How do you define volunteer competencies?

1 Identify your volunteer roles

The first step to define volunteer competencies is to identify the different roles and tasks that your volunteers perform or could perform in your organization. You can use a variety of methods to do this, such as reviewing your existing volunteer job descriptions, conducting a needs assessment, consulting with staff and volunteers, or brainstorming new ideas. You should aim to create clear and specific volunteer roles that reflect your organization's needs and objectives, as well as the interests and abilities of your volunteers.

2 Analyze the competencies for each role

The next step is to analyze the competencies that are required or desired for each volunteer role. Competencies are the observable and measurable behaviors that demonstrate how volunteers apply their skills, knowledge, and attitudes to their work. You can use a competency framework or model to guide your analysis, such as the National Occupational Standards for Volunteering or the Competency Assessment Tool for Volunteer Administrators. You should also consider the level of proficiency or mastery that is expected or desired for each competency, such as basic, intermediate, or advanced.

3 Validate and prioritize the competencies

The third step is to validate and prioritize the competencies that you have identified for each volunteer role. You can do this by involving your stakeholders, such as staff, volunteers, clients, or partners, in reviewing and providing feedback on the competencies. You can also use data, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, or performance reviews, to support your validation process. You should aim to select the most relevant and important competencies that will help your volunteers achieve your organization's outcomes and impact.

4 Communicate and use the competencies

The final step is to communicate and use the competencies that you have defined for your volunteer program. You can do this by integrating the competencies into your volunteer management cycle, such as recruitment, orientation, training, supervision, recognition, and evaluation. You can also create tools and resources, such as competency-based volunteer job descriptions, learning plans, checklists, or rubrics, to help your volunteers and staff understand and apply the competencies. You should also monitor and review the competencies regularly and update them as needed.

Defining volunteer competencies can help you create a more effective and engaging volunteer program that supports your organization's mission and goals. By following these steps, you can develop a competency-based approach to volunteer management that will benefit your volunteers, staff, clients, and partners.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?