Dealing with Tricky Situations with Volunteers 28 th June 2016

1. Dealing with Tricky Situations with Volunteers 28th June 2016

2. Session aims • Identify common problem areas and consider underlying causes • Tips to manage relationships between volunteers, and between volunteers and paid staff, including identifying barriers that can lead to disagreement • Discuss how to prevent problems, including policies/procedures and effective recruitment • Discuss how to deal with problems when they do happen, including assertiveness skills

3. Problems and causes Let’s think about the causes behind why tricky situations occur. Group Flipchart Time!

4. Problems and causes Causes: The 4 P’s People Policies Procedures Place/plant (environment/equipment)

5. CAUSES: Volunteers • Unmet expectations e.g. role not meaningful, not gaining new skills etc. • Feeling marginalised in comparison with employees e.g. access to training, support & supervision etc. • Not taken seriously by employees • Work not valued, taken for granted, overworked • Not being inducted or shown how to do things properly • Lack of support

6. CAUSES: Staff • Not being consulted about working with volunteers • Fear that volunteers will take employees’ jobs • Not supported to manage volunteers, or lack of clarity about who is responsible • Suspicion that volunteers will ‘push‘ employees away from service users • Fear that volunteers will be unreliable • Concern that volunteers will be more of a hindrance than a help e.g. ‘it’s easier to do things myself’ • Not able to get rid of volunteers even when they can’t or won’t do their work

7. Underlying causes • Lack of clarity and understanding within the organisation about why they are involving volunteers. • Insufficient planning for the management of volunteers. • Fears (barriers or ‘blocks’) between volunteers and employees about their working relationship not dealt with. • Inadequate support and supervision of volunteers and employees in the absence of a structured volunteer programme.

8. PREVENTION: Enabling cooperation between volunteers and paid staff Prevention is better than the cure! Let’s think of a few solutions … FLIPCHART TIME 

9. PREVENTION Strategies for creating good, healthy cooperation between volunteers and paid staff • Overall organisation policy for involving volunteers. • Working with staff to identify their own, and their clients’/users’ needs. • Making staff aware of, and involved in the volunteer programme. • Personalised and adjustable task descriptions for volunteers. • Involving volunteers and employees in the management (decision making) of the volunteer programme. • Early monitoring of volunteer placements. • Accepting that staff must have some element of control and responsibility in volunteer management. • On-going relationship building.

10. PREVENTION: Involving staff in the planning of volunteer programme • Understand why the organisation is involving volunteers • Agree policies and procedures for working with volunteers. • Demonstrate the value to the organisation of volunteer involvement 10

11. PREVENTION through strong recruitment In an ideal world we would avoid the problem rather than having to deal with a tricky situation when it occurs.

12. PREVENTION through strong recruitment Let’s have a think of how the problem could have been avoided through the recruitment and induction / training process. Flipchart time again!

13. PREVENTION: Contents of a Problem Solving Procedure Hands up who has a problem-solving procedure for their volunteers?

14. PREVENTION: Contents of a Problem Solving Procedure • PURPOSE AND SCOPE 2. PRINCIPLES • COMPLAINTS FROM VOLUNTEERS • Oral discussion • Written complaint • Appeal process 4. COMPLAINTS AGAINST VOLUNTEERS • Oral Discussion • Written Warning • Review period • Appeal process • Asking a Volunteer to Leave • Gross misconduct

15. PREVENTION: Creating a Problem Solving Procedure • Involve volunteers in designing the policy • Confidentiality: only those directly involved in resolving the issue • How long complaints and warnings will be kept on file • Allow enough time for meetings, no interruptions • Keep complainants informed at every step

16. PREVENTION: Creating a Problem Solving Procedure (2) • Set realistic timeframes for complaints and response • Reassure service users that they can still use the service • Volunteer can continue unless suspended due to investigation into gross misconduct • Colleague, friend or union representative accompany them in meetings • Who to involve in decisions and appeals • Review policy and procedures regularly

17. DURING … So a problem has happened… • What do you do now? • And how do you do it? • What skills are needed to sort it out?

18. DURING … 1. Identify the problem • Talk about what happened with those who were there • One-off incident • Slow burning, ongoing problem 2. Come up with a solution • Talk to colleagues • Previous experience

19. DURING … 3. Ignore problem, it will probably go away. NOOOO!  4. Take action • Face-to-face meetings • Time for assertiveness skills!

20. DURING: Why do Volunteer Managers need assertiveness skills?

21. DURING: Why do Volunteer Managers need assertiveness skills? • Need to champion volunteering • Called on to deal with volunteer issues • Mediator between staff and volunteers • Often learning ‘as you go’ • May have to say ‘no’ • Problems will always exist, but the more practice at solving (and avoiding problems), the easier they are to deal with

22. DURING: Techniques • Broken record • Work out what it is that you really want to say to the other person. Make sure you keep saying it, calmly and slowly, until it is received. • Body Language • Smiling, friendly, relaxed. • Take criticism • Be aware of who is giving it to you, get other opinions if you’re not sure

23. DURING: Techniques (2) • Sandwich the criticism you give to others with positivity • Be honest about the positive, be clear and specific about the negative • Disagree, but carefully: • There is a process, and it begins with a yes! • Use ‘I’ statements. • Very direct and come from your point of view. • Say what you mean: • e.g. ‘no’ or ‘thank you’

24. DURING: Statements and behaviours

25. DURING: How to disagree “I want you to work late tonight to finish preparations for the Volunteer induction” Max Eggert, The Assertiveness Pocketbook

26. DURING: Practicing • Using the scenario from 1st activity, practice the techniques discussed • Groups of three • Volunteer Coordinator • Volunteer • Observer – note what techniques/strategies were used • Review how it went

27. AFTER: Solutions exhausted? So, you’ve exhausted all of the potential solutions. What next?

28. AFTER: Dismissing a volunteer Can you dismiss a volunteer? Hands up who in this room has dismissed a volunteer?

29. AFTER: Dismissing a volunteer Step 1: Is a dismissal necessary? Can the problem be solved? Is the volunteer aware? Is it their fault? Follow problem solving process Make a decision – be clear on the reasons Meeting with volunteer to communicate decision

30. AFTER: Conducting the ‘volunteer exit’ meeting • Prepare - verbally and psychologically • Confidential setting, unlikely to be disturbed. • Be quick and direct. Do not back down (decision to ask volunteer to leave has already been made). • Do not attempt to counsel the volunteer, this will send confusing signals • Expect volunteer to express emotions, keep your emotions in check. • Follow up the meeting with a letter confirming the decision to ask the volunteer to leave and outlining the reasons. Include any information relating to their departure. • Inform staff, clients and other volunteers, (only give reasons for the volunteer’s departure to those who need to know). • If applicable: inform the volunteer’s clients of the new volunteer that will be assigned to them.

31. AFTER: What Else? What else can we do after the tricky situation has happened?

32. AFTER: What Else? • Go back to the beginning?! ;) • Staff ‘buy in’ • Redesign recruitment process etc.

33. Bullying/Harassment • Harassment Act 1997 doesn’t specifically refer to volunteers but applies to individuals • Anyone found guilty of harassment could face imprisonment and/ or a fine, as well as civil action by the person subjected to the harassment. • Organisation may have vicarious liability

34. Case Studies • Let’s have a look at the examples that you have given. • In groups, we will look at what could have been done to prevent the problem, during the situation and afterwards (with this volunteer and others)

35. Checklist for Organisations Rate (1-5) each of the statements below as you feel they apply to your organisation: The roles and responsibilities of volunteers and employees are clearly defined  Working with volunteers is included in employees’ job descriptions We have the right policies and procedures in place to work with volunteers

36. Checklist for Organisations Rate (1-5) each of the statements below as you feel they apply to you or your organisation: 4. I have the assertiveness skills to deal with tricky situations 5. I am ready and willing say no to volunteers (only if need be!)

37. Summary • Ensure everyone (including management) understands why you are working with volunteers • Listen to staff/ volunteers • Have a clear, realistic and firm selection process • Diverse volunteers: extra support needs, cultural awareness • Supervision, ongoing dialogue, write stuff down • Have written policies for consistency in common problems • Be assertive – with management and volunteers • Know your stuff. Research. Back up. • Record stuff that’s happened – good and bad • Exit interviews – learn from them •  Deal with it – now! ;)

38. Thank you! Questions? Any other best practice issues?