refugees. It involves fasting, difficult physical tasks, and basic conditions — designed to give us a tiny taste of refugee hardship.
I’m proposing our entire halaqa does this together. Not as individuals signing up separately, but as our collective project for this year. We study together — why not challenge ourselves together?
It would be hard. Some of us would struggle more than others. But that’s what our halaqa is for—supporting each other through difficult things. What do you all think? Should we take this on as a group?”
Following up on group nominations
Give collective thinking time
Don’t demand immediate group decisions:
- Initial presentation: Plant the seed and explain why you nominated them as a group
- Group discussion time: “Talk among yourselves for a few days”
- Follow-up meeting: Reconvene as a group within a week to hear decision
- No individual pressure: Make it clear this is a collective choice
Build group momentum
As they consider it together:
- Provide resources: Share information they can review as a group
- Connect with others: Introduce them to previous participants or other nominated groups
- Answer questions: Be available for group queries
- Encourage communication: Suggest they create group chat to discuss concerns
Seal the commitment
Once the group accepts:
- Official kick-off: Celebrate their decision as a team
- First planning meeting: Concrete next steps make it real
- Create team identity: Give them a name, maybe team t-shirts for training
- Maintain momentum: Regular check-ins keep enthusiasm alive
When group nominations don’t work
Respecting collective decisions
Sometimes nominations genuinely aren’t right:
- Accept gracefully: “Thank you for considering it together”
- Maintain relationships: Don’t make them feel they’ve failed
- Offer alternatives: “Would you help in a different way?”
- Leave door open: “Perhaps another time would work better”
Learning from declined nominations
Use group refusals to improve:
- Wrong group composition: Did you nominate people who don’t actually connect well?
- Poor timing: Is something happening in the community that makes this difficult?
- Unclear communication: Did they understand the purpose and their suitability?
- Too much pressure: Did the approach feel coercive rather than inviting?
Making group nomination feel like honour
Frame it positively
Help the nominees see this as recognition:
- Careful selection: “We chose you specifically from everyone we could have asked”
- Trust and respect: “We trust you to represent our community/organisation/values”
- Collective strength: “Together you embody the qualities we want to highlight”
- Opportunity to grow: “This is a chance for something meaningful as a group”
Connect to shared values
Link nomination to their existing bonds:
- Faith: “Your group already demonstrates Islamic values — this puts them into action”
- Community: “Your participation strengthens all of us”
- Existing relationships: “You already support each other — this extends that support”
- Collective purpose: “Together you can make more impact than any individual”
Remember, group nomination isn’t manipulation; it’s removing barriers that prevent willing people from saying yes as a team. Most of your nominees have probably wanted to do something challenging together but lacked the structure to commit. Your group nomination provides them with purpose, permission, and peers all at once.
The semi-obligatory feeling isn’t coercion; it’s actually part of the challenge’s authenticity. Just as refugee families don’t choose their hardships but face them together, nominated groups don’t fully choose the challenge but discover collective capabilities they didn’t know they had. That parallel makes the experience more meaningful and the empathy more genuine.
When done thoughtfully, group nomination transforms “maybe someday we’ll do something challenging” into “we’re doing this meaningful thing together, with support.” That’s not pressure — that’s community leadership.