Find out more on how to keep your vol?un?teers engaged and stay?ing in your organisation.
Vol?un?teers are cru?cial in any non-?profit organ?i?sa?tion. Vol?un?teerism expert Susan J?Ellis, pres?i?dent of Ener?gize, Inc, sheds some light on the pri?mary man?age?ment respon?si?bil?i?ties nec?es?sary to get your vol?un?teers engaged and stay?ing in your organisation:
Ele?ment #1: Plan?ning & resources
Plan?ning is the key to suc?cess for all organ?i?sa?tional projects, and vol?un?teer devel?op?ment is no excep?tion. Plan?ning for vol?un?teers, who will be your organisation?s unpaid per?son?nel, includes a?vari?ety of deci?sions about: Climate/?readiness for vol?un?teers; goals and objec?tives; bud?get and resources; staff prepa?ra?tion; and an imple?men?ta?tion?plan.
Ele?ment #2: Staffing
By def?i?n?i?tion, vol?un?teers are part-?time staff with widely vary?ing sched?ules. Add to this the diver?sity and back?grounds of the peo?ple who vol?un?teer, and the result?ing work?force is a?logis?ti?cal challenge.
A vol?un?teer involve?ment strat?egy must have a?clearly-?designated coor?di?na?tor to han?dle all the activ?i?ties out?lined in these 12 man?age?ment elements.
Ele?ment #3: Vol?un?teer work design
Devel?op?ing vol?un?teer assign?ments that are mean?ing?ful to the organ?i?sa?tion and attrac?tive to prospec?tive vol?un?teers requires both plan?ning and vision. It means analysing what needs to be done (whether to assist staff or to pro?vide a?ser?vice directly to clients) and then cre?atively design?ing tasks doable in short bursts of time, by a?vari?ety of peo?ple with dif?fer?ent skills. Expec?ta?tions and qual?i?fi?ca?tions for such vol?un?teer posi?tions need to be defined in writing.
Ele?ment #4: Recruitment
Recruit?ment is the process of encour?ag?ing peo?ple to give their time and energy to an organ?i?sa?tion as vol?un?teers. Suc?cess?ful recruit?ment requires the sup?port of the entire organ?i?sa?tion and is closely tied to over?all pub?lic rela?tions and mar?ket?ing efforts. It?s ?peo?ple raising?.
Ele?ment #5: Inter?view?ing & screening
Effec?tive ini?tial inter?view?ing of prospec?tive vol?un?teers pre?vents many types of super?vi?sion and man?age?ment prob?lems. It also allows can?di?dates to be matched with the most appro?pri?ate and appeal?ing assign?ment for?them.
Ele?ment #6: Ori?en?ta?tion & training
Orientation/?induction is the overview of the total organ?i?sa?tion nec?es?sary for every vol?un?teer, regard?less of spe?cific assign?ment. It places the work in con?text and allows for con?sis?tent intro?duc?tion of poli?cies, pro?ce?dures, rights and responsibilities.
Train?ing of vol?un?teers should be cus?tomised to the require?ments of each posi?tion descrip?tion and the back?ground each vol?un?teer brings to the organ?i?sa?tion. There is ini?tial, start-?up train?ing, plus the need for ongo?ing, in-?service train?ing. Much train?ing is depen?dent upon giv?ing clear instruc?tions and is inte?grated into supervision.
Ele?ment #7: Volunteer/?employee relationships
The inter-?relationship of vol?un?teers and employ?ees can be the sin?gle biggest obsta?cle to effec?tive vol?un?teer involve?ment, unless steps are taken to encour?age team?work. This requires train?ing, eval?u?a?tion and admin?is?tra?tive atten?tion. It is also impor?tant to pay atten?tion to the rela?tion?ships between long-?time vol?un?teers and new?comer volunteers.
Ele?ment #8: Supervision
As with employ?ees, vol?un?teers need sup?port from those in a?posi?tion to see the total pic?ture and who know what work needs to be done. A?key aspect of the super?vi?sion of vol?un?teers is access to some?one in charge dur?ing the time the vol?un?teer is on duty. Vol?un?teers who work off-?site, in the field or vir?tu?ally, also need sup?port. Not all vol?un?teers are super?vised. Some require liai?son or report?ing contact.
Ele?ment #9: Recognition
Recog?ni?tion is a?form of com?pen?sa?tion for vol?un?teer efforts. It includes thank?ing vol?un?teers for their efforts and wel?com?ing vol?un?teers? input. An organ?i?sa?tion can pro?vide annual for?mal recog?ni?tion through cer?tifi?cates and din?ners, but equally impor?tant are daily sup?port and infor?mal expres?sions of appreciation.
Ele?ment #10: Record?keep?ing & reporting
If vol?un?teers are impor?tant to the work of the organ?i?sa?tion, it is impor?tant to know what vol?un?teers are doing. Doc?u?ment their work assists in recruit?ment, train?ing, recog?ni?tion and even fundrais?ing. Record?keep?ing is also nec?es?sary for insur?ance cov?er?age and to sup?port the income-?tax deduc?tion claims of vol?un?teers. Once records are kept, they are of lit?tle mean?ing if they are not reported.
Reports of the cumu?la?tive achieve?ments of vol?un?teers should be shared with vol?un?teers, as well as with admin?is?tra?tion, other staff and fund?ing sources.
Ele?ment #11: Evaluation
Because vol?un?teer time is too valu?able to waste, it is imper?a?tive to eval?u?ate the impact of vol?un?teer ser?vices reg?u?larly and to dis?cover whether those ser?vices are still the most mean?ing?ful ones to deliver. Along with over?all pro?gram eval?u?a?tion, it also is help?ful to con?duct indi?vid?ual per?for?mance reviews with vol?un?teers. This prac?tice main?tains stan?dards for the vol?un?teer involve?ment and also recog?nises each volunteer.
Ele?ment #12: Vol?un?teer?input
Some organ?i?sa?tions want help from vol?un?teers, but not input. Vol?un?teers are in a?posi?tion to observe an organ?i?sa?tion and can take more risks in crit?i?cis?ing. They also are effec?tive com?mu?nity advo?cates when they observe things going well. It is impor?tant to cre?ate a?chan?nel for vol?un?teer comments.
Also, hav?ing the oppor?tu?nity to voice opin?ions and make sug?ges?tions encour?ages greater par?tic?i?pa?tion in all aspects of vol?un?teer engagement.
Find out more on how to keep your volunteers engaged and staying in your organisation.
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Volunteers are crucial in any non-profit organisation. Volunteerism expert Susan J Ellis, president of Energize, Inc, sheds some light on the primary management responsibilities necessary to get your volunteers engaged and staying in your organisation:
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Volunteers helping out at Ground-Up Initiative.
Element #1: Planning & resources
Planning is the key to success for all organisational projects, and volunteer development is no exception. Planning for volunteers, who will be your organisation?s unpaid personnel, includes a variety of decisions about: Climate/readiness for volunteers; goals and objectives; budget and resources; staff preparation; and an implementation plan.
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Element #2: Staffing
By definition, volunteers are part-time staff with widely varying schedules. Add to this the diversity and backgrounds of the people who volunteer, and the resulting workforce is a logistical challenge.
A volunteer involvement strategy must have a clearly-designated coordinator to handle all the activities outlined in these 12 management elements.
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Element #3: Volunteer work design
Developing volunteer assignments that are meaningful to the organisation and attractive to prospective volunteers requires both planning and vision. It means analysing what needs to be done (whether to assist staff or to provide a service directly to clients) and then creatively designing tasks doable in short bursts of time, by a variety of people with different skills. Expectations and qualifications for such volunteer positions need to be defined in writing.
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Element #4: Recruitment
Recruitment is the process of encouraging people to give their time and energy to an organisation as volunteers. Successful recruitment requires the support of the entire organisation and is closely tied to overall public relations and marketing efforts. It?s ?people raising?.
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Element #5: Interviewing & screening
Philips' employees help install new lightbulbs for the elderly.
Effective initial interviewing of prospective volunteers prevents many types of supervision and management problems. It also allows candidates to be matched with the most appropriate and appealing assignment for them.
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Element #6: Orientation & training
Orientation/induction is the overview of the total organisation necessary for every volunteer, regardless of specific assignment. It places the work in context and allows for consistent introduction of policies, procedures, rights and responsibilities.
Training of volunteers should be customised to the requirements of each position description and the background each volunteer brings to the organisation. There is initial, start-up training, plus the need for ongoing, in-service training. Much training is dependent upon giving clear instructions and is integrated into supervision.
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Element #7: Volunteer/employee relationships
The inter-relationship of volunteers and employees can be the single biggest obstacle to effective volunteer involvement, unless steps are taken to encourage teamwork. This requires training, evaluation and administrative attention. It is also important to pay attention to the relationships between long-time volunteers and newcomer volunteers.
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Element #8: Supervision
As with employees, volunteers need support from those in a position to see the total picture and who know what work needs to be done. A key aspect of the supervision of volunteers is access to someone in charge during the time the volunteer is on duty. Volunteers who work off-site, in the field or virtually, also need support. Not all volunteers are supervised. Some require liaison or reporting contact.
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Element #9: Recognition
Recognition is a form of compensation for volunteer efforts. It includes thanking volunteers for their efforts and welcoming volunteers? input. An organisation can provide annual formal recognition through certificates and dinners, but equally important are daily support and informal expressions of appreciation.
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Element #10: Recordkeeping & reporting
If volunteers are important to the work of the organisation, it is important to know what volunteers are doing. Document their work assists in recruitment, training, recognition and even fundraising. Recordkeeping is also necessary for insurance coverage and to support the income-tax deduction claims of volunteers. Once records are kept, they are of little meaning if they are not reported.
Reports of the cumulative achievements of volunteers should be shared with volunteers, as well as with administration, other staff and funding sources.
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Element #11: Evaluation
An employee of Rodyk & Davidson making sure every window is wiped down. This is a community project with Habitat for Humanity.
Because volunteer time is too valuable to waste, it is imperative to evaluate the impact of volunteer services regularly and to discover whether those services are still the most meaningful ones to deliver. Along with overall program evaluation, it also is helpful to conduct individual performance reviews with volunteers. This practice maintains standards for the volunteer involvement and also recognises each volunteer.
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Element #12: Volunteer input
Some organisations want help from volunteers, but not input. Volunteers are in a position to observe an organisation and can take more risks in criticising. They also are effective community advocates when they observe things going well. It is important to create a channel for volunteer comments.
Also, having the opportunity to voice opinions and make suggestions encourages greater participation in all aspects of volunteer engagement.
Source: http://www.salt.org.sg/1926/12-elements-for-successful-volunteer-involvement/
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