The Do"s and Don"ts of Volunteer Management
I recently had a poor experience volunteering and thought it may be helpful to outline a few items for those of you charged with volunteer management.
1.
Do provide clear expectations of what the person will be doing.
A volunteer may be nervous and will want some additional assistance.
Provide this.
2.
Do provide clear communication: If you want your volunteers to return in the future, it is important to communicate.
Provide a survey at the end of the experience for feedback.
3.
If there is downtime, let volunteers know this ahead of time.
I recently showed up as requested for a 7am shift.
I was not needed until about 740 but the required arrival time was 7:00am.
Time is precious and you will not have volunteers returning if you are not engaged with volunteers and making their experience fun and meaningful.
In the same token, make sure everyone relieved of duties at the schedule time.
4.
Do check in with each volunteer several times during their shift.
This is probably the easiest and most forgotten "Do" of volunteer management.
It only takes a couple of minutes and may mean the difference between someone returning to help in the future.
5.
If a volunteer looks like they need help, help them.
6.
Do provide scheduled restroom or snack breaks depending on the length of the commitment.
7.
Don't ask a volunteer to do what you won't.
At a recent commitment, I was providing a specific task.
After stopping in at the front desk, everyone needed to come to see me.
I was assisting persons with a medical procedure during this volunteer time and when there was a big line.
Others came over to help, but did not want to assist with attaching some wires onto persons bodies.
These were the people who were running the entire volunteer process.
Their response was, "Well, you volunteered for this.
" This probably was not the best response to a volunteer.
8.
Do engage with and talk to your volunteers, not only the other people you are friends with.
The coordinator should greet everyone or as many people as possible, review expectations and just be friendly and appreciative that the volunteers are there to help.
9.
Do not allow volunteers to supervise/boss other volunteers.
This would be a good item to outline in the expectations.
For example, "Please communicate with the Volunteer Coordinator if there are any issues with the process or concerns during the day.
" 10.
Don't provide choices of volunteer activities if you will not or cannot honor these choices.
If there are valid reasons that a choice cannot be honored, explain this.
11.
Do thank your volunteers.
A handwritten note, an email or a thank you in person will encourage that person to return again in the future.
1.
Do provide clear expectations of what the person will be doing.
A volunteer may be nervous and will want some additional assistance.
Provide this.
2.
Do provide clear communication: If you want your volunteers to return in the future, it is important to communicate.
Provide a survey at the end of the experience for feedback.
3.
If there is downtime, let volunteers know this ahead of time.
I recently showed up as requested for a 7am shift.
I was not needed until about 740 but the required arrival time was 7:00am.
Time is precious and you will not have volunteers returning if you are not engaged with volunteers and making their experience fun and meaningful.
In the same token, make sure everyone relieved of duties at the schedule time.
4.
Do check in with each volunteer several times during their shift.
This is probably the easiest and most forgotten "Do" of volunteer management.
It only takes a couple of minutes and may mean the difference between someone returning to help in the future.
5.
If a volunteer looks like they need help, help them.
6.
Do provide scheduled restroom or snack breaks depending on the length of the commitment.
7.
Don't ask a volunteer to do what you won't.
At a recent commitment, I was providing a specific task.
After stopping in at the front desk, everyone needed to come to see me.
I was assisting persons with a medical procedure during this volunteer time and when there was a big line.
Others came over to help, but did not want to assist with attaching some wires onto persons bodies.
These were the people who were running the entire volunteer process.
Their response was, "Well, you volunteered for this.
" This probably was not the best response to a volunteer.
8.
Do engage with and talk to your volunteers, not only the other people you are friends with.
The coordinator should greet everyone or as many people as possible, review expectations and just be friendly and appreciative that the volunteers are there to help.
9.
Do not allow volunteers to supervise/boss other volunteers.
This would be a good item to outline in the expectations.
For example, "Please communicate with the Volunteer Coordinator if there are any issues with the process or concerns during the day.
" 10.
Don't provide choices of volunteer activities if you will not or cannot honor these choices.
If there are valid reasons that a choice cannot be honored, explain this.
11.
Do thank your volunteers.
A handwritten note, an email or a thank you in person will encourage that person to return again in the future.
