2006 11 good practices in volunteer organizations in spain

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GOOD PRACTICES IN VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS IN SPAIN

Pau Vidal

ARNOVA, November 2006

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Main goals

Specific goals:

- Offer a brief theoretical framework about the volunteer management

- Spread the good practices identified in volunteer organizations

- Facilitate the replica of the good practices in other organizations and

improve the operation of volunteering in Spain through the good

practices identified.

*Commissioned by community services of “la Caixa”

Identify good practices in volunteer management in the Spanish organizations.

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Main activities, methodology and calendar

¾ PHASE I: Bibliographical review (American and Canadian literature)

¾ PHASE II: First approximation to the organizations: contacts with prescriptors and relevant organizations

¾ PHASE III: Fieldwork: contact with the volunteer organizations¾ PHASE IV: Preparation and writing of the report¾ PHASE V: Final report delivery and publication

Publication in February 2006, by community services of “La Caixa”

MAY JUN JUL AGOPHASE I PHASE IIPHASE IIIPHASE IVPHASE V

2006MAR APR SEP

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Fieldwork

¾102 organizations interviewed: Selected with different criteria (geographical, kind of activities developed, dimension)

¾27 presciptors interviewed: Persons that can help in selecting the organizations that will be interviewed like umbrella organizations, local Public Administrations, etc.

21%

14%

39%26%

North

Mediterranean

South

Center

Islands

Mediterranean

Center

South

North

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Importance of the Global Vision

UNDERSTAND THE GLOBALITY OF LIFE/ ITINERARY OF THE VOLUNTEER WITHIN THE

ORGANIZATION

It is not just about the selection or formation or recognition or motivation

All elements are necessary for the management of the volunteer in the organization throughout the exchange

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Manage from the cycle

Definition

• Profiles

• Recruitment

• Selection

Incorporation

• Commitment

• Inclusion process

Development

• Organisation• Training• Communication• Participation• Monitoring

Recognition

• Formal recognition

• Informal recognition

Leaving

• Departure management

• Future relations

· Paid and voluntary staff relationship· Identification of mission and values

Transversal areas:

· Planning· Organisational structure· Creation of systems

Preparation phase

31 Good Practices selected in the different stages of the management cycle

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Quality of Volunteering

¾ The vision of the cycle helps improve the effectiveness and efficiency of management

¾ Improve the quality of managing volunteers:• Introduction of the processes and systems• Formulate personal and organizational criteria

¾ In fact, many phases of the cycle are already managed in an informal way, isolated and without a global vision

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Good practice structure

Title of the experience and organization to which corresponds

Why is it relevant? Justification of the importance as a good practice in the volunteer management

What is this experience about? Description of the case

What we can learn about it? Useful information for the application of the case in other organizations

Information about organization: Data from organization, its activity and the role of the volunteers in the organization

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Criteria for the selection of a good practice

Different cycle phases

Diversity of organization dimension related to degree of activity, territorial scope and relationship with other organizations

Sectors diversity or action topics

Geographical location of selected organizations

Representative criteria

Shared ideas Practices in use

Possibility of replication in the experiences

Volunteer importance in the organization Existence of vision cycle

Reference experiences and organizations

Actions efficiency

Coherence between volunteering vision and its management

Impact and success of resultsInnovationProactive attitude Degree of actions systematizationSelection criteria

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Different Starting Positions in Spanish NPOs

¾ Organizations in Phase 1• Focused on motivation (or we should say “no motivation”)• Emphasis on the objectives of the association

¾ Organizations in Phase 2• Consider issues like recruitment, formation or monitoring• Start to consider objectives for the organization and people

¾ Organizations in Phase 3• Introduce the vision of the cycle• Motivation of people and organization balanced

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Definition

• Profiles

• Recruitment

• Selection

Incorporation

• Commitment


DevelopmentRecognitionLeaving



· Paid and voluntary staff relationship

· Identification of mission and valuesTransversal areas:


Preparation phase:




Manage from the cycle: Preparation phase

Experiences:1. The reflection and development of the Volunteer Plan. 2. The umbrella organizations role in the administration

management of volunteers3. The coordination of volunteers and the committees role. 4. Creation and use of the same tool of management cycle

Learnings: - Relationship between umbrella organizations and grassroots include management elements as supporting volunteers-Training materials make easy their work and learning process- Volunteer plans collect guidelines with organizational reflections in the area- Make participative processes with the different territorial coordinators is important for having shared decisions. - It is positive to define and delimit the functions of the volunteers coordinator-Coordinators must be a reference for the volunteers in all their path- Volunteer management guide can give coordinators a global vision of the cycle, and gives them knlowledge, materials and tools needed to do their function

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¾ Planning• Establish plans of action in regards to the volunteers • Create a concrete calendar for these actions and identify the

objectives of each one

¾ Organizational Structure• Assignment of duties in relation to volunteers within the

organization

¾ Creation of systems• Specify in writing these procedures (performance not based

exclusively on the prior knowledge or experience of the people fulfilling said duties)

Commentary on Preparation

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Definition

• Profiles

• Recruitment

• Selection

Incorporation

• Commitment







Preparation phase:





Preparation phase

Manage from the cycle: Definition

Experiences:

1. The profiles definition and organizational responsibilities of volunteers

2. The selection of volunteers through the profiles previously defined

Learnings:

- The profiles definition makes easy the selection and promotion of the different positions in the organization. It is also useful to point out the concrete responsibilities. At the same time volunteers know what they assume in the incorporation

- The establishment of guidelines referred to the selection process can avoid reinventing every time the systematizing of the process

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Commentary on the Definition

¾ Profile • Technical Skills• Motivational Skills

¾ Recruitment• Identify groups with potential to volunteer for the organization.

A base to select from

¾ Selection• Be able to say ¨no¨• Know how to and be able to say ¨no¨: Limited capacity for

management, goals and satisfaction of the volunteer

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Definition

• Profiles

• Recruitment

• Selection

Incorporation

• Commitment







Preparation phase:





Preparation phase

Manage from the cycle: Incorporation

Experiences:1. The monitoring in the incorporation

process2. The value of the volunteers commitment3. The move for the different services in

the volunteers incorporation4. The volunteer evolution in the

incorporation process

Learnings: - The incorporation process promote the knowledge between volunteers and organization.- The commitment visibility can go beyond the written commitment- Strong value of offering elements that enable membership feeling that can influence the path and development - The volunteer incorporation in activities or services where they have support and referents make them feel more secure. The experience in different activities is a way of offering them different learnings, experiences and relations, in a practical way- The creation of a formal incorporation process through processes helps to select the volunteer profile that the organizations wants

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Commentary on Incorporation

¾ Commitment • Clarify expectations and mutual commitments• Obligation to the ¨Law of Volunteering¨• Tailor the style of the language to the organization: it is not a

contract

¾ Welcome• There is always a welcome, although it is not expressly

considered• Explanations of operations and values• Decide if the volunteer will complete a training period

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Definition

• Profiles

• Recruitment

• Selection

Incorporation

• Commitment







Preparation phase:





Preparation phase

Manage from the cycle: Development

Experiences:1. Creation of automanaged groups in the

definition and development of activities2. The task of the base groups and the

organization of its coordination3. The continuous training of volunteers in the

organization4. The training as a reflection space about the

social reality beyond the volunteers task5. The creation of continuous formative spaces

6. The internal communication tools: creation and use of an intranet for volunteers

7. The path of the volunteer in the organization8. The development of the volunteer potential9. The participation of the organizational volunteers on the boards10. The systematizing of monitoring: The monitoring of volunteers plan11. Creation of a volunteers evaluation tool

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Manage from the cycle: Development

Learnings:- The organization can create volunteer groups that drive the different action areas, or groups in different geographical locations- The training of volunteers is useful not only to transfer technical knowledges but also to make them aware of social problems, give information, develop a critical vision and the transference of values- The training is also possible and useful as a continuous formative space where volunteers share their experiences - New technologies can let the organizations improve the communication with volunteers- The establishment of a volunteer path can help to achieve the development of volunteers to continue and motivation- The consideration of volunteers in groups (divided by potentials, expectations, etc.) can establish different forms of development depending on the group- It is possible to establish participation spaces for the volunteers in the strategic decisions, for example in the board.- The monitoring of volunteers is useful to the organization because it allows to make a diagnosis of the situation and make changes if necessary.- The evaluation system makes possible having periodically and structured information. It is important that evaluation incorporate different points of view from the groups related with the volunteer activity.

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Commentary on Development

¾ Organization • Formation of volunteer groups / mixed groups • Internal structuring of the groups/ committees

¾ Training• Decide if the training is technical or value oriented in function of the profile• Define a formative itinerary for the life of the volunteer

¾ Communication• Establish/ Utilize means of communication with the volunteer• Fix criteria depending on the frequency of communication, means used, etc.• Consider the usefulness and type of information

¾ Monitoring• Be able to judge whether the volunteer is doing well or not• Essential for excluding / having loyal volunteers

¾ Participation • Importance of the associative life• Definition of the active role of the volunteer within the organization• Knowledge of what goes on in the organization on the side of the volunteer

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Definition

• Profiles

• Recruitment

• Selection

Incorporation

• Commitment







Preparation phase:





Preparation phase

Manage from the cycle: Recognition

1. The formal recognition of volunteers2. Visibility of volunteers and recognition

systems3. The recognition through the visibility of

volunteer actions

Learnings:

- The effectiveness of formal mechanisms is based on the continuity of practices and the ability to develop and improve periodically these actions.- Different recognition systems can be combined together.- New technologies offer new ways to recognize volunteers’ collaboration.- Once the recognition systems and procedures are established, costs and dedications to manage them are minimal.

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Commentary on recognition

¾ Recognition • Recognize that is an exchange relationship• Formal recognition: Colder. Example: certificates • Informal Recognition: Warmer. Example: comments from the

responsibles

¾ Other contributions• Payment for expenses? • Special ease of transport, etc • Additional benefits as a collective: free entry, discounts, etc • In agreement with the values of the organization, perhaps they

should not be suggested

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Definition

• Profiles

• Recruitment

• Selection

Incorporation

• Commitment







Preparation phase:





Preparation phase

Manage from the cycle: Leaving

1. Reflection and action in the leaving of volunteers

2. Another form of connection after volunteering: the figure of collaborator

Learnings:

- It is important to detect inactivity moments in volunteers and establish a procedure to act.- Personal contact and other mechanisms such as a personalized letter help the volunteer feel that his job has been useful and valuated by the organization.- The organizations must analyze the reasons why volunteers leave, to be able to offer possibilities for keeping in touch and collaborate with the organization.

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Commentary on Leaving

¾ Departure management• Know why the volunteer is leaving • If we do not study in depth each situation the “easy reason” for

each person and organization is the lack of time. But days stillhave 24 hours!! In personal priorities it goes down!! Find out why!!

¾ Future relations• And what now? • Do not abandon communication even though the volunteer is

no longer active• The key is to think about a future relationship: possible

associations, participation as a punctual volunteer, a person who speak well of the organization

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Definition

• Profiles

• Recruitment

• Selection

Incorporation

• Commitment





· Paid and voluntary staff relationship· Identification mission and values

Transversal areas:

Preparation phase:





Preparation phase

Manage from the cycle: Transversal areas

1. The relationship between the paid staff and volunteers

2. A meeting space for the paid staff, volunteers and board of directors

3. Actions related to organizational mission and values identification

Learnings:

- Giving responsibilities to volunteers increase their involvement giving them a wider vision of the organization.- Meeting volunteers, paid staff and board of directors allow to share experiences and different perspectives, increase volunteers’ implication and work together.- The organization must undertake actions to share their values and mission with volunteers, and not only present them at the beginning of the collaboration.

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Definition

• Profiles

• Recruitment

• Selection

Incorporation

• Commitment


Development


Recognition



Leaving



· Paid and voluntary staff relationship· Identification of mission and values

Transversal areas:


Preparation phase

Manage from the cycle

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Maintaining the Global Vision of the Cycle

¾ Global Vision• It makes possible to complete what is being done informally

with reflections and creation of systems and procedures.

¾ The folder for the volunteer management• Easy way to organize duties • Based on needs and reality • Do not get anxious! • What is important is improving the tendency of management

¾ Personalize the cycle depending on the particular organization!

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Personalize the cycle !

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……………………………………..Temas transversales:

Fase de preparación:Preparation phase:

Transversal areas:

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Main conclusions

¾Work about volunteer cycle does not depend directly on the organisational dimension

-There are differences depending on the organisations activity (for ex. users attention)

¾Work more on the different cycle stages -Recruitment: diversify recruitment channels-Incorporation: actions in the incorporation of volunteers-Training: almost all organisations interviewed made some kind offormative actions, in the beginning or during the volunteer activity

¾ Areas to improve-Monitoring and evaluation: it is normally done in an informal way, without an established procedure-Recognition: it is necessary to advance towards a more systematized recognition -Leaving: it is probably the less worked area -Development of an integral vision of the cycle

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GOOD PRACTICES IN VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS IN SPAIN

Pau Vidal

ARNOVA, November 2006

2006 11 good practices in volunteer organizations in spain

Presentations & Public Speaking