May 2014

TOPIC: Me? A Volunteer?

8 Ways to Build Your “Special Teams”: Best Practices on Building a Volunteer Infrastructure

The ASCE Membership Champions Program

w w w . a s c e . o r g / C h am p i o n s

Today’s Format

Mix of training, polling, open forum,and workbook examples

Workbook with examples can bedownloaded atwww.asce.org/champions

Questions: Nicole Carpenter, Aff.M.ASCE, Champions Administrator at ncarpenter@asce.org 703-295-6152

Please be considerate of fellow participants and:

Do NOT place this conferencecall on hold. We can all hear thehold music.

MUTE your phone if you are notasking or answering a questionor sharing information.

The HUDDLE-May 2014 ASCE Membership Champions Program

Game Plan for Today

Part One: The Three “R’s” to

make it easy for volunteers to

get, and stay involved

Part Two: 8 Ways to Build Your

“Special Teams”: Best Practices on

Building a Volunteer Infrastructure

With polling, interactive

questions, sharing throughout

verbally and via chat room

SEE WORKBOOK EXAMPLES

The HUDDLE-May 2014 ASCE Membership Champions Program

Volunteer Management is as crucial to the success of your Section/Branch as planning a monthly meeting, having a website, or producing a newsletter

Building an infrastructure takes time, planning, management, and SOPs

The Three R’s for Volunteer Management Success

The Three “R’s” to make it easy for volunteers to get, and stay involved

Requires a conscious, targeted

approach to volunteer management at

every stage, from recruitment to

retention to recognition

e c r u i t m e n t

e t e n t i o n

e c o g n i t i o n

Key element in attracting

volunteers: Understanding their

motivations creates a “win-win”

proposition

RECRUITMENT —Attracting and Securing

Volunteers are attracted to ASCE’s needs, impact, and outcome

A potential volunteer displaying

interest should be treated with:

Promptness

Clarity

Respect

Genuine kindness

Their consideration for volunteering is a

heartfelt expression of their commitment to

ASCE’s cause

Initially, minimize processes and procedures

that impede the emotional connection to

ASCE

SEE WORKBOOK EXAMPLES

Questions to ask that can uncover why a

person wants to volunteer/their passion

Questions to gauge a volunteer’s potential

Questions to gauge volunteer commitment

Questions to gauge volunteer performance

RETENTION —Engagement

Member Volunteer Leader

Provide positive volunteer experiences

Educate them about the cause

Invite them to programs and events

Find out why they want to volunteer and

match the volunteer experience with their

passion

Build Leaders

RECOGNITION —Stewarding

Treat volunteers

like donors

It’s the little things

that count

SEE WORKBOOK EXAMPLES

RECOGNITION —Stewarding Ideas

8 Ways to Build Your “Special Teams”

Best Practices on Building a Volunteer Infrastructure

Include the full volunteer team as membership specialists

Include the full volunteer team as membership specialists

Remember your Section or Branch has one mission to serve members

Make it easy to volunteer

Make it easy to volunteer

Have an easy-to-understand form that outlines skills, time, and expertiseneeded

Respond and complete the appointment quickly to provide instantgratification

Create five-minute, one-hour, and one-week opportunities

Create five-minute, one-hour, and

one-week opportunities

Help fill in the gaps when longer-term opportunities are filled

Help members dip their toes in the volunteer water

These short-term opportunities can lead to long-term commitments inthe future

Look for people on Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media platforms

Look for people on Facebook, LinkedIn,

and other social media platforms

Ask them to write posts, articles, blog, or volunteer elsewhere

Don't be limited to active posters

Lure the silent members of social media by offering freebies toresponders

Play up ASCE’s clout

Play up ASCE’s clout

It’s part of what you have to offer volunteers in return

ASCE exposes its volunteer members to an international network

It’s a great way to build your career skills in leadership, networking,presentation, etc.

Reward volunteers

Reward volunteers

Consider awarding points that qualify members for rewards such asfree dinners at monthly meetings or free registration at your annualevent

Give an unexpected gift to shining star volunteers

Develop a leadership mentor program

Develop a leadership mentor program

Identify potential leaders and pair them with past presidents and formerleaders to provide strategic and big-picture training, rather thanfocusing on the tasks of leadership positions

Bonus: This keeps former leaders engaged

Be innovative with recognition

Be innovative with recognition

Plaques and awards are not the only wayto recognize a volunteer’s efforts

Recognition among peers and sharingexpertise means a lot to volunteers

Have them be authors and speakers. Usetheir images online, on posters, and inbrochures

SEE WORKBOOK

EXAMPLES

RECOGNITION — Stewarding Treat volunteers like donors

Sources

Excerpts were integrated from the following sources

From American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Best Practices: Better Volunteering Structure, More Engaged Volunteers

• Anthony Sudler, chief philanthropy officer, Children’s Home Society of Florida• Article in Associations Now called Keep It Simple

8 Easy Volunteer Victories • Component Relations Roundtable in 2012, Caryl Tynan, CAE, director of membership services at the

American College of Phlebology.The Inner Game of Volunteer Motivation

• Component Relations, August 2000, Debra Evans, Director of training and development for MS2000+,Inc.

Keep It Simple • Maureen E. Thompson, director of association governance operations and volunteer manager, American

Speech-Language-Hearing Association• Article in Association Now, April 2008

A Path to Passionate Volunteers • Kristin Clarke, books editor, Associations Now• Article in Associations Now, June 2013

Mitch Ditkoff is the Co-Founder and President of Idea Champions • Huffington Post article, April 8, 2013

From ASCE Staff: 2011 Webinar: From Prospect to President

• Curtis Nunley, CAE, Director of Membership Services and Becky Waldrup, P.E., Professional Activities

Thank you for your time!