Volunteer Management

Program Excellence Academy I

• Focus on key management functions within the ISOTURE model

• Apply this information to your Outcome Program Plan as well as our Academy scenarios

ISOTURE

• IIdentification• SSelection• OOrientation• TTraining• UUtilization• RRecruitment• EEvaluation

Boyce, M. (1971)

Identification

• Identify needs of the program and volunteer roles that meet those needs

• Identify the type of volunteers needed

• Develop a position description that outlines expectations and responsibilities of the position

• Recruit volunteers for specific roles through targeted marketing

• Identify potential volunteers

II

Why Do Volunteers Volunteer?

• They were asked!• Help Others• Give Back to the Community• Learn New Skills• Meet New People• Fill a Personal Void• It’s Tradition• Influence Others

II

Getting Volunteers to Volunteer

• Show them how they benefit!• Link message to mission: Show how their work

benefits the entire cause• Job Experience• Resume Building• Socialization• Meaningful Work• Realistic Commitments• Flexibility• Time Well Spent• Learn About the Community

II

Mismanaging Volunteers

Good volunteer management practices Percentage of non-profits that use practice regularly

Matching volunteers’ skills with appropriate assignments

45%

Recognizing the contributions of volunteers 35%

Measuring the impact of volunteers annually 30%

Providing volunteers with training and professional development

25%

Training paid staff to work with volunteers 19%

Mismanagement Volunteer Turnover

Volunteer Management Capacity in America’s Charities and Congregations (2004)

II

Selection

• Screen potential volunteers through background and reference checks

• Review volunteer interest forms and applications

• Interview potential volunteers to learn more about skills, interests, motivations and attitudes

• Match volunteers’ interests, talents and time available to the needed volunteer roles

SS

Selection is Essential!

• Key Characteristics:– Recognition as a leader– Understanding of program/mission– Effective communicator– Matching of interests and skills to program

needs– Qualifications, experience, skills

SS

How Do You Recruit Volunteers?

• Internet• Mail• Newspaper• One-on-one• Another volunteer• Friend

SS

Actually, recruitment is not as hard as

retention!

Volunteer Recruitment

• Recruitment Message– Should identify:

• The specific need• How the volunteer can alleviate the need• The benefits to the volunteer

• Recruitment Strategies– Non-targeted…General Skills– Targeted…Specific Skills

• Recruitment Process

II

Recruitment & Training Relationship

High

High

Low

LowSelective Recruitment

Requ

ired

Trai

ning

The higher the selective recruitment, the lower the required

training needed will be.

SS

Volunteer Selection Process

Orientation

Criminal Background

Checks

Interviews

Reference Checks

Application

Position Description

Volunteer

SS

Position Descriptions

• Promote success of volunteer in role

• Focus Extension staff on areas of need

• Communicates expectations

• Determines and outlines future volunteer roles

SS

Position Descriptions

• Position Title• Advisor• Purpose of volunteer position• Benefits to the volunteer• Responsibilities of the volunteer• Qualifications and skills needed• Amount of time required• Resources and support available

SS

Volunteer Application

• Baseline Information

• Learn of volunteer interests

• Acquire information needed for criminal background check

SS

Reference Checks

• In person

• By phone

• By mail

SS

Interviews

• Conducted by CEA or Volunteer Group

• Learn about:– Special skills– Interests– Motivations– Attitudes

• Get a gut feeling!

SS

Screening of Volunteers• Volunteer screening was implemented to protect youth and

volunteers, and the image and integrity of Extension and its associated groups

• All direct volunteers must be screened– 4-H volunteers (4-H CONNECT)– Master Volunteers (one-page application/authorization form)

• Volunteers should not fulfill duties until screened and assigned a volunteer status

• A volunteer’s status is based upon charges, convictions, frequency of offenses and date of offenses, with emphasis placed on the most recent 10 years

SS

Orientation

OO

Orientation

• Pointing new volunteers in the right direction and getting them started on the right foot.

OO

Types of Orientation

• Social Orientation

• Position Orientation

• System Orientation

OO

Social Orientation• Goal: help new volunteers find a social

comfort zone in new environment

• Introduce volunteers to other volunteers and Extension staff

• Give volunteers a tour of the Extension office and facilities

• Include items such as an explanation of policies and helpful tips.

OO

Position Orientation

• Goal: for volunteers to understand their specific roles and responsibilities.

• Explain how volunteers fit into Extension program and critical role they play in Extension’s success

• Agent should provide a volunteer position description, outlining specific details and expectations of their job

OO

System Orientation• Goal: to give information to new volunteers

about the organization they are serving and their part in it.

• Volunteer System Orientation may include such items as:– Extension’s Mission– Definition of Cooperative Extension– Legislation that created and defined Extension– Program areas supported by Extension– Other Extension volunteering opportunities– Extension policies and procedures

OO

Result of Quality Orientation• Volunteers with needed competencies

• Volunteers that understand their role and performance expectations within Extension

• Volunteers that are more confident and motivated to fulfill their job responsibilities

• Volunteers that will represent Extension well and serve as advocates for Extension

OO

Training

Teaching is not talking and learning is not listening. Teaching is the art

of aiding discovery.

TT

Give an example of a good or bad teaching or learning situation you

have experienced as an adult.

TT

Characteristics of Adult Learners

• Broad experience base• Busy people• Some face barriers to learning

– Unlearning– Unrealistic goals– Poor self-image– Diminished physical abilities

• Sensitive to risking failure• Want relevant information• Like variety in teaching methods

TT

I am most effective as a teacher of adults when I…

TT

Learning Styles

• Visual

• Auditory

• Tactile/kinesthetic

Key: Select delivery methods suited

to all types of learners!

TT

Educational Comprehension

• Attending – Aware of subject matter

• Responding – Appreciation of subject matter; measured in satisfaction levels

• Valuing – Takes interest and starts reaching for more information

• Organization – Commits to subject matter, organizes it into belief system, begins to connect with experts

• Characterization – learner becomes the teacher

TT

Training

• Provide volunteers with appropriate subject matter training

• Offer ongoing training opportunities through a variety of methods, formal and non-formal

• Provide volunteers with the resources needed to fulfill responsibilities

TT

To learn is to change. Education is a process that changes the learner.

- George Leonard

Utilization

UU

Utilization

• Providing the opportunity for volunteers to put acquired knowledge and skills into action in the most appropriate way and allow them an opportunity to function

UU

Utilization• Support volunteers in carrying out their

responsibilities

• Provide opportunities to use their skills and talents and follow their interests

• Train them, and give them opportunities to apply knowledge and skills

• Foster mentoring from other volunteers as well as professional staff

• Supervise volunteers, providing feedback on their efforts

UU

How do I empower my volunteers?

• Understand and appreciate the concept of volunteers within Extension education

• Set the rules

• Put your volunteers to work

• Reap the benefits

UU

What if my volunteers refuse to be empowered?

• Take it slow

• Let them feel your passion and enthusiasm… It’s contagious!

• If they fail to feel empowered, other problems may exist.

UU

Recognition

RR

Recognition

• Recognize volunteers through formal and informal methods– Formal methods are more common!– Informal methods are often more effective!

• Build relationships with volunteers

• Provide feedback and support to the volunteers

• Be careful not to over-recognize!

RR

Recognition

• Have a plan!

• Helps volunteers feel valued and appreciated

• A result of sincere effort from the volunteer

• Should be in proportion to the quality of work

• Benefits the volunteer and the organization– May improve their performance– Continue their service

RR

Types of RecognitionFormal Recognition• Recognition dinners• Publicity• Letters of appreciation• Special pins or plaques• Gift certificates• Recognition for hours• Special awards• Recognition of value

among Commissioners

Informal Recognition• Say thank you/thank

you notes• Inform about new

developments• Involve in decision

making• Pleasant work

environment• Pay for training• Help train new

volunteers

RR

Great Resource!

www.energizeinc.com/ideas.html

Evaluation

EE

Evaluation• Process Evaluation

– Examining the process for improvement

• Outcome Evaluation– What impact did we have (change among

audience)

• Economic Impact– What impact did we have? (economic return)– Hourly rate for volunteer time

• Personal Effectiveness and Improvement of Volunteers

EE

Why Do We Evaluate Programs?• To determine if a program is effective

• To modify programs that are not working according to plan

• To create new efforts

• To stop doing things that are not working

EE

Why Do We Evaluate Volunteers? • To determine whether or not:

– We accomplished our goals– A change occurred– We improved the way we did things– Volunteers freed our staff to do other

things– We were able to do more than last year

because of our volunteers?

EE

Keep in Mind…• Evaluation is an often overlooked tool that

can really improve volunteers and Extension programs.

• Evaluation should be completed prior to starting over in the ISOTURE process. This will reveal your program volunteer needs as well as orientation, training, utilization and recognition needs.