Using Skills-Based Volunteers

1. Using Skills-Based Volunteers Nancy Long 501 Commons

2. Consulting services, cohort programs including the Volunteer Impact Program for UWKC, Information and Referral Services and the Statewide Nonprofit Resource Directory • Visit at www.501commons.org • Executive Service Corps of WA • 26 ESC in US • 375 members in WA State • All ages and backgrounds • Both nonprofit and business expertise • Work with 100+ organizations each year

3. Purpose Provide tools and resources that help you successfully tap into the professional skills of volunteers

4. By the end of the session • What is different about working with skilled volunteers? • How do I find skills-based volunteers? • How can I match the right person to the role? • How can I successfully direct a volunteer? • Is my organization prepared to use skilled volunteers successfully?

5. Skilled Volunteers All volunteers have skills. What distinguishes skills-based volunteerism is that the volunteer is using specific skills, credentials, and experience that is not available in the general population.

6. What’s different? “You don’t need to know where you are going. Just keep walking.”

7. What’s Different? • Individually based (not a program) • Project-based—Driven by scope of work • Like an unpaid staff or consultant • Volunteer participants in designing the role • Agency describes the outcome • Volunteer contributes to how the outcome is reached • Enhanced experience if: • Paired with learning • Diverse/Intergenerational

8. What are some possible benefits of using skilled volunteers? What are some possible benefits of using skilled volunteers?

9. Benefits • Skills you cannot afford to pay for • Complete work that is on the back-burner • Can teach staff new skills • May bring a new perspective to the organization • May become a donor • May bring in new donors • May become a high value board member

10. What professional skills might be useful to your organization? Bookkeeping Database Research Photography Training Human Resources

11. Where do you find those skills?

12. Step #1 Finding skilled volunteers • Be clear about the work that needs to be done • Define the skills you need • Write a position descriptions that focus on skills needed and describes the impact of this work on the people you serve • Post it on listings sites with the skill in the position title • Send it to professionals who have the skill for might know someone who does.

13. Step #2: Matching Volunteers Square peg in a round hole? Determining a good “fit”

14. A good fit • Set up a discussion with the potential volunteer • There are 3 positive outcomes • The person is a good fit for this role • The person is not a good fit for this role • Agree to do some more work to determine if it would be a good fit.

15. What makes a good fit?

17. Challenge: Cross walking skills From the corporate to… the nonprofit sector

18. Competencies Map • www.taprootfoundation.org/leadprobono /state/competencies_map • Taprootfoundation.org>lead probono>Resources>competencies map • Lists 75+ opportunities and the occupations that can have the needed competencies • Select • By project • By occupation

19. Exercise • Choose a partner • One plays the role of the volunteer • One plays the role of the organization • Read the description of the nonprofit’s project and the profile of the volunteer and attempt to determine if there is a good match

21. Step #3: Developing an agreement with your volunteer • Defining the project • Scope of Work (what, how, to what end?) • Deliverables (products/outcomes) • Timeline • Resources needed • Accountability/Evaluation process

22. Things to watch for • Time sensitivity risk : Do they have the time to do the project when needed? • Scope creep risk - can you keep the work within a clearly defined scope? • Sector knowledge risk - does the volunteer have the sector knowledge needed for this role?

23. Developing a written agreement • Scope of work: • Problem to be solved • What will be done/ by when • Generally how it will be done • Where will the resources come from • Deliverables • Products of the work, incl. interim products • Outcomes • Accountability/Evaluation

24. Agreement Exercise • Scope of work • Problem to be solved • What will be done • Generally how it will be done • Where will the resources come from • Deliverables • Products • Outcomes

25. Assessing Readiness We insure that specialized volunteers are given the staff support and resources needed to accomplish their projects. We have developed long-term goals for engaging skilled volunteers.

26. Be aware of generational differences • Volunteers in 20/30s • Volunteers 50+

27. Working with SBV in their 20s/30s • Give options • Be flexible but clear about expectations • Engage in smaller projects to build commitment • Be open to how the work gets done • Appreciate their technology knowledge and experience

28. Working with skilled volunteers over 50 • 10,000 people turn 60 each day; Approximately 25% of the population are boomers • Highly educated • Prefer project work • Want to know expectations • Want to see the impact

29. Are you more prepared? What is your biggest barrier?

30. Using Skilled Volunteers • Nancy Long, Executive Director, 501 Commons nancy@501commons.org 206.682.6704 • Visit www.501commons.org for copies of this presentation and resources on volunteer management • Search for “skills-based volunteering” and “volunteer management resource”