Satellite Partner Training Volunteer Management

1. Satellite Partner Training Volunteer Management

2. Agenda Recruitment: Building a sustainable program for maximum outreach Cooking Matters Gold Standards: Resources for Volunteers Training: Preparation & hosting Retention: Keeping volunteers fulfilled and effective Recognition: Impacting their experience Volunteer Resources

3. Volunteer Recruiting

5. Volunteer Recruitment • Do I know what qualifications I am looking for? • Do I know how to train the volunteer? • Do I have a firm description of the goals and objectives of the work to be done? • Will the work be meaningful? Will the volunteer be busy for their whole scheduled shift? • Will the volunteer feel ownership and responsibility for the task at hand? • Is a comfortable workspace available? • What is the time commitment required?

6. Building Blocks for a Successful Recruitment Strategy: Volunteer Roles • Chef instructors • Nutrition instructors • Class assistants • Shoppers • Interpreters Cooking Matters Volunteer Roles

7. Building Blocks for a Successful Recruitment Strategy: Job Descriptions • Sample job descriptions and applications can be provided Cooking Matters Volunteer Roles Volunteer Descriptions

8. Building Blocks for a Successful Recruitment Strategy: Sharing the Model Explain Cooking Matters’ unique program model, distinctive volunteer needs and program impact. Sharing the Cooking Matters model Cooking Matters Volunteer Roles Volunteer Descriptions

9. Building Blocks for a Successful Recruitment Strategy: Volunteer Expectations • Motivational Expectations: Opportunity to make a difference, support Cooking Matters mission, feeling connection with community • Other Volunteer Expectations: Organized Cooking Matters staff, provide appropriate tools/equipment/resources, offer a safe workspace, good use of their time/skills Sharing the Cooking Matters model VolunteerExpectations Cooking Matters Volunteer Roles Volunteer Descriptions

10. Building Blocks for a Successful Recruitment Strategy: Resources • What resources are available for recruitment? • What partnerships exist to facilitate with • outreach? • Are there outreach tools available? Resources Sharing the Cooking Matters model Volunteer Expectations Resources Cooking Matters Volunteer Roles Volunteer Descriptions

11. Building Blocks for a Successful Recruitment Strategy: Partner Capacity • Who leads and is involved in recruitment? • How can your parent organization support recruitment? • What external partnerships exist to facilitate outreach? • What are current competing demands for time/resources affecting volunteer recruitment? Partner Capacity Volunteer Expectations Resources Sharing the Cooking Matters model Volunteer Expectations Resources Cooking Matters Volunteer Roles Volunteer Descriptions

12. Volunteer Management Experience Partner Capacity Sharing the Cooking Matters model Volunteer Expectations Resources Cooking Matters Volunteer Roles Volunteer Descriptions

13. Volunteer Recruitment: Making the Ask Incentivize the ASK • Develop incentives for your current volunteers to help your organization recruit new volunteers • Offer things like a VIP parking spot, a highlight in your newsletter, special seating at fundraiser, lunch with the Executive Director Group ASK • Present opportunities in the community, like at religious services, alumni events, chamber of commerce, rotary meetings and school functions. Marketing ASK • Traditional and social media marketing materials • Key Considerations: diverse pictures, accessible and appropriate language for the audience, appropriate placement in media

14. For culinary instructors, think outside the restaurant box! College Dining Services Deli workers Private Chef’s Caterers Hotel chefs Slow Food Community Gardens Chefs Move to Schools Share our Strength events

15. Finding Nutrition Instructors Fitness Centers Gym staff Weight Watchers Diet/Health Centers Health Food Stores School Nurses Cafeteria Staff Hospitals Faith based Rotary Clubs 4-H Clubs Work study students

16. Volunteer Recruitment: Broad Outreach • Volunteer Match • www.volunteermatch.org • Idealist • www.idealist.org • 1-800 Volunteer • www.1-800-volunteer.org • Volunteer Solutions • http://volunteer.trust.com • Senior Corps • www.seniorcorps.org • Craig’s List • www.craigslist.com

17. Initial ScreeningSifting for the Right Fit • Ask good questions: • How did you hear about CM? • What is your interest in our program? • How would you like to volunteer for our program? • What is your culinary/ nutrition/food background?

18. Initial ScreeningFollowUp • Encourage potential volunteers to review websites and learn more about the expectations • Share Our Strength • Cooking Matters • Inter-Faith Food Shuttle • Your organization • http://cookingmatters.org/get-involved/volunteer/

19. Initial ScreeningSaying No Not every volunteer is the right fit and not every volunteer knows where they fit best • Will they be able to able to engage participants? • Would they be better in a different role? • Do they need extra time to build up experience? • Would they be a benefit to helping the organization rather than being a course volunteer?

20. Training and Orientation

21. Initial Volunteer Training • Monthly group vs. individual • Combined orientation and training • Class Zero

22. Ongoing Volunteer Training • Creates a shared understanding of our work by familiarizing volunteers with the mission, vision, rules and best practices related to our work; refreshing and enhancing knowledge; and keeping them updated on changes, enhancements and new opportunities. • Helps volunteers feel prepared by increasing confidence and morale- higher morale leads to a greater willingness to contribute to the success of the program. Ongoing Volunteer training is correlated to gold standard programming!

23. Gold Standards for Volunteers

24. Implementing Gold Standards with Volunteers Partners are responsible for preparing volunteers to: • Interact with Participants • Demonstrate Subject Expertise and Classroom Leadership • Deliver Course Content • Use Appropriate Delivery Methods

25. Implementing Gold Standards with Volunteers Interacting with Participants • Welcoming environment • Demonstrate respect and cultural sensitivity • Manage inappropriate classroom behaviors.

26. Implementing Gold Standards with Volunteers Demonstrate Subject Expertise and Classroom Leadership • Knowledge of subject • Prepared and organized • Class on schedule

27. Implementing Gold Standards with Volunteers • Delivering Course Content • Present, practice, and encourage use of information and skills regarding: • Healthy Eating • Food Resource Management • Cooking and Meal Preparation • Food and Kitchen Safety • Discuss course materials with participants • Distribute appropriate materials to participants

28. Implementing Gold Standards with Volunteers Using Appropriate Delivery Methods • Have participants cook and eat together • Ask participants open-ended questions to encourage discussion. • “Team-teach”, or work collaboratively with your co-instructor to guide discussion. • Build on content from the previous weeks.

29. Volunteer Retention

30. WHY do volunteers stay with organizations? Four management practices that have a positive effect on volunteer retention: • Recognition activities • Training and professional development opportunities • Using screening procedures to identify suitable volunteers • Matching volunteers with appropriate tasks Source: Volunteer Management Practices and Retention of Volunteers, Mark A. Hager, Jeffrey L. Brudney, Urban Institute, June 2004

31. WHY do volunteers stay with Cooking Matters? Key retention factors • Clear communications/expectations • Appropriate and engaging training • Chance to cultivate new skills • Opportunities to connect with like-minded volunteers • Opportunities to connect with clients • Recognition & reward

32. HOW do we know why volunteers stay with Cooking Matters? • End-of-Course Survey for Volunteers • Anonymous • Gauges volunteer and host site staff satisfaction • Provides knowledge that can aid recruiting/retention • Reinforces that we care about their feedback and want to improve their experience • Let volunteers know that the end of course survey will be automatically sent via email a few weeks after the course ends • The survey is designed for the course team which includes: ALL volunteers, no matter their role, and host site staff

33. Volunteer Recognition

35. Why does Share Our Strength recognize volunteers? Connect new volunteers to Share Our Strength’s role in ending childhood hunger. Establish and maintain a connection with volunteers at the national level. Appreciate volunteers who have taught milestone course series. Encourage volunteers to continue teaching Cooking Matters courses in their communities.

36. How does Share Our Strength recognize volunteers? Volunteer Milestone Gifts 1st course: Re-useable grocery bag (Distributed at local level) 3rd course: Cooking Matters water bottle 5th course: Insulated bag 10th course: Signed copy of ‘The Light of Conscience’ 15th course: Induction for course instructors intothe Cooking Matters Hall of Fame, paid travel to and registration for Conference of Leaders

37. How can you recognize your volunteers on the local level? • Acknowledge each course with a handwritten thank you note • Acknowledge volunteers in your organization's newsletter or on social media • Share quotes from the participant surveys with volunteers so they know they’ve made an impact • Highlight participants positive feedback about the class results to your volunteers so they can see the impact of their contribution. • Personal thank you phone call from someone higher up in your organization to the volunteer • Provide a letter of recognition to the volunteer’s place of employment or professional organization • Create and provide a certificate of appreciation

38. Next Up… Course Coordination: Before Class Starts Satellite Partner Blog Satellite Partner Timeline Host Site Selection Volunteer Training Course Materials Preparation