volunteerplaintalk

Category: charities

  • The Volunteer Whisperer

     

    The Volunteer Whisperer

    Ahhhh Nicknames! Those memorable, defining little monikers that people give others. Do you have one at work? If you don’t, what would you imagine yours to be?

    Here’s a creepy thought. Are there mean kids in your organization? Behind their creaky passive-aggressive doors, are they hunched over their cauldrons of electronic devices, cackling cruel names as they toss the hair strands plucked from sweet volunteers into the pot? Do they call you something unnatural behind your back?  Think:

    Sir Plays All Day as in “Sir Plays All Day just got his shipment of Astrobright colored copy paper. Must be nice.”

    Tea Party Tess as in “Wouldn’t it be great to plan tea parties for a living like that Tea Party Tess? I mean, do volunteers even need a tea party? Volunteering in my department is reward enough.”

    Fluffy McFlufferson as in “Oh, look balloons in the lobby that say thank you volunteers. Fluffy McFlufferson is at it again.”

    Invisible Inez as in “This volunteer isn’t working fast enough. Who’s in charge of them anyway?”

    The Geriatric Guider as in “Think I’ll come back here and volunteer when I retire. Ha, then maybe I could be the Geriatric Guider. It would be so much easier than my job.”

    The Cat Shepherd as in “That event is Sunday and I have to deal with all those volunteers. Make sure the Cat Shepherd has to be there too.”

    Trivial Ted as in “I’m too busy. Who can we get to move that desk? I know, Trivial Ted!”

    But wait. Nicknames can give us power, almost like donning a suit of armor-think of these famous nicknames and how it must have felt to put on these names when confronting the world:

    The Great One-Wayne Gretzky-arguably the greatest hockey player ever.

    The Queen of Soul-Aretha Franklin-anytime you’re dubbed queen, you’ve done something remarkable.

    Ol’ Blue Eyes-Frank Sinatra-the definition of cool.

    Fab Four-the Beatles-simple, yet fabulous.

    The Land Down Under-Australia-who wouldn’t want to visit a land with a name like that?

    So, before you are handed one, choose your own nickname, one that acts as a buffer against misconceptions. Then gather your volunteers and cleverly ask them to begin to refer to you as your chosen nickname.

    By cleverly, I mean, announce in the next volunteer meeting, that from now on, you will not be answering any questions on where the flipping copier is located, listening to any stories about prodigy grandchildren or clicking on any emails about dogs opening refrigerator doors from anyone who does not refer to you as:

    The Goddess of Goodness

    The Adorable Accomplisher

    Ned Stark Raving Awesome

    He Who Must Not Be Blamed

    Git Er Done Gabe

    Han So-lo Down Amazing

    Katniss Cleverdeen

    Lord of the Volunteer Things

    You Can Call Me Queen B: Why? Because I Will Be Your Ruler (eh, maybe that’s too long)

    Ok, perhaps we’ll never be called “The Greatest” like Mohammed Ali. Maybe they’ll just continue to call us by our given names.

    Maybe. But, when the lights are low and the family is all gently snoring and I’m tucked in under my Minions comforter, that’s when I’ll turn on my little book light and refer to myself as “Fifty Shades of Great.”

    -Meridian

    Hope to see you at the National Summit On Volunteer Engagement Leadership in St. Paul next week!

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • You Are That Person

    WordItOut-word-cloud-2261827

     

    “It’s one of those universal truths,” Desmond sighed. “I can tell my children how brilliant and wonderful they are, but it never really sinks in until one of their teachers or coaches say it.”

    It’s kinda true. When a relative says you’re great, well, they’re a relative, right? They have to say it, sorta like they have to show up at your graduation and yawn through the speeches while you endure all the cheek pinching.

    But when a non-related member of society says you’re great, like a teacher or coach or crabby neighbor, then those praises really mean something. That one person who looks you in the eye at a particular moment and tells you that you have worth can change an entire lifetime of self doubt. That person might be the violin teacher, or physical therapist or volunteer or……. volunteer manager.

    Every day, volunteer managers are changing the perspective of people who volunteer. Every day, we look at the value of the human being in front of us and encourage the qualities and talents we observe. It’s our jobs, but it’s so much more because oftentimes you have no idea that you have changed someone’s perspective. Oh, you might have an inkling now and then. You may be honestly praising someone when you see a spark, and as your words of encouragement travel deep into that volunteer’s soul, you see the clouds of self-doubt part for an instant. Yeah, it’s that moment that you cherish.

    What we say and how we treat our volunteers, no matter how brief our encounter, has a lasting effect on them and ultimately on us. (We get to fill up our knapsack of positive energy by the cultivation of others)

    Every day, a volunteer manager tells or shows:

    • A struggling student that they are smart and capable.
    • A shy introvert that we hear them and their opinions are valid.
    • A stressed out parent that they’ve done a good job because their child is a pleasure to work with.
    • A person feeling worthless that clients adore them.
    • A hesitant comic that their joy is infectious.
    • A disheartened creative type that their ideas are inspired.
    • A mother who wonders whether she’s more than a bottle washer that she is brilliant.
    • A broken-heart that love is all around.
    • A grieving soul that they are surrounded by gentleness.
    • A beaten down worker that their contributions are valuable.
    • A lonely person that they are not alone.
    • A rejected artist that their creations are appreciated.
    • A dispirited job seeker that their skills are needed.
    • A lost person that they don’t have to walk alone.

    Volunteer managers are individuals who can and will literally change another person’s perspective. How amazing is that?

    So, just remember, especially when you look at your hectic day and wonder what it all means and what you have accomplished…

    …  you are that person.

    -Meridian

     

     

     

     

  • Captains of Our Destiny: Strategic Key Volunteer Account Management

    Captains of Our Destiny Strategic Key Volunteer Account Management

    So, here’s the question: If we identify key volunteer accounts, how will this help us in the management of all volunteers and correct the misconception that we herd cats?

    By reclassifying our work in terms of strategically managing volunteer accounts and key volunteer accounts, we will:

    • explain in recognized professional terms the vast work involved in cultivating and engaging volunteers
    • begin to prioritize our time in order to do the “key duties” such as recruiting, creating volunteer programs, relationship marketing, retention implementation, in-depth training and staff education
    • illustrate that focusing on key duties produces sustainable volunteer participation
    • more successfully require that all staff learn to manage volunteers, especially one time and episodic volunteers, therefore freeing us up to do the key duties
    • show potential volunteers that becoming key volunteers carries tremendous perks
    • free up the time necessary to educate ourselves, create programs and contribute in a more productive way
    • be able to demonstrate that not all volunteers produce the same results and that key volunteer account management creates key volunteers who will not only do the bulk of the work, but will also contribute in multiple other ways such as increased donations, resource allocating, community awareness, marketing, planning, trend setting, awards won, social media championing, recruiting, and program development
    • show that key volunteers will lighten staff workloads and free staff to work smarter
    • strategize the future instead of “handling” the present

     

    As we move from herding cats to a more modern and professional structure, what are some differences between outdated volunteer management and the new strategic volunteer account and key volunteer account management?

     

    Outdated Volunteer Management Strategic Volunteer Account Management Strategic Key Volunteer Account Management
    Vols fill jobs defined by org Steps to assure vol role is successful Partner with key vols to assure mutual org growth
    Retention by yearly luncheon, hours reported Vol contributions highlighted with real stats Key vols contribute to implementing programs of worth
    Vols view volunteering as “I get more than I give” and that’s enough Vols are integrated as essential members of team Key vols are integrated as shaping future of org
    All vols are just here to do org bidding Vol roles are created to meet changing needs of volunteers Key vols help shape the roles they wish to play
    Vols should be grateful to be volunteering Orgs should show gratitude to vols for volunteering Orgs value key vol input, skills and ideas in a win-win situation
    Fear that vols may “take over” or do something to harm org

     

    		 Allow vols to accompany staff on important assignments Trusting key vols to utilize their proven skills and desire to further org mission

    In order to be classified as a “key volunteer,” we most likely will be choosing those volunteers who are already known and trusted by fellow staff. This trust in a proven volunteer is the example you already possess to showcase the benefit for key volunteer designation.

    In many ways, there is an iron grip of thought relating to volunteers and volunteer management. Words and terms mean something and by referring to our work in professional, respected terms, we will begin to show the in-depth work and skill necessary to create a sustainable volunteer program. We will also begin to illustrate that freeing us from herding cats to concentrate on key duties will produce a stronger, better volunteer program. (everyone in the organization is responsible for engaging and managing volunteers-the volunteer manager does not have time to run around putting out fires)

    Let’s not be left behind in modernizing our profession. We are the Captains of our destinies.

    -Meridian

     

     

  • Captains of Our Destiny: The Key Volunteer Account Manager

    Captains of Our Destiny The Key Volunteer Account Manager

    As Captains of our destinies, we looked at some of the terms that define our work as Volunteer Account Managers. Now, let’s look at the responsibilities of the account manager and redefine them to fit our profession:

    Volunteer account manager responsibilities:

    • Serve as the point of contact for all volunteer account management matters.
    • Build and maintain strong, long-lasting volunteer relationships.
    • Develop opportunities and programs for volunteer engagement.
    • Mediate volunteer challenges.
    • Communicate the mission and policies of the organization to all volunteers and prospective volunteers.
    • Recruit new volunteers, volunteer groups and develop relationships with all volunteers through education, feedback, and progressive opportunities.
    • Forecast and track account metrics through volunteer feedback, community involvement, bench marking, research and continual participation in conferences and symposiums relevant to subject.
    • Prepare reports on volunteer contributions and trends.
    • Advocate for system changes when necessary.

    Interpersonal skill set of the Volunteer Account Manager: (partial list)

    • Solution oriented
    • Communicates clearly
    • Innovative
    • Professionalism
    • Mediation skills
    • Detail oriented
    • Relationship marketer
    • Ability to research, monitor and predict trends

    We can still go one step further and look at how organizations and businesses divide up the management of accounts. Does one person manage all accounts? Are some accounts afforded more attention than others?

    In account management, the key account has emerged and with it, the key account manager. So if we are volunteer account managers,  what would be a key volunteer account?

    Redefining a key account in terms of a volunteer key account yields: A key volunteer account is the volunteer or volunteer group who volunteers substantially in a sustainable manner and/or contributes greatly to organizational success. 

    This begs the question: Do we have key volunteer accounts?

    Do we spread ourselves too thin when we spend our time in a non-strategic soup? Do we run around, putting out fires, jumping from one scenario to the next trying to make sure each and every second of volunteer time is perfect? Are we really just herding cats?

    Can we maximize our time by identifying and explaining the steps necessary to cultivate key volunteer accounts?

    What are a few categories that might catapult a volunteer or volunteer group into key volunteer status?

    • dedicated on-going scheduled work that is vital to operations.
    • years of service and hours given.
    • the successful recruiting of additional volunteers and/or a community engagement champion.
    • leadership skills and/or the assumption of a leadership role.
    • dependability and the willingness to step up when needed.
    • highly trained or skilled in the mission and the ability to handle challenges.

    We all have these volunteers. They are what we wish every volunteer could be. If we apply the Pareto principle (80% of the output comes from 20% of the input), then approximately 20% of our volunteers are producing 80% of the vital work. Is this true? And what about new volunteer potential? Should we not spend our time in the soup, cultivating everyone in case we might lose that potentially great volunteer? Should we just herd cats in hopes that a few of those cats turn out to be key volunteer cats or should we begin to think in terms of key accounts and key strategies?

    Next time: How can strategic key volunteer account management help us manage all volunteers?

    -Meridian

     

     

     

     

  • Captains of Our Destiny: Captain Obvious Part 2

    Captains of Our Destiny

    Ha, ha, working with volunteers is like herding cats. …non-profit staff member.

    It is time we become captains of our own destiny. It is true that our work is not glaringly evident to all, so we can’t be Captain Obvious.

    So, now what? We can captain our future and redefine our work in terms that befit its importance while illuminating our professional skill set. It’s on us to redefine volunteer services, to flip it from one of cutesy, fluffy extra touches to a dynamic and professional service.

    How? Well, first off, we have to change the loose descriptions of volunteer engagement and instead use the professional terms they deserve. To do this, let’s look at two highly regarded and compensated jobs and re-imagine our profession in those terms and descriptions.

    Instead of volunteer managers, what if we were called Volunteer Account Managers? In reality, volunteers open accounts with us, in the same way as donors or clients. (an account is something of value or worth-in this case a volunteer’s time, expertise, resources, knowledge, sweat equity, donations, word of mouth marketing, etc)

    As such, we would use these terms:

    Volunteer Account Management: the management of volunteer accounts, including the relationship with volunteers and the pursuit of volunteer satisfaction.

    Volunteer expectations: the value a volunteer seeks from our organizations, such as training opportunities, positive feedback, admittance to the team, creative outlets etc.

    Volunteer centric: the emphasis an organization places on volunteer involvement, including timely appreciation, seats at planning meetings, designated volunteer managers who are supported, educational opportunities, partnership opportunities.

    Volunteer journey: the steps a volunteer goes through to become a viable and satisfied member of the organization.

    Volunteer journey mapping: the process by which a volunteer manager maps the journey a volunteer takes from first contact to integration through onboarding-and more importantly, the ability to reconfigure the steps when necessary.

    Volunteer profile: the ongoing process by which a volunteer manager educates staff about volunteers, including their needs, their changing dynamics, their skill levels, their rate of participation and their future involvement.

    Volunteer satisfaction levels: measuring and reporting the satisfaction levels of volunteers through one on one interviews, surveys, questionnaires, etc. And more importantly, the ability to change areas in which volunteers lack satisfaction.

    Volunteer benchmarking: the continual process of improving the relationship with volunteers. There are many methods of benchmarking, such as:

    • do volunteers choose our organization over others and why or why not?
    • do volunteers make time for us over other activities and why or why not?
    • do volunteers recommend our organization to their circle of influence and why or why not?
    • do volunteers increase visibility, donations and resources and how? (we all know instinctively that this is true, but benchmarking will prove it)

    Volunteer benchmarking will then be a tool to change the processes that need change, in the same way fundraising evolves.

    In order to Captain our own destiny, we must begin to flip volunteer services from the outdated idea that volunteers are summoned to fill a job and volunteer coordinators “herd those funny cats around, lol, isn’t that cute.”

    Instead:  Volunteers hold an account with us and we are responsible for cultivating that account by continually improving our relationship with the volunteers. And this is where the highly skilled volunteer account manager comes in.

    Next week: KAVM-the key account volunteer manager-what does this mean for us?

    -Meridian

  • Volunteer Fresh

     

    Volunteer Fresh

    Every day, volunteer managers witness the passion brought by volunteers. We marvel at their skill. We see their pure work, unencumbered by thoughts of pay, or chains to the financial burden of staying somewhere not fulfilling.

    But there is another positive that we can attribute to our volunteers. The number of hours they volunteer a week or month is often misconstrued as a shortcoming, but in reality is a gift: Volunteers are not burdened by the stress of working for us full-time.

    Volunteers who show up once a week or month are like opening the window to let in the breeze. They come in, trailing currents of fresh air. They bring with them new experiences, a taste of outside ideas, and rejuvenated enthusiasm to our stale environment.

    What factors contribute to a stale environment? Compassion fatigue, burnout, overwork, repetition, familiarity, slow to change movement, it’s always been done thus mentality, funding worries and stress. Each of these freshness killers lurks in the halls of non-profits, waiting to blow their stale breath into our lungs.

    There is an under current of pressure on non-profit workers to be “on” at all times. This Pedestal of Perpetual Caring implies that every moment is as intensely compassionate as the first one. Who can live up to that standard when reports are due, projects need attention and budgets are withering?

    Enter Volunteer Fresh:

    Our volunteers, unburdened by the stresses of working with us full-time can and do exhibit the intense compassion every client needs.

    Our volunteers are out there in the world 98% of the time and bring with them outside opinions, trends, ideas and methods.

    Our volunteers bring infectious enthusiasm and continually remind us why we love our work. They plug us back into our missions.

    Marketing Volunteer Fresh: (or, at your next staff meeting, use gimmicky but visual aids to encourage your organization to embrace volunteers as more than just those people who fill preconceived slots)

    Bring a sandwich from a vending machine along with a fresh sandwich from wherever staff loves to eat. Use each ingredient of the fresh sandwich to explain the layers of volunteer fresh and compare the two.

    Videotape volunteers speaking from the heart. Show staff the infectious enthusiasm volunteers bring. Remind them that opening up to each volunteer re-ignites their own passion.

    Use a radiating circle of connections chart to show the connections our volunteers are making within the community. Use arrows in both directions to illustrate the wide swath of information and influence our volunteers create, both coming and going.

    volunteer fresh pp

     

    Here are some concrete ways to offer Volunteer Fresh:

    Schedule “sit downs” between community engagement officers and volunteers. The engagement officer can ask volunteers to take the pulse of the community by asking pertinent questions of their friends, neighbors, civic groups, church members etc and then report back.

    Create a campaign via WOMM (word of mouth marketing). Marketing can release a sub-campaign via volunteers to reach out into the community on a specific hot topic. Equip volunteers with flyers, business cards, etc. to launch campaign and monitor feedback.

    Engage volunteers in stress relief. Create a team of volunteers to develop a stress relief program for staff and other volunteers. This volunteer team can institute ways to help over burdened staff cope with burnout.

    Volunteers are a gift of freshness. How fortunate we are to be able to incorporate fresh ideas, enthusiasm, and passion into our culture by people who offer all of this for free.

    Let’s encourage our organizations to open the window and let the freshness in.

    -Meridian

  • Sometimes, There Is No Parade

    Sometimes, There is No Parade
    Awww, you shouldn’t have.

     

     

    Not everything volunteer managers do will be visible. Rather, in reality, most of our meaningful work is not about measurable numbers or stats. For this out of view work, there will be no awards, no pay raises and no parades. Yet, when recalling the moments that matter, these are the ones that usually spring into our minds.

    Helga was a volunteer who came to America after WWII. She married an American soldier, left her home in Germany to forge a new life in a new country with her new husband. Helga still retained her German accent. She was a tiny woman with a smile that reached up to her eyes, even after her beloved husband had died. I asked her to take a shift on the reception desk.

    We were in the process of initiating fingerprinting (Level 2) for our volunteers. It is a cumbersome and tedious process and the digital prints are hard to capture. Until this point, I submitted background checks (Level 1), read each report and challenged every anomaly I found. With Level 2, a central system approved or disapproved our volunteers, taking it out of my hands.

    We slowly filtered all of our volunteers, new and existing through the fingerprinting process. And, Helga was rejected. The rationale was that fingerprinting picks up “things” that a level 1 does not. I had to call Helga and tell her. I remember calling her and asking her to come in and talk to me. She knew immediately that it had to do with her fingerprints. She started to cry.

    We made an appointment for the next day. I hung up and felt…….. enraged. I wanted to know why this beautiful lady was being rejected, so I found an empty office and began to call the reporting agency, bouncing from person to person. It took the afternoon to get through to someone who could spend a minute to help me. She put me on hold, then came back on the line. “What’s her social security number again?” she asked. I told her. After another long hold, she came back. “Well, it seems it was a computer error. Your person has a clean record.”

    I called to tell Helga the good news, but something told me to keep our appointment. She did not answer so I left the message to please come in so I could explain in person what had happened.

    Helga came in the next day. I found a secluded spot to talk with her. We sat, knees to knees and I explained to her that it was a computer glitch. She burst into tears, crying deep and long as though a dam had given way. I hugged her. “Are you sure it was a mistake?” She asked.

    I wondered if this was about something other than her volunteering. “It was just a mistake, Helga. Do you trust me?” I said. “I would not lie to you.”

    She nodded and dabbed at her eyes. “I thought you might,” she said, “think I was a Nazi.”

    Suddenly, the present fell away.  I could see her, a young hopeful bride after the war was over, arriving in her new home. I could feel her trying to ignore the suspicions while desperately proving she was a good person. I could imagine that the past did not lie buried.

    We cried together for a good, long time. I called her the next day. “Helga, do you still believe me? Do you really, honestly know how much we love you?” At that point, I did not care how much time I had to spend convincing her.

    “Yes,” she said in a clear voice that removed my doubt. We did not speak of it again.

    That day I learned, for most of the time we spend doing our work, there will be no parade.

    But, my heart does not really want parades. It wants to hug Helga.

    -Meridian

  • Interview With a Volunteer: Ellie Part 2

    contacts

    Part two of an interview with Ellie, a volunteer for 18 years with a hospice.

    VPT: Let’s look at things in retrospect now. What advice do you have for volunteer managers? How can we keep someone like you?

    E: I’d say that having someone a volunteer can count on is important.

    VPT: In what way?

    E: It’s trust. I trusted my supervisor and he trusted me.

    VPT: You moved away. But you stopped volunteering before you moved. Was it because you were contemplating the move?

    E: (pauses) No.

    VPT: What was it then?

    E: Things were changing.

    VPT: In what way?

    E: Well, my supervisor was taking on more and more work. I began to realize that when I needed support or a chance to talk, I may go to his office and he would not be available or at another location.

    VPT: That support was important.

    E: Well, yes, because I wanted to make sure that I was doing the right thing. I did not want to do anything wrong.

    VPT: And so, you saw change happening.

    E: Yes.

    VPT: Ok, I am asking you to be honest here. As volunteer managers, we’ve all done this. We sometimes share our frustrations at the amount of extra work with our volunteers, although we don’t mean to do that. Did your supervisor start sharing his frustrations with you?

    E: No, not at all. See, the type of relationship I had with my volunteer supervisor was so successful. He didn’t have to say a word to me. I instinctively knew that he was overburdened all on my own.

    VPT: Do you think it is harder for new volunteers if they don’t forge that deep relationship with their volunteer manager?

    E: I don’t know because I can’t compare it to anything I experienced. I would ask though, are volunteers getting what they need? I know I had it pretty good, and by the same token, I wonder if volunteers who don’t receive the same vote of confidence will stay.

    VPT: So when did you decide to stop volunteering?

    E: I had this patient, Joy, the sweetest lady you’d ever meet. I would go to her house and take her to do her shopping. We had so much fun together, But one day, I went to her house. I was tired, out of sorts I guess and I felt a bit like I didn’t want to go to the store. Joy said to me, Are you all right? Have I done anything to upset you? Well, I assured Joy that she could never upset me and I apologized over and over. I thought long and hard about that moment.

    VPT: And that had something to do with your leaving?

    E: I knew then, that I was done. How? It was my attitude and reactions that told me. I knew that it was time. I had nothing more to give. And if I can’t give 100%, then I’m not doing any good for the people I’m supposed to be helping.

    VPT: How did that make you feel?

    E: (sighs) It made me sad, because it had been such a good ride.

    VPT: Eighteen years. That’s a long time. Did you feel any guilt over leaving?

    E:  No, no guilt because I gave my all while I was there. It was just time.

    VPT: How do you look back on it, now?

    E: I wouldn’t trade it for the world. It was enlightening, rewarding, and was almost like a second carer.

    VPT: What advice would you give to volunteers?

    E: You get out what you put in. And, it is crucial to ask if you have questions and to share problems and experiences with your supervisor.

    VPT: Any advice for volunteer managers?

    E: Yes. Supervisors need to know that volunteers go through what I went through. They need to realize and look for signs that volunteers are going through a period of ineffectiveness and they need to address that. Nurture the volunteers you have.

    VPT: Would you go back now that you’ve had some time off?

    E: No. That is in the past now.

    VPT: Thank you Ellie, for your honesty, your insights and your incredible volunteering.

    E: My pleasure.

    -Meridian

     

     

     

     

  • Interview With A Volunteer: Ellie

    contacts

    We all know volunteer feedback is invaluable, during and after projects and assignments. There is also value in gathering feedback from former volunteers who have had the time to process their experiences and take aways.

    Recently I was able to catch up with a retired volunteer, Ellie, and I asked her to look back on her years of volunteering for a hospice.

    VolunteerPlainTalk (VPT): How many years did you volunteer?

    Ellie (E): (laughs) “oh about 18.”

    VPT: That’s a long time.

    E: It was a long time, but it was good.

    VPT: What was your favorite part of volunteering?

    E: Hmmm, my favorite part. I liked the idea of giving and I always felt that I was receiving so much in return, but I guess you hear that a lot.

    VPT: Do you remember the beginning?

    E: Yes. I remember my training. At the end of training, the volunteer trainer handed me my first assignment. She told me that she believed I was ready. And she took me over to the window and pointed to the house of the person I was assigned to. She sort of let me know that it wasn’t far away and I would be close to help if I needed it.

    VPT: How did that go?

    E: I was nervous, but I felt prepared.

    VPT: Was your first assignment the impetus that kept you going?

    E: Actually, it was my first long-term patient, who came right after. We became incredibly close. Before she passed away, she said that she had added one more daughter to her family. And shortly before she died, she called me in and said that she needed to know that I was going to be ok. The extent of our connection was something I never expected.

    VPT: How much of a role did your volunteer manager play in your success?

    E: Oh my goodness, so much. The fact that my trainer and my supervisor, Jim trusted me, had faith that I could do this was huge. And, I always felt that if I had a question, he would be there. I remember I was sitting with one patient whose wife had a part-time job. He had a morphine drip and he thought it wasn’t working and he said to me, I don’t understand why this is not working, can you find out? Now, I have no medical knowledge at all, but I immediately got on the phone and my supervisor got me to the right person. That went a long way to building my self-confidence.

    VPT: So, having someone to contact was hugely important.

    E: Absolutely. I always counted on being able to knock on his door, go in and receive the support I needed.

    VPT: You are also a thirty year now retired school teacher. Why did you volunteer at a hospice and not with children?

    E: (laughs) I think I needed to do something different. After my husband died so young, I felt like I wanted to do something that was meaningful.

    VPT: Did his death influence your decision to volunteer for a hospice?

    E: I don’t think so. It was over three years between his death and my decision to volunteer.

    VPT: How did you find hospice?

    E: I saw this ad, and I knew right then it was a way to fill my life with some meaning.

    VPT: So, there was no magic formula for recruiting you?

    E: Sorry, no.

    VPT: Many people think hospice volunteering is depressing. Were you burdened with sadness?

    E: No. It was quite the opposite. It was fulfilling.

    VPT: Was there any opportunity for fun?

    E: Oh, my yes. I had so much fun with the staff. We let loose all the time. The seriousness of our work was a contrast to the silliness we experienced. I remember the time we made over 100 pumpkin pies for a Thanksgiving dinner in our care center. We laughed the whole time. Having that fun kept us wanting to do more, you know what I mean?

    VPT: I do. Was having fun a good use of your volunteer supervisor’s time do you think?

    E: Absolutely. Life is full of balances. The balance between serious work and letting off steam goes a long way to bond us together. It strengthened our team.

    VPT: I’m pushing here, but I wonder. Have you ever connected your losing your husband, the man you had planned on retiring with, and your work in hospice?

    E: Ehh, no. I just know that I had a lot of years to give and it was a way to fill my life with some meaningful work.  But I do remember one year, I signed up to volunteer at a children’s grief camp.  That day, while driving on the way to camp, I thought about all the little kids who were coming. They had all lost someone important in their lives and I had a little meltdown. I missed my husband.

    VPT: That must have been tough.

    E: I thought about these kids and it occurred to me that I went through this years ago. It brings something home. While I was there, we had a ceremony at night. I was really grieving for my husband. It comes when you least expect it. Sometimes you have an epiphany to a particular circumstance you’ve been through. It was almost like a total realization I had been through a significant loss and I released that.

    VPT: I’m at a loss for words.

    E: I even had grief counseling after his death. But my meltdown shocked me. I thought I had processed the grief.

    VPT: So, in retrospect, did your volunteering have a personal positive impact on you?

    E: Oh my, yes.

    Next time: Part 2 of this interview. Ellie moved away from her hospice, but she stopped volunteering before she moved. Why?

    -Meridian

  • Two Upcoming Events

    Where can you learn from the world’s best authorities on volunteer management? At the 2017 National Summit on Volunteer Engagement Leadership scheduled for July 26-28, 2017 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Here, experts will share their wisdom and experiences in over 100 breakout sessions during the three day summit. Choosing the sessions to attend will be an incredibly difficult undertaking, given the excellent lineup of foremost authorities in volunteer engagement. Here is a partial list of the presenting superstars:

    Susan J. Ellis-Energize Inc., Rob Jackson-Rob Jackson Consulting , Elisa Kosarin- Twenty Hats, Betty Stallings, Barry Altland-Head, Heart And Hands Engagement , Tony Goodrow-Better Impact , Liza Dyer-Liza’s blog, Tobi Johnson-VolunteerPro, Jennifer Bennett-VolunteerMatch , Beth Steinhorn-JFFixler Group  

    I am honored to also be presenting a workshop on elevating volunteer management by focusing on creating the building blocks for a volunteer leader’s personal brand. You are after all, the face of your program. I am so exited to be part of this amazing summit. I would love for you to join me if you are attending. The breakout will be interactive, fun and you will leave with concrete tools to utilize in strengthening your leadership. The session particulars are:

    Breakout 1-Wednesday, July 26th, from 2:15-3:45pm

    Track: Professional Development see track here

    From Manager to Leader: Elevating Volunteer Management
    Meridian Swift, Author and Blogger | volunteerplaintalk.com
    Join this interactive session that focuses on developing your own personal leadership brand. Explore the six building blocks that define proactive versus reactive volunteer management. Awaken the leader within to advance your program’s standing within your organization through re-imagined thinking.

    Hopefully we will see you in Minnesota in July.

    The other exciting event is a joint venture between myself and Elisa Kosarin (see above list of superstars) from Twenty Hats. Because we are both passionate about supporting all the great volunteer managers who work tirelessly in our profession, Elisa came up with this wonderful idea for a national retreat to be held in the fall of 2018. I was more than happy to get on board. But wait! A contest is involved! Here are the particulars from Elisa:

    On the board of your volunteer managers association or DOVIA? We have a contest for you!

    Volunteer Management Pros Meridian Swift of Volunteer Plain Talkand Elisa Kosarin of Twenty Hats are teaming up. They would like to host a weekend-long retreat just for volunteer managers.
    This first-ever national retreat would include two days of workshops, conversation, and fun to help you revitalize your professional passion. This is not a conference! Elisa and Meridian are providing the setting and the coaching for you to discover new insights into your path, career, and personal goals.

    The event is planned for the fall of 2018 — but they need your help in finding an awesome spot to hold the retreat.

    And that’s where the CONTEST comes in:

    If you are a Leader of Volunteers who sits on the board of your volunteer manager association, please help find the venue for the 2018 retreat!
    The association that finds the winning venue receives the benefit of THREE FREE REGISTRATIONS for this event. In addition, the winning association will receive a special discounted price for any other members who would like to attend.
    Is your organization in?  If yes,here are the specs for the retreat venue:
    • Available for two nights, Friday and Saturday
    • Time frame is a weekend in October 2018
    • Large enough to accommodate 30-50 guests
    • Meals provided, or list of catering options provided
    • At least two meeting spaces available
    • Price average $150 per day, if meals provided

    If you represent an organization that’s game for this contest, email Elisa at Twenty Hats to enter.

    The deadline to identify a venue is May 31.

    Email Elisa if you have any questions and happy searching!

    Thank you for all you do.

    -Meridian