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Volunteer Management. June 15, 2011 Northland Foundation Strengthening Communities. Agenda. Welcome Overview and Expectations Complete Assessment Key Attributes Best Practices Volunteer Manual. Why . Personally asked Affiliation with the organization Personal connection to mission
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Volunteer Management June 15, 2011 Northland Foundation Strengthening Communities
Agenda • Welcome • Overview and Expectations • Complete Assessment • Key Attributes • Best Practices • Volunteer Manual
Why • Personally asked • Affiliation with the organization • Personal connection to mission • Enjoy type of work • Want to learn new skills • Want to meet people
Motivate • Affiliation • Personal interaction, works to make friends • Achievement • Works toward goals, seeks responsibility, sticks to tasks until done • Power • Impact and influence others, work alone or group, responds to needs of people or programs
Types of Volunteers • Long term • Short term – episodic • Family • Student • Internships • Virtual Volunteers
40% stop due to poor management practices • Poor use of time • Not use skills or talent • Tasks not clearly define • People say often family or personal reasons
60% of nonprofits adopted nine volunteer management practices to some degree • Best practice most often used is supervision and communication
Nine Practices • Supervision and communication with volunteers • Liability coverage for volunteers • Screening and matching volunteers to jobs • Regular collection of information on volunteer involvement • Written policies and job descriptions for volunteers • Recognition activities • Annual measurement of volunteer impact • Training and professional development for volunteers • Training for paid staff in working with volunteers
What do we not do so well • Preparing for Volunteers • Inventory of tasks and skills • Screening and matching • Training of staff • Working with Volunteers • Orientation and Training • Measuring Impact • Recognition of Volunteers
We Think • Find someone to work with the volunteers • Create job description (maybe written down) • Recruit and assign volunteers (grab and go) • Say thank you at end of shift • Wonder why we do not retain volunteers
Better Approach • Develop the philosophical base for why • Articulate the principles • Train the staff – engage and train
Develop the Philosophy • Philosophical Base • Fundamental assumptions behind volunteering • Align with organizational priorities • Sets the direction for the volunteer program • Principles Of Volunteering • Core values about volunteering in organization
Principles • We believe that children and families need a loving and supportive environment for their day care. • The interaction of seniors, children and their parents benefits everyone. • We respect the diversity of generations with each having their own attitudes and beliefs. • Loving care can be demonstrated to our parents.
Training of Staff • Volunteers ineffective without the infrastructure appropriate • Key is support by paid staff so time not wasted • Forms • Orientation Basics • Formal training of staff – how to work with volunteers • Purpose • Goals • Policies – Volunteers as Guests • Expectations
Preparing for the Volunteer • Screening and matching • Assessment and inventory of tasks, skills and expectations • BE CLEAR • Create job description • Be clear on skills • Create volunteer inventory form
Position Description • Title • Purpose/objective • Location • Key bulleted list of responsibilities • Qualifications • Time Commitment • Training/Support Provided • Benefits • Supervisor and contact information
Recruitment • Need a strategy • Personal Ask • Web site • Social Media – facebook and twitter • Centers • Partnerships • Networking
Making the Match • Application • Interviewing (Inventory Done) • Screening • Matching the volunteer, the skill and the task • Set the initial expectations
Communication • Be Prompt • Be Clear • Share Knowledge – impact • Be personal • Be reliable • Think three emails and one phone call
Communication • Organizational Climate • Organizational Structure • Reward • Warmth • Conflict • Identity
Volunteer Training • Three type of Training • Orientation • Training (5 minute – 2 hour) • Mission • Goals • Services • Role – tasks to be completed • Ongoing Training - Development
Orientation • Reduce anxiety • Limit Turnover • Save Time for Program Staff • Develops realistic expectations • Sets positive attitudes • Increase volunteer satisfaction
Tips • Most important information first • Emphasize people as well as policies and procedures • Partner new ones with experienced ones • Age appropriate and sensitive to diversity • Promote exchange and questions • Okay not to know it all – get back to you or discussion
Policies and Procedures • Short • Booklet • Long Manual • Policies tell people what to do • Procedures tell them how to do it
Policies • Why you involve volunteers • Role descriptions • Recruitment and selection • Relationship between volunteers and staff • Relationship between volunteers and client group • Confidentiality, respect, diversity
Policies…. • Training and development • Working conditions • Dress code • Name badges • Recognition • Support and supervision • Expenses • Insurance • Dealing with Problems
Policies • Written in present tense • Clear, concise language • External audience • Approved by management - board
Important Concepts • Staff and volunteer have to work together • Mutual beneficial relationship for both • Skills and Task must match • Make it a valuable experience – your image is at stake • Other • Welcoming Culture • Resources to Support • Volunteers to Recruit Other Volunteers
Recognition • Recognition • Say thank you • Simple thank you gifts – during event • Appreciation events • Volunteer of the Day, Year, etc • Align with organization Newsletter Annual report
Retention Musts • Retention Goal most impacted by: • recognizing volunteers • providing training and professional development • screening volunteers and matching them to organizational tasks
Challenges Volunteer Perspective • Time • Responsiveness – Now • Technology • Generational Expectations • Dedicated staff resources
Challenges • The Big Shift • Encore Volunteers • Skill based Volunteers • Funding • Resources for infrastructure and management of volunteers • National leadership and infrastructure
The Future Our choice as citizens • Pay more taxes • Go without the service • Volunteer
Resources • Interest self assessment http://handsonmwv.org/docs/Interest_Self_Assessment_Exercise.pdf • Resource Web Site http://www.energizeinc.com/art.html Points of Light Foundation Hands on Network • Volunteer Management Best Practices http://blog.theregistrationsystem.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/IFEA-Volunteer-Management-Best-Practices.pdf