volunteerplaintalk

Category: volunteer retention

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    As we move from herding cats to a more modern and professional structure, what are some differences between outdated volunteer management and the new strategic volunteer account and key volunteer account management?

     

    Outdated Volunteer Management Strategic Volunteer Account Management Strategic Key Volunteer Account Management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

  • 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

    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

  • Happy Volunteer Appreciation Week

    Volunteer Appreciation Week

    Happy Volunteer Appreciation Week. It’s one of the most exhilarating and exhausting weeks of work, so please enjoy yet don’t overdo.

    Stay hydrated, get plenty of rest and know that your hard work means so much to each and every volunteer. Your dedication and your sincere desire to make all volunteers feel appreciated is volunteer management at its best. Enjoy and have some fun!
    -Meridian

  • Luncheon and Food for Thought…

    Luncheon and Food for Thought 001

    Get your dancing shoes on! This year, volunteer appreciation week in the US is April 23-29. It’s coming up in May for Australia, and June for the UK and New Zealand.

    If you have a luncheon planned, you’ve long ago selected the venue and contacted the speakers. You’ve ordered the cute online mini calculators for giveaways. (of course your calculators were shipped late because the vendor mixed up your order with one from the company, “Meals on Wheelies” who is actually a pizza delivery joint in Appleton Wisconsin) You will give up your Friday night tickets for the punk concert, “Zombie Brains Munchfest” and instead, you will sit alone, wrapping the calculators in cute purple tissue paper (which serves nicely to dab your tears) because your friends and family say they are tired of being unpaid labor.

    Volunteer appreciation events vacuum up our time and emotional energy like giant tornadoes trailing balloons. Expectations are high. Is the food great? Are the speeches sincere? Will I be able to make each volunteer feel special? But what about the volunteers who are out-of-town or are ill or just can’t come? What about the day after the event? The week? The year? Do the speeches and chocolate fountains last?

    I’m not against events. Not at all. I am though, for grabbing any opportunity to improve volunteer engagement. What if we made volunteer week a kickoff, rather than a stand alone event?

    Why not use volunteer week as a brightly colored launch to enlist staff support for acknowledging volunteers all year-long? It makes sense to jump on the festive events as a springboard for a volunteer recognition calendar. With our orchestration, ongoing volunteer appreciation can become a learned behavior within organizations.

    While the “we heart volunteers” posters are up, the splashy balloons float in the hallways, and the staff is sampling that star shaped cherry cheesecake, it’s time to pounce! As these vibrant visuals draw attention to your volunteers, it’s the perfect time to visit each department and share your recognition calendar for the year.
    A sample calendar can look something like this:

    The Volunteer Department Yearly Calendar of Volunteer Recognition!
    Every first of the month I will pass around birthday cards for the volunteers who are celebrating birthdays. I would appreciate your signature. The cards will then be mailed to the volunteers. These simple but effective cards remind each volunteer that the entire organization appreciates them on their special day. Individual recognition goes a long way towards volunteer retention.

    Every third Wednesday of each month I will visit one department to write down testimonials from staff on the incredible impact volunteers have on supporting our mission. These testimonials will be published in our volunteer newsletter which is shared with all volunteers. In addition, the testimonials will serve to recruit prospective volunteers as well. Here is the list of scheduled departments for the next twelve months. Please be thinking about our volunteers and their contributions. Your testimonials serve to reinforce the volunteer support your department deems beneficial. (Bonus: keep all the testimonials for other purposes such as recruitment ads, speeches to groups etc.)

    Every quarter I will be videotaping several staff members expressing a simple ‘thank you’ to our volunteers and I will be showing the videos at the beginning of our volunteer meetings. These videos will serve to remind the volunteers that they are important members of our team. (Bonus-you can show all of the videos at next year’s luncheon)

    I will remind everyone in an email blast the first of each month. Thank you for participating in our plan to retain our valuable volunteers and to encourage new volunteers. Staff appreciation is a motivating factor in cultivating a supportive team.

    Your written plan can include:
    A-what and when (the schedule)
    B-how (the particulars)
    C-why (the benefit to volunteers and organization)                                                                       D-in addition, your reminder schedule

    Volunteer recognition is meaningful and fun on event day. We serve up praise along with chicken salad and we may even give awards for volunteer of the year. But awards look backwards. Let’s also look forwards. Let’s develop a plan to set the tone of appreciation for the coming year. Heck, maybe announce that at next year’s luncheon, there will be an additional award for the staff members who excel at engaging and recognizing volunteers.

    Now wouldn’t that be something to truly celebrate?
    -Meridian

  • New Words Added to the Volunteer Management Dictionary

    Added to the Volunteer Management Dictionary

    It’s that time of year when the Committee to Define Volunteer Management gets together at a back table in Pete’s Bar, Grill and Bait Shop. Together, these brave members scratch their heads over several pints and attempt to come up with a succinct explanation of volunteer management. This year, they gave up once again after rejecting the phrase “herding cats,” but they decided to add the following words to the dictionary of volunteer management.

    Volvorce: When a volunteer divorces the organization as in “No, I just can’t go get new volunteer Dinesh, because since no one called him back about getting started after I introduced him to finance, he volvorced us.”

    Meetcolepsy: When too many meetings cause you to simply fall into a stupor at the thought of another talk-fest as in “No, I couldn’t make that fourteenth meeting about using the volunteers to stand by the back door in case someone gets confused because I contracted meetcolepsy. Want to see my doctor’s slip?”

    Latespectation: A last-minute request for volunteers that is expected to be filled as if you were given weeks to prepare, as in “Oh, so you need 5 volunteers tomorrow morning for an assignment that you said was extremely important? Your latespectation is showing.”

    Creditjacking: When another staff member takes credit for a successful endeavor that you or your volunteers accomplished as in “Yes, I’m glad you praised that project during the senior managers’ meeting, but let’s not creditjack the volunteers’ work, ok?”

    Duhtistics: Stats that are so incredibly obvious, like volunteers are super nice as in “I won’t bore the board with duhtistics that you’ve heard before. No, instead I want to point out some new and exciting projects we are undertaking.”

    AVOL: A volunteer who inexplicably does not return calls, emails or letters as in “I’m glad you noticed volunteer Myrna has been missing lately. I’m trying everything in my power to get in touch with her. Right now she’s AVOL.”

    Volunteer Lite: A request for a volunteer to do a menial, mindless task as in, “You’re asking me for one of our highly trained volunteers to clean out the storage closet so you can use it for your supplies? You don’t want a full-bodied volunteer, you want a volunteer lite.”

    Miracalls: Calls made to volunteers for an especially challenging or late request as in, “Woah, that’s a really challenging request (or time frame). I’ll be holed up in my office for the rest of the day, making miracalls.”

    Informashunned: (pronounced in-for-may-shunned) Not given the essential information needed to properly place a volunteer as in “I have recruited four of our best volunteers for that assignment, but my pleas for crucial information have been ignored. Right now, our volunteers are informashunned.”

    Nopinion: Volunteers wanted, but not their opinions as in, “I’m glad you were able to use volunteer Mark’s expertise, but he felt rebuffed when he offered additional knowledge. I guess you really want an expert but nopinion volunteer.” 

    Vombie: That volunteer everyone is afraid of and no one wants to council or fire, as in, “I know Janey is a handful and she’s been here for what, twenty years now. I guess she’s been allowed to attain Vombie status and now that I’m here, I will deal with it in a professional manner.”

    Callwaiter: The notion that volunteers sit by the phone just waiting to hear from us as in, “It is Friday afternoon and most of our volunteers have already made plans for tomorrow. I’ll make some miracalls, but our vibrant and diverse volunteers aren’t callwaiters.”

    Marathonitor: The running around, checking, double-checking and rechecking to ensure that volunteers have all the information and tools they need to succeed as in “Our fifteen volunteers are ready for Saturday’s important annual event, but in order for them to excel, I will be marathonitoring their involvement, so I won’t be attending any meetings tomorrow or making miracalls to fill latespectation requests.”

    Well, there you have it. As one of the senior members of the Committee to Define Volunteer Management said after several glasses of Pinot Grigio, “Dang, defining volunteer management is really impifficult.”

    -Meridian

  • Volunteering is All About Helping, Isn’t It?

    Volunteering is About Helping, Isn't It
    Let’s hope for the best

    “No good deed goes unpunished.”   … Oscar Wilde

    “I couldn’t stop, not after I’d been with her for so long.” Volunteer Jill spoke of her decision to keep seeing the client assigned by her volunteer manager, even though the client was no longer on the program. “Aren’t we supposed to be helpful? I mean, I have a strong connection with her and her family. I can’t just pull the plug.”

    “I didn’t see the harm,” said Miranda, Jill’s volunteer coordinator. “I felt it would be cruel to keep Jill from continuing this great connection. But then, my CEO summoned me the day this former client called in to complain. It seems that Jill gave the client some advice and the client thought she was back on our program.”

    What do we do with volunteers who want to stay with clients after the client no longer is receiving our services? If we’ve made a meaningful match between volunteer and client, then we understand how hard it is for the volunteer to pull back. Severing the relationship seems cruel. Besides, don’t volunteers have free will?

    Although this situation appears muddy, it really is crystal clear: The relationship forged with the client belongs solely to the organization. Staff, contractors, and volunteers all participate in the organization’s relationship with a client. None of us would have created a connection with this client on our own, therefore we do not have a personal relationship. When the organization severs that relationship, we are done.

    It is one of those tricky realms where clear boundaries, policies and documentation is crucial. If you no longer provide support for the volunteer’s efforts because the client is not in your care, the volunteer is then free to establish their own boundaries and set their own limitations.

    Here’s the question: Should a mishap occur, will the family have a clear understanding that the volunteer is not representing your organization?  That lack of understanding can become a liability nightmare.

    What steps do we need to take when a volunteer feels they must continue to help a former client or family member?

    • Include organizational ties vs. personal ties during orientation, induction and training. Make sure each and every volunteer is aware that they are part of a team, and not individually forming relationships with your clients.
    • Have a clear policy already on paper. The strictest policy would be to fire the volunteer. Or, you may place the volunteer on a temporary leave. Or you might place the volunteer on suspension. Or, you could trust the volunteer to act in a professional manner and monitor their behavior. The point is, have a policy to follow.
    • Communicate with everyone involved. Communicate your policies and boundaries with your volunteer.
    • Speak to the former client. Explain that your volunteer is continuing to be involved as a private citizen, but this means your organization does not support or back the volunteer’s actions.
    • Explain to staff. Be up front, tell appropriate managers and staff and show them the steps you have taken to ensure no harm will befall the organization, client or volunteer.
    •  Document every step of this process. Draft a letter to the client outlining the conversation you had with them and keep a copy in the volunteer’s file. Have the volunteer sign a statement absolving you of all responsibility concerning their actions.

    Connecting volunteers with clients is one of the most satisfying outcomes of our profession. Witnessing a bond formed between volunteer and client is immensely gratifying. Having to cut those ties can be frustrating and painful.

    But we have to remember that not all aspects of our jobs will be easy. At times, we must do the hard things, the necessary things in order to maintain a professional program.

    Leadership means developing the strength to confront and manage the harder parts of engaging volunteers. And elevating volunteer management means becoming a strong leader.

    -Meridian

  • Induction vs. Orientation: The one year volunteer committment

    Induction vs. Orientation

    Two volunteer managers, Jessup and Chloe were both excited when the brought in new volunteers.

    Jessup, who manages volunteers for a start-up, said, “I was asked to find volunteers to help with our kick off campaign. I brought in a trio of talented volunteers and one of our marketers patiently showed them what needed to be done. The volunteers did exceptionally well, but they didn’t stay with us very long. I had to recruit again and again.”

    Chloe, meanwhile, who manages volunteers at a different start-up said, “I recruited a few volunteers to help with our kick-off. I was a bit worried because the volunteers were from varied backgrounds and had really different talents. But, you know, although it took them a bit to get going, all the staff here helped out. Those volunteers are still with us today.”

    Volunteer retention is a nuanced and complicated concept. Some parts of it can be controlled and some cannot. But one thing we can control is induction and orientation. Why does a seemingly perfect volunteer become disinterested? Why does another volunteer fit in like a glove? How do volunteers gel with the mission?

    Let’s look at induction and orientation: Can we get away with offering one and not the other?

    Induction is the formal process in which to introduce a volunteer to their job. (the mechanics)

    Orientation is the integration of the volunteer into the organization. (the gel)

    Jessup’s organization lost volunteers because they did not orient them. Chloe’s on the other hand, used both induction and orientation.

    As volunteer managers, we need to use both induction and orientation to retain great volunteers. And, our entire organizations must be involved. Here is an example:

    Induction:

    1. Volunteer manager shows volunteer where break room is, supplies are kept, what the policies are, etc.
    2. Staff member who best knows the job shows volunteer how to do the work, where bathroom nearest station is located, etc.

    Orientation:

    1. Volunteer manager welcomes, presents organizational goals, history etc.
    2. CEO welcomes volunteers to organization, emphasizes contributions from volunteers.
    3. A seasoned volunteer is paired with newbie to mentor and encourage.
    4. Staff introduces themselves to volunteer, thanks, offers assistance, assures volunteer they are appreciated and part of team.

    Both induction and orientation are vital to engaging volunteers. If we make them feel a part of the team, but do not give them the knowledge and equipment to do their jobs, they will leave. If we give them all the training in the world, but do not integrate them into our mission, they will also leave.

    And here’s the thing. Most of us toy with the idea of having a volunteer sign a one year commitment. But maybe that’s just backwards. What we might do instead is ask our entire organization to sign a commitment for each and every volunteer. This commitment would look something like this:

    I, the undersigned, ___________________________ commits to do my part in  orienting, inducting and engaging each and every new volunteer for as long as that volunteer is ethically representing our organization and mission.

    Ask the CEO to require each staff member to sign this commitment. And maybe if you are feeling a bit ambitious, you can point out that volunteer engagement should be part of each employee’s yearly evaluation.

    Woah, be still my heart.

    -Meridian