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| 1 V o l u n t e e r T o o l k i t

Volunteer Tourism Ambassadors

- A toolkit on how to develop and implement a Volunteer Ambassador Programme -

Relevance

This toolkit is based on the experience of The Gathering Ireland 2013 in developing and implementing a

Volunteer Ambassador Programme in five locations around Ireland. The toolkit can be applied to other

similar national projects that require brand visibility on the ground and/or to enhance the visitor

experience. It can be equally applied at a regional or county level to support initiatives such as the Wild

Atlantic Way, Dublin and Culture & Heritage.

The Goal

The Volunteer Ambassador Programme aimed to provide a warm Irish welcome to visitors during the 2013

peak tourist season. There was a need to create an awareness of The Gathering and give first-hand

information about Gathering events in high visitor footfall areas while making visitors feel extra special as

was the promise during The Gathering year. The Volunteer Ambassador Programme was designed to

complement the tourist information service provided in Tourism Information Offices.

Desired Outcomes

Deliver a successful ambassador programme during the busy 2013 tourist season in five locations -

Cork, Galway, Killarney, Limerick and Sligo.

Meet and greet 15,000 visitors and make them aware of The Gathering.

Train 150 volunteers who would be keen to volunteer again in the future.

Provide a platform for the people of Ireland to be part of The Gathering and share with visitors

what they love about their town/city.

Leave behind a sustainable legacy in the form of a network of experienced volunteers that could be

called upon to support future projects.

Delivering the Volunteer Programme

In order to develop and deliver a national volunteer ambassador programme, The Gathering needed to

partner with an agency that would have the reach and ability to manage a programme in each location.

Volunteer Ireland is the national volunteer development agency and a support body for all Volunteer

Offices (20) in Ireland. On this basis Volunteer Ireland, with a database of 25,000 volunteers nationwide,

was identified as the only agency that would have the capacity to develop and deliver the programme.

Note: While Volunteer Ireland would be happy to consider supporting future projects from a central

strategic point of view (eg. sourcing volunteers, providing guidance and advice, up-dating manuals and

training materials etc.) the day to day supervision of volunteers including their scheduling would require

local management. The on-the-ground responsibility for delivering the programme would therefore fall on

the lead agency through, for example, Tourist Information Offices or it could potentially be outsourced.

The programme was developed in a staged process of ‘task phases’. Some phases ran concurrently and

some were repeated. They were broken down as follows with an indicative overall timeframe for delivery

of a similar programme provided in Appendix A:


1. Programme and Campaign Planning

2. Training of Tourist Information Office Volunteer ‘Buddies’

3. Recruitment of Volunteers

4. Volunteer Screening and Selection

5. Volunteer Training

6. Scheduling

7. Evaluation

The programme ran in five prime urban locations (Cork, Galway, Killarney, Limerick and Sligo) and was

originally anticipated to operate until mid-October, however due to the drop in footfall in September it was

decided to bring this date forward as appropriate for each location. Initial plans were to include Dublin,

Waterford and Kilkenny however each of these cities already had an ambassador programme in operation.

Planning / Training

In addition to the overall management of the programme which was done centrally by Volunteer Ireland

and an appointed representative from The Gathering Project Team, it was clear that the Volunteers would

not only require a base from which to operate from but also day to day support, supervision and

management on the ground in each location. As the Volunteers would be operating on Saturdays it was

decided that the Tourist Information Offices would be the most suitable base from which to work. The

alternative was the Volunteer Offices; however, most are not manned at weekends.

Volunteer ‘Buddies’ were identified in each of the Tourist Information Offices who would be responsible for

the day to day management of the programme in their area. These were in the main Tourist Information

Office Supervisors. Role descriptions (see Appendix B) were agreed and each Volunteer Buddy underwent a

day long training programme delivered by Volunteer Ireland and The Gathering Project Lead. Buddies took

on this support role in addition to their normal day to day responsibilities. This was a considerable ‘ask’

particularly during the summer months when Tourist Information Offices were at their busiest.

Day to day management of resources was also required centrally within The Gathering Project Team to

oversee the programme and within Volunteer Ireland to manage and roll out the programme.

During the planning phase, locations, timings etc. were all agreed following consultation with the Volunteer

Buddies, Volunteer Ireland and The Gathering Project Lead. Volunteer Role Descriptions were developed

(see Appendix C), the number of volunteers required per location agreed, recruitment targets set, branded

clothing sourced and a Volunteer Policy Handbook developed. A soft copy of the Policy Handbook was

emailed to all Volunteers following training and a hard copy was available and accessible at each of the

Tourist Information Offices.

The programme ran from end of May until September, on Fridays and Saturdays in the off peak and

Wednesdays through to Saturdays in the peak months. The five locations identified, were based on the

level of visitor footfall in the area and the availability of a Volunteer Office. The programme, locations,

timings and visitor numbers were reviewed on an on-going basis throughout and a decision not to run the

programme on Sundays was made for all locations due to the significant drop-off in footfall.

Recommendations:

Ensure buy-in from Tourist Information Office staff and Volunteer Buddies.

Clearly define roles and responsibilities to avoid duplication or gaps.


Appoint central resource for day to day management of programme.

Partner with third level institutions where students could take on the ‘Buddy’ role as part of their

course or work experience to reduce pressure on Tourism Office resources.

Nominate supervisor for each location with full responsibility for managing the programme,

including screening/selection, training, scheduling, shadowing, motivating.

Ensure availability of buddies meets requirements of Volunteer Programme i.e. programme

running over weekends, buddies need to be available on those days.

Volunteer Recruitment

The recruitment drive was more challenging than anticipated. In spite of a call to Volunteer Ireland’s

25,000 volunteer database, regional press and radio releases, posters erected (example supplied in

Appendix D) in relevant Volunteer Offices and Tourist Information Offices, social media posts and features

on volunteerireland.ie and thegatheringireland.ie homepages, initial sign up for the programme was slow.

The process commenced early in The Gathering year (end March 2013) and perhaps, therefore, prospective

volunteers were a little unsure of what acting as a volunteer ambassador entailed and how the overall

Gathering initiative would pan out.

In addition to the marketing and pr activities, a series of information sessions were also held in each

location to encourage sign up for the programme. Five information sessions were conducted, one in each

location, each lasting an hour in duration and delivered by a representative from Volunteer Ireland and The

Gathering project Lead.

The second recruitment drive which took place in late June/early July proved to be a lot more successful.

41 volunteers who participated in Term 1 (end of May – end of July) remained with the programme for the

second Term (end of July – end of September). Those that finished after Term 1 were issued with a

Certificate of Appreciation (see Appendix E).

An evaluation process also took place at the end of Term 1 to inform Term 2 and take on any learnings or

recommendations.

Recommendations:

Give adequate lead time to facilitate volunteer recruitment. Recruitment needs to begin at least 3

months before the programme is due to commence.

Senior citizen or active retirement groups should be targeted for recruitment in addition to

students looking to gain work experience in tourism.

The recruitment process should be supported by a comprehensive marketing, communications and

PR campaign both nationally and by location.

Do not run information sessions as they were costly, time-consuming and had poor turn-outs.

Volunteer Screening/Selection

Prospective candidates were directed to the Volunteer Ireland website where they completed on online

application form to assist screening.

All suitable applicants were invited for interview. Interviews were conducted on a group basis by a

member of Volunteer Ireland and Fáilte Ireland. Standardised interview materials were developed

including questionnaire, interviewer guidelines and selection criteria. Approximately, two and a half days

of face to face interviews were conducted in total across 3 locations.


Where Volunteers were not available for the face to face interviews, telephone interviews were held.

220 applications were received as a result of the first recruitment drive. Some applied to be part of the first

Term (first 11 weeks) and some for the Second Term. Of the 220 applications, 102 applicants were

interviewed and a final team of 88 volunteers commenced the programme at the end of May 2013. The

total number of applications received for Term 2 was 131. This included 28 applications that were received

in the initial recruitment drive and 41 volunteers that continued volunteering from Term 1 into Term 2. A

final team of 89 volunteers commenced the Term 2 programme at the end of July 2013.

Volunteer Training

Training dates were agreed as part of the Planning Phase and a standardised training programme was

developed. Training sessions were conducted by a Tourist Information Office staff member and a

Volunteer Ireland staff member. Each training session lasted two hours and covered information on The

Gathering and the role of the Volunteer. Additional one to one or small group training sessions were

organised and provided by the Tourist Information Office Buddies over the summer months.

In some locations the Tourist Information Office staff also provided a shadowing option. This proved to be

particularly beneficial to those Volunteers who did not like approaching visitors ‘cold’.

Volunteer Scheduling

The Volunteer Ambassador Programme was divided into two terms of 11 weeks. Volunteers were asked to

give two hours per week for 11 weeks. This again proved to be a big ‘ask’. Had there been a larger pool of

Volunteers to pull from, there may have been more flexibility for Volunteers to take a week off here and

there for personal reasons. During the off peak weeks, there were eight shifts a week available and in the

busier peak weeks, there were twelve shifts available for sign up. Volunteers signed up for their preferred

shift on a weekly basis. An example of a Volunteer Schedule for one week in Cork has been provided in

Appendix F.

While on the ground Volunteers wore branded clothing so that they were identifiable. Each Gathering

Volunteer Ambassador had a branded bib and branded umbrellas were made available at the various

Tourist Information Offices. Some Ambassadors felt they were mistaken for Charity Workers and

therefore, a few weeks into the programme ‘i’ badges were made to signify ‘information’.

Volunteer Motivation

As volunteers were giving a very significant amount of their time on a weekly basis in a non-paid for

capacity it was important to acknowledge and thank them on a regular basis to ensure they know that the

work they are doing is valued.

To do this, a number of coffee mornings organised by the Volunteer Buddies were held throughout the

programme so that volunteers had the opportunity to meet each other, share notes and stories and

exchange ideas.

In addition, a weekly spotlight was put on a volunteer to highlight the good work they were doing. Their

spotlight poster featured prominently in their Tourist Office and was shared through the Gathering social

media channels and on the Volunteer Ireland website. The Spotlight proved to be very popular amongst

Volunteers and an example of same has been provided in Appendix G.


A number of refresher training courses were also delivered in each location and familiarisation visits to

some key local visitor attractions offered so volunteers could provide first-hand knowledge to visitors.

Programme Costs

The overall cost of running this programme was approximately €40,000. This included Volunteer Ireland’s

costs, recruitment costs and branded clothing. In addition, the amount of time and resourcing that went

into developing and managing this programme should not be underestimated. A breakdown of costs is

provided in Appendix H.

Development of materials such as policy documents, training materials and role profiles could easily be up-

dated to suit other projects so this might somewhat reduce costs an effort in the future.

Key Achievements

136 trained volunteers with 70% indicating they would volunteer again.

17,000 visitors spoken to by Gathering Volunteer Ambassadors.

2,000 hours of volunteering delivered across 5 locations.

5 Tourist Information Office staff trained in Volunteer Management.

Critical Success Factors

The following are the critical success factors for Volunteer Ambassador programme:

Ensure

Programme is run during the busy periods only.

A Volunteer Supervisor is nominated in each location. Research the possibility of recruiting interns

from Third Level Institutions for this purpose.

All staff members in the Tourist Information Offices are fully briefed on the role and responsibilities

of the Volunteers.

No similar programmes are already in operation in selected locations.

Adequate training is given to all including a refresher option during the programme.

Inexperienced volunteers are paired with more experienced volunteers where possible.

The work of volunteers is recognised and that they are thanked appropriately. Consider selecting a

Volunteer of the week to motivate and recognise success.

Avoid

Relying solely on digital channels for recruitment purposes. Traditional methods proved to be

more successful.

Underestimating the resources required when managing a large number of people.

Running information sessions as they are time consuming and costly and were not well attended.


Appendix A - Indicative Programme Timeframe


Appendix B – Role Profile for Volunteer Buddy

Overview of the role: The role of the TIO is to provide the day-to-day management of volunteers engaged

in the Ambassador Programme.

Tasks:

1. Attend Volunteer Management Training in Dublin. 2. Deliver local element of volunteer information session in conjunction with Volunteer Ireland (VI)

staff. Information session to take place locally. 3. Conduct volunteer interviews in conjunction with VI staff. 4. Attend volunteer training and deliver local element of volunteer training in conjunction with VI

staff. Volunteer training to take place locally. 5. On the volunteer’s first day meet and greet each new volunteer and give an orientation to the

office, other staff, uniforms etc. 6. Greet each volunteer when they arrive for their shift. This may be done by other members of staff

at the office if the designated TIO is not available. 7. Thank each volunteer when they checkout at the end of their shift. Where a computer and Internet

are available encourage each volunteer to record their hours in the database and register for upcoming shifts.

8. Liaise with VI staff regarding weekly volunteer roster. VI to send weekly roster to TIO. 9. Once per Term provide each volunteer with a short support and supervision session (S&S). This can

be done by phone or at the end of a shift. Suitable questions/meeting outline to be provided by VI. S&S can be spread out over a number of weeks e.g. call/meet 2-3 volunteers one week, call/meet another 2-3 volunteers the next week and so on until all volunteers have been provided with S&S session.

10. Manage any issues that might arise around the management of volunteers. VI will be available to support TIOs.

11. Provide recognition to each volunteer group at the end of each Term e.g. host a coffee morning.

Time Commitment per task

Once off:

1. Attend Volunteer Management Training in Dublin.

Full working day plus travel time

Per Term:

2. Deliver local element of volunteer information session in conjunction with Volunteer Ireland (VI) staff.

1/2 day (Information session will take 1 – 1½ hours. We have included a half day for preparation time, travel if required, answering individual questions at end of session)

3. Conduct volunteer interviews in conjunction with VI staff.

1-2 days (counties with 2 locations may need more time)

4. Attend volunteer training and deliver local element of volunteer training in conjunction with VI staff. To be delivered locally.

1 day (Volunteer training will take 2-3 hours. We have included one day for preparation time, travel etc.

5. On the volunteer’s first day meet and greet each new volunteer and give an orientation to the office, other staff etc. (as outlined at Volunteer Management Training attended above.)

½ hour per new volunteer (possibility that this can be done with 2 or more volunteers at a time if they start on the same day)


6. Once during each Term provide each volunteer with a short support and supervision session. This can be done by phone or at the end of a shift. Suitable questions/meeting outline to be provided by VI.

15 minutes per volunteer

Weekly:

7. Greet each volunteer when they arrive for their shift.

5-10 minutes per volunteer

8. Thank each volunteer when they checkout at the end of their shift. Encourage each volunteer to record their hours in the database and register for upcoming shifts.

5-10 minutes per volunteer

9. Liaise with VI staff regarding weekly volunteer roster.

½ hour per week

On-going:

10. Manage any issues that might arise around the management of volunteers.

To be dealt with at end of each shift or during monthly support and supervision meetings

End of Term:

11. Provide recognition to each volunteer group at the end of each Term e.g. host a coffee morning.

3 hours

Skills, qualities, attitude of the TIO:

Personable

Good communication skills

Encourages involvement

Good listening skills

Ability to address concerns or issues as they arise

Training and support provide to TIOs:

TIOs will be trained in best practice in basic volunteer management by VI staff. In addition, we will train and

support staff in the scheduling function of Volunteer Impact, the volunteer management software utilised

by VI, so they can support volunteers to use the software to log their hours and register their availability for

shifts at the Tourist Information office.

Expectations of TIOs:

Committed to the ethos of volunteering

Committed to supporting and fully engaging with all aspects of The Gathering Volunteer Ambassador Programme

Willingness to and interest in coordinating and managing each Volunteer Ambassador in their role

Provide support and supervision to all volunteers

To manage issues or concerns as they arise


Appendix C – Role Profile for Volunteer

Overview of the Role: We’re looking for friendly, outgoing and knowledgeable volunteers who would like

to approach visitors and give information about upcoming Gathering events. Ambassadors will meet at the

local Tourist Office, and will be scheduled in pairs at a busy outdoor spot in the centre of their town/city.

Each volunteer will be provided with branded vests to identify them, clipboards with local event

information and an umbrella.

Volunteers must be over 18, have fluent English and should be available to volunteer during Term 1: 24th

May – 3rd August. Applications for Term 2 (August to mid- October) will open in June.

The Tasks

Approach tourists and tell them about The Gathering and related events in the area Chat to visitors about the great parts of your town/city, the local traditions, history or culture Be responsive to visitors - answering questions & providing information where possible Keep notes on approximate numbers of people spoken to

No selling, fundraising or handing out flyers involved

Ambassadors must be:

Familiar with the local area. Comfortable with approaching new people Outgoing and friendly, love engaging with people Comfortable talking to people from around the world Ability to relate well to others and work as part of a team An excellent communicator with good listening skills Fluent in English

Ambassadors would preferably:

Have email access – as this will be our primary form of communication Have internet access – in order to schedule your shifts online Speak other languages – can be helpful when talking to tourists Have similar work or voluntary experience

Time Commitment

Ambassadors are asked to contribute up to two hours per week for a period of up to 11 weeks. Shifts run from 11am – 1pm and 1pm – 3pm. The Ambassador programme will run over two Terms in 2013. The dates for these Terms are: Orientation, training and support

Places are limited and prospective Ambassadors must participate in a selection process.

Selected applicants will be asked to attend a group interview Successful volunteers will be required to attend training on The Gathering and the role itself. Volunteers will receive regular contact, support and supervision from both the designated Tourist

Information Officer and the Volunteer Ireland Scheduling Team.


Appendix D – Recruitment Poster


Appendix E – Certificate of Appreciation


Appendix F – Volunteer Schedule for one week in Cork


Appendix G – Volunteer Spotlight


Appendix H – Breakdown of Programme Costs

Breakdown of Volunteer Programme Costs

Activity Estimated Costs

Volunteer Ireland Senior Officer @ €229 per day Project Officer @ €166 per day €27,741

Training room facilities and refreshments (used TIO facilities) €0

Training materials (incl. in VI costs) €0

Certificates (incl. in VI costs) €0

Branded Bibs & Brollies €3,182

Posters (incl. in VI costs) €0

Coffee Mornings €500

PR €1,000

€32,423


Appendix I – Useful Contacts

Volunteer Ireland

18 Eustace St.

Temple Bar

Dublin 2

Telephone: +353 (01) 636 9446

www.volunteer.ie

Camden Clothing Company

29 Lower Camden Street

Dublin 2

Tel: 00 353 (0)1 4175961

www.camdenclothing.ie

http://www.volunteer.ie/

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