Great Volunteers in Five Easy Steps!

Volunteering can be powerful, inspiring, and impactful, so when creating opportunities for an organization, be specific about the qualifications needed for a prospective volunteer.?Make sure a volunteer’s skills, talents and strengthens are utilize most productively to be successful and satisfying, ensuring their ongoing support and participation.?

Recruit! Match the right candidate with the right opportunity.

·??????Can the volunteer do the job assigned to them?

·??????Can the volunteer commit to the time requirements need to fulfill the obligation of the duty?

·??????Does the volunteer want to participate in the job assigned to them?

·??????Does the volunteer have special needs, or conversely, unique talents to be considered?

·??????Does the organization have the resources to train, support and evaluate the volunteers?

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Put it in writing! Documentation clarifies expectations that can protect both the organization and the volunteer.

·??????Mission Statement with the organization’s history, vision, goals, and objectives.

·??????Organizations structure to include services, programs, board of directors, and staff.

·??????Participation requirements may consist of such things as TB screenings, background checks and fingerprints. ?

·??????Job Description to detail all the responsibilities required for the job. ?

·??????Application to include, contact and emergency information, skills, experience, and availability. ?

·??????Volunteer Handbook to include professional conduct, operations, and work outlines.

·??????Volunteer agreement to include termination policy.

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Orientation! Welcome and familiarize recruits, to set the foundation for a successful relationship.

·??????Increased a volunteer’s confidence

·??????Decrease risk for the organization

·??????Better volunteer retention

·??????Makes clear the expectations for the volunteer’s commitment

·??????Opportunity to meet the other volunteers and staff

·??????Information, training, and scheduling

Thank! Always acknowledge a volunteer’s service, and remember they are donating their time and talent for free.

·??????Gratitude - Let the volunteer know that they are appreciated and that they are essential?to the organization.

·??????Invest - Volunteers are assets and not liabilities, so be accessible and give them your personal time.

·??????Stories - Share your volunteer’s successes and contributions?with the organization’s constituents.

·??????Feedback - Provide a positive assessment of the volunteer’s work.

·??????Milestones - Recognize the volunteer’s met goals.

·??????Celebrate?- Have a Special Event just for the volunteers to thank, honor and recognize their service.

Nonprofits often rely on volunteers to do the work that their funding doesn’t cover, but poor management can result in a bad experience, causing more than one-third of volunteers to give up their efforts and possibly tarnishing the reputation of the organizations they have served. A volunteer’s time and service can mean the difference between the failure and the success of an organization’s mission.

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