volunteerplaintalk

Tag: volunteer engagement

  • Volunteer or Partner, and What is the Difference?

    It always went something like this. When someone showed an interest in volunteering, I would:

    • Interview the prospective volunteer.
    • Tell them all about the amazing roles we had available.
    • Invite them to an open house.
    • Sign them up for training.
    • Conduct a post-training interview and discuss placement.
    • Contact their chosen department and introduce them to their new supervisor and role. (Unless I kept them in the volunteer department-which I highly recommend doing sometimes, because you need great people too).

    Along the way, we would discuss rules, regulations, and expectations; not only what we expected of them, but what they could expect of us.

    I’d give new volunteers a policies and procedures manual and also a volunteer bill of rights. It covered all bases, didn’t it? But what was the message? “Here’s what we expect from you. And here is what you can expect from us.” While thorough, these two documents subtly read “separation.”

    It made me think about all the ways we keep volunteers in a separate (and unequal) box. It also reminds me of a time when a fellow staff member, whose position was on an equal rung of the organizational ladder as me, introduced me to a group of people and said, “I’m so glad she and her people are here to assist me.”

    Now, I’m being picky and petty, but that statement smacked of separation and condescension. I probably would have ignored it, but for the prickly feeling under my skin that always flared when volunteering was treated as an “other” or a “nuisance” or “just fluff.” The point is not my fragile little feelings, but the perception that all things related to volunteering are less than, lower than, outside of, and therefore, not equal, which is sadly pervasive in the things we say and present to volunteers.

    Why a partnership? Aren’t we supposed to fill jobs?

    I’ve heard of some organizations creating a contract with volunteers, but is a contract the right idea? What about an understanding? A covenant? Or a pact? How about a partnership?

    If everything boils down to the mission statement, then isn’t everyone who makes the mission succeed working towards the same goal? Currently, we model volunteer engagement partly on how companies hire someone to do a specific job that creates a product or service and offers payment in return. A volunteer fills a slot, (job) such as packing boxes of food (product or service). In return for their good work (payment), we recognize the volunteer.

    But the differences in volunteering vs. working render our current engagement models difficult to sustain, mainly because volunteers have shifted their view of formal volunteering; what they want for it and from it. Enter the rise of informal volunteering, which is immediate, more flexible and offers the ability to create a role that fits the volunteer’s skill-set and creativity. Add to this the growing distrust of institutions and how they not only manage time and money, but how they cling to the power they possess.

    Volunteers no longer blindly accept our volunteering model. Their “payment” is no longer as simple as feeling good about doing good (They can get that feeling every time they help a neighbor, let someone with only one item cut in line, return a dropped pacifier to a harried parent, or click a “like” in social media). Volunteers don’t see themselves as second citizens, filling the roles their superiors deem necessary. The status quo disheartens them. They view themselves as capable, willing to share skills and enthusiasm, happy to help on their terms and eager to share their good ideas. So, why don’t we embrace this modern volunteer?

    Are there deeply embedded considerations in a status quo that have shaped non-profit work over the many years? Are non-profits tightly managed systems that operate more on processes than outcomes? And are these processes clutched so tightly that we suffer from the inability to let in new ideas, new ways of doing things, and new people? What fears can stop us from innovation? Maybe…

    • pride (Only I can do this well, I know how, have been at it so long, etc.)
    • change aversion (we’ve done it this way, and it’s worked for the most part. Why go through all that upheaval?)
    • donor input (what will our donors say or think if we make even subtle changes, we can’t risk upsetting them)
    • fear of being out-performed (I am de-valued if someone else does the job better than me)
    • mission possessiveness (Someone else can’t care as much as me. Look at how hard I work, all I’ve accomplished)
    • overworked condescension (I’m here 50 hours a week, how can someone here 2 hours do anything better?)
    • fear of replacement or being devalued (if all these outside people come in, eventually they won’t need any of us anymore)
    • run amok fear (if we just tear everything apart, let all these new people in, everything we’ve accomplished will be for nothing and our organization will descend into chaos)

    Volunteers Can and Should Lead

    What about the long-standing ideas we can’t trust volunteers to do the job as well as staff, or can’t handle sensitive information, or don’t understand what is at stake? Sure, but every staff member starts at square one. Until they prove themselves, we don’t know if they can do the job, or if we can trust them, or if they understand what’s at stake. The same is true of volunteers. I would never assign a new, untested volunteer to the most sensitive, complex assignment. Throwing new volunteers into a sensitive assignment was not only unfair to the mission; it was unfair to the volunteer.

    Nonprofit work is emotionally and mentally taxing, and it’s callous to drop someone new into an emotionally heavy situation. Proper training, diligent observation and monitoring, feedback from supervising staff, as well as a great mentor program, will ensure the new volunteer is ready for complex roles. I remember one volunteer, a gentleman who took over a year before he felt ready to even attempt interacting with patients. But that year paid off. He became a marvelous volunteer. The notion that volunteer managers throw any old body at a role is ridiculous and insulting. We know what is at stake and we vet and mentor volunteers thoroughly and carefully.

    Don’t Hide Your Dilligence

    We have to be better at making sure everyone in the organization knows our processes in vetting, onboarding and training volunteers. They won’t know unless we show them the lengthy steps and stop-gap measures we have in place. They will have doubts about allowing volunteers to do more unless we assure them we continually monitor volunteers, especially those who work with vulnerable populations. Our professionalism and dedication to quality over quantity and expediency will satisfy their doubts.

    During one of my most successful volunteering projects, I quickly realized that I needed to step back and give the volunteers space to make the project succeed. Did I want to be in control? Heck yeah. Did I want all the glory? (Especially when it was a complete success). Did it bother me when the acknowledgements passed me right by and went to those who deserved it? Surprisingly, not really. Watching something thrive because the right people made it happen was much more satisfying than a fleeting praise thrill. Although not the same, I kind of equated it to watching a child succeed. That feeling of pure joy is unmatched.

    But why partnership? I’ve referred to and heard others call volunteers all kinds of things. Helpers, advocates, customers, aides, extras, the heart of, add-ons, etc. But none of those terms implies an equal footing. And isn’t it time to acknowledge that someone who gives their time to ensure our organizations succeed is equally valuable, whether paid or unpaid, or are we more invested in processes than results?

    People freely lob skepticism at volunteers-criticising them for lacking investment, needing hours for a service project, or simply wanting to get out of the house, but don’t some non-profit employees just need a job or clock out at 4:55 no matter what, or cause havoc in untold ways? (Heck, there were days I didn’t want to be at my job so I didn’t give 100%, so why was that ok?) The point is, can we stop assuming that pay automatically equates to passion and dedication, that pay guarantees there will be no missteps?

    Should we move towards creating more partnerships with volunteers? Honestly, I think we have to. We are recruiting, training and attempting to keep volunteers based on a system that worked thirty years ago. One of the most frustrating things in my long career has been onboarding a volunteer who had so much potential, so many skills to offer, only to see them shelved. All that wasted potential just evaporated, along with the many ways our mission might have been better served.

    The subtlety of partnerships

    So, how do we ease into a partnership? First things first: Let’s stop using old phrases, such as, “help us cure X disease or eradicate homelessness.” Instead, let’s say, “Together, we will combat social isolation.” Or, “Partner with us in our quest to provide food security.”

    Should we do a pinky swear? Maybe symbolically? One keyword in defining a partnership is “participation.” Volunteers certainly fit that term. They take part in accomplishing mission goals. But we can make no mistake. Participation no longer means “tell me what to do and I will do that.” Participation encompasses a say in how and what the volunteer will do.

    So, as we, leaders of volunteers strive to create more flexibility, more options, more roles that fit a volunteer’s vision of how they will become involved, isn’t that a partnership rather than a top-down relationship? For years, we’ve had to push back against volunteers who want to have a hand in defining their involvement. We had set roles and if a volunteer, no matter how brilliant and creative or how much influence or resources they brought, wanted something other than what we advertised, we rejected them, or worse, cajoled them into shredding papers (Hello, WWII generation).

    How do policies and procedures work in a partnership? If we understand volunteers are generally governed by the same rules and regulations, as well as have the same rights as paid staff, then we should embrace that fact. Instead of a separate but mostly equal divide, we can craft policies and procedures from the existing policies staff must abide by. With few exceptions, they will apply to volunteers. We can word them as: No one at Organization X will violate anyone’s right to privacy. No one at Organization X will steal funds from our donations. We all will respect the rights of the people we serve, including the right to religious beliefs and the right to cultural traditions. It’s a simple shift, but it sends an inclusive message.

    Are volunteers the fluffy extra?

    I recently read an article, comparing volunteers to worker bees: Why Are We Ignoring One-Sixth of the Nonprofit Workforce? (if there are worker bees, that means there’s a queen and we all serve her-sorry but founder’s syndrome aside, I’ll ask again, are we about processes or outcomes?). I think comparing anyone to worker bees is highly insulting. As a volunteer myself, I’m highly insulted. Today’s volunteers do not see themselves as worker bees or fluffy extras. They see themselves as contributing partners, people of value, and worthy of being treated as partners, not cookie cutter “helpers” who serve the perpetuated system.

    So, the question then becomes, “how do we present the subtle idea of partnerships to staff and senior management?” Won’t they balk at giving volunteers a perceived elevated status? Possibly. Would this give a few volunteers the wrong idea that they can critique everyone and everything in the organization? Sure, but you know what? In my experience, that occasionally happened anyway. And here’s the thing. Does paying staff magically prevent them from overstepping boundaries? Of course not. I’ve seen finance staff criticize clinical staff and vice versa. Human beings will act like human beings, no matter their title.

    Everyone is Subject to Rules and Policies

    We explain that everyone, whether paid or a volunteer, can use established channels or procedures to raise concerns or offer suggestions on any matter, regardless of whether it relates to their specific areas of work. Rules and common decency apply to everyone. This reminds me of several volunteers who did such an outstanding job, my organization hired them. These volunteers were already under the same policies and procedures as staff and could transition more easily.

    If we think about the rules for staff and the rules for volunteers, they mirror each other. A partnership means rules and policies are for all, including volunteers. A partnership is about leveling the field, being inclusive, not patronizing, not treating volunteers like children or worker bees, not excessively stroking their egos so they don’t quit, but welcoming them as responsible partners. And treating them with the respect that rules and regulations imply. Rules say, “you are one of us and we are holding you to the same high standards we expect of everyone in our organization.” There’s power and pride in expecting excellence. None of us enjoys disciplining or rejecting a volunteer. But if we do not set an excellence standard, why should a volunteer provide excellence?

    Partnership Benefits

    Let’s look at what we can offer organizations when forging volunteer partnerships.

    • Successful partnerships rely on the strengths of each partner in order to create something better. Our organization gains the skills, knowledge and expertise a volunteer brings while the volunteer gains experience, a sense of belonging and accomplishment when given the opportunity.
    • Partnerships accomplish mission goals more quickly. With partnership help, goals, whether lofty and broad, or specific and time sensitive, can be reached more quickly with skilled partners who share the vision. Volunteer impact not only accomplishes goals, it becomes a marketing tool that showcases how our organizations are community-minded, open and inclusive, and care more about mission outcomes than organizational processes.
    • The community is better served. When community partners are engaged, the community is engaged. Existing in silos is no longer an organizational winning strategy. Communities talk. They know which organizations operate from a “we know best” approach versus those who invest in being a true community partner that respects and encourages direction from the people they serve.
    • The community becomes more involved. We know volunteers talk. They talk to family, friends, clubs, other organizations, neighbors, associations, acquaintances, church groups, and anyone they encounter. What will they say? When we embrace them as partners versus worker bees, their assessment of their experience will bring in more resources, donations and more volunteers.

    Change doesn’t have to be a hammer

    Any change needs systems in place to prevent headaches or going off the rails. Encouraging volunteers to be partners means fielding more input from volunteers. I always found a volunteer advisory council was a great way to manage all the innovative ideas and feedback from volunteers. It is a way to channel enthusiasm and suggestions through a filter: the expertise of other, experienced volunteers, understand organizational hierarchy, and can make sound recommendations. If a volunteer has a great idea, the council can recommend a pilot project to test that idea. I have to admit, pilot projects were my happy place. Some didn’t work, but many did. And pilot projects that are temporary, experimental, and quickly discarded if not viable, are much easier to implement and sell to upper management than a permanent project. These successful projects, run by volunteers, were partnerships. My organization did not create the roles or the objectives, both short and long-term. The volunteers created them out of seeing a need, or having experience in creating solutions, or from hearing about another way of accomplishing a goal. The volunteers determined how to run the projects, including measuring success or failure, and the most efficient way of delivering results. That is a partnership. (and the old adage is true: Success can breed more success)

    Partnerships do not exclude accountability

    But make no mistake. Any volunteer within these partnership projects went through training, completed a background check, and was subject to rules and policies. Having a partnership project did not mean becoming lax, or not paying attention to risk. I’d always laughingly say, “I’m a risk management specialist who dabbles in volunteerism.” Mildly amusing but there’s an important truth here in the message, “if you are one of us, a partner passionate in fulfilling our mission, you will integrate by taking our training, signing our forms, abiding by our rules, just as every one of us must do.”

    Formal volunteering (aka volunteering with an organization and abiding by its constraints vs. taking matters into your own hands when becoming involved) is losing its appeal. Please take a moment and read this article; “Volunteering is thriving – Just not where you’ve been looking.” It succinctly explains where volunteering is headed. For years, many experts in the volunteer engagement field have been sounding a warning that volunteer expectations have been shifting, and the older models of volunteering are losing their appeal. We cannot keep doing the same thing over and over and expect the same results.

    Do we truly want to see our missions succeed?

    We can make changes to better position ourselves to attract good, competent partners, whether individual volunteers or groups or other organizations who believe in our missions and will bring their passion, creativity and innovation. We just have to decide what is more important: Outcomes, goals and mission or systems and status quo.

    -Meridian

  • Gig Volunteering and Intellectual Property: Do We Own Volunteer Work?

    How much do we “own” volunteer work? Is it all about the legal (and don’t we know, when it comes to anything bad happening on a volunteer’s watch, legal becomes oh-so important). But what of the talents and abilities a volunteer brings? This viral story on TikTok about a woman who watermarked her work (because her boss kept stealing it) has a different lesson, hidden under the obvious one: keeping your work safe. But how does this apply to volunteers?

    Shifting Trends To Watch

    Before the pandemic, the gig economy and freelance work had already been growing (Freelance work accounts for 35% of the global workforce. Source: financeonline.com), and company loyalty has been shrinking. Today, recognition and personal satisfaction may come from social media followers instead of within the hierarchy of your boss saying you’re a swell employee or volunteer (company or organization). In the above, the woman who watermarked her work was replaced (fired?) and had to find another job, but her video was viewed over 3.7 million times with many “followers” offering support.

    The support from 3.7 million peers overwhelmingly helped the sting of retaliation from a few petty bosses Volunteering is not static. It is rapidly changing (despite Covid and sped up by the pandemic) and reflects the societal shifts we are seeing. So will volunteers become freelancers? Gig volunteers? Can they watermark their work? Do they have 2,000 followers from whom they derive support and satisfaction and so, our lovely pats on the back can’t hold a candle to all that positive feedback? Are we foolish to ignore the idea that volunteers have their own intellectual property? (Intellectual property is a broad categorical description for the set of intangible assets owned and legally protected by a company or individual from outside use or implementation without consent) Source: Investopedia.

    What Do We Own Exactly?

    Our volunteer organizations own our training, our processes, our mentorship, our educational information, our mission goals, our policies, and the work performed under our umbrella, but what about the unique skills, talents and abilities our volunteers bring, such as spot-on empathy, crazy good listening skills, mad technical skills, drool-worthy organizational abilities, soothing voices, or Shakespearean writing chops? I’m pretty sure we don’t teach volunteers those innate abilities, but, we recognize and put those abilities to good use.

    While I am not even remotely suggesting that volunteers will rise up and fight to own the volunteer work they do under an organization, I think we can extrapolate some insights from gig work, and the TikTok story, because as society shifts, so will volunteering.

    We Have Already Shifted Away From Old Models:

    In the ancient past (like 1998), orgs pretty much used these volunteering edicts:

    • we need this, so you will fill this role
    • we determine what works, so take it or leave it
    • we are the experts on our mission focus, so don’t bring untried ideas
    • it’s the tasks we value, not what you bring to our table
    • you are a tool, so act like one

    Gig workers create resumes highlighting their skills, experience and talents. Why can’t a volunteer do the same thing? We know that student volunteers are increasingly looking for volunteer opportunities that teach them new skills, allow them to test leadership abilities and give them something in which to enhance their resumes and better themselves. Why don’t we help volunteers create their own Intellectual/Empathetic/Skill Property resumes?

    Leaders of Volunteers already recognize volunteers’ unique talents and skills. When interviewing, we look for those talents and note skills when placing volunteers. We worm our way into volunteers’ hearts and minds, not because we’re nosey (tell that to my husband), but because we need to know the volunteer inside and out. What makes them tick? What are they so freaking good at? And ultimately, what makes them an outstanding and effective volunteer?

    We are lavish with our praise, especially for a volunteer’s unique contributions. So, who cares? Well, what if volunteers had resumes that highlighted their unique talents, complete with endorsements and examples? What if you were searching for a volunteer who could not only speak Arabic, but had this unique talent of bringing out the buried stories in someone’s life? Wouldn’t finding that volunteer be magic?

    I had lists and lists of volunteers and their skills, such as speaking another language, artistic talents, engineering background, etc. But only in my head did I know who was sensitive enough to bond with an aching heart, or was astute enough to keep quiet while someone grieved in their own way. See, intangible stuff is like a beautiful sunrise. We appreciate it, but we don’t always know how to include it in concrete ways. Maybe we should.

    No Longer Harnessed

    Volunteers have moved away from the “I’m a tool of the organization” mindset. They freelance now, and reject the notion that organizations know best how to use their unique skills. Just look at any unfolding disaster and see the informal volunteers pour out.

    Here’s the thing: As volunteer engagement professionals, we scratch our heads and ask ourselves, “how do we harness the enthusiasm we find when disasters strike and how do we keep the volunteer mojo going?” Right there is the problem: Volunteers don’t want to be harnessed. They want to be engaged. And maybe for just a short time or for the adrenaline rush. Maybe for the autonomy or for the comradery found within a social network. Could be for the praise from followers or the immediate satisfaction. Can we supply that going forward? Must we?

    There will always be volunteers who fit so well, they stay at an organization. Thankfully, like in a magical fantasy, these volunteers have found the synergy that makes them want to keep at it. But for the rest of the volunteers out there, being harnessed isn’t what they have in mind. For them, it may be about using their unique talents or having some autonomy, or receiving support from social media rather than organizational structure. Does that make them selfish? Not really. And if we are truly interested in diversity and equity, we will open ourselves to a changing society and accept new thoughts. And most times, it means getting out of the way.

    What Their Property Means for Us

    From Indeed.com: “A gig worker is a professional who, instead of receiving a regular income, receives wages based on the one-time projects, or “gigs,” that they complete. This makes for a flexible work environment, where employers can offer payment for only the work that’s available for a gig worker to perform. The gig economy is the work and career environment in which these professionals work.”

    So what does this mean for us? For one thing, we can structure volunteer wanted ads to reflect our commitment to understanding volunteers are unique and we offer reciprocating benefits to volunteering. Instead of advertising “jobs” let’s advertise opportunities. For instance:

    • Engage your empathetic property in this manner (Subtle? Yes.)
    • Bring your unique talents
    • Put your skills to work
    • Enhance your abilities
    • Develop your leadership
    • Grow with us
    • See where this takes you
    • Our clients are unique and so are you

    In the future, volunteers will opt for their own volunteering resumes which they may use on social media or for job hunting. No longer will hours or tasks count. I can see a volunteer in the future, recording their experiences on their resumes this way:

    • With my ability to organize and motivate, I enlisted five volunteers to man the food bank during a power outage which resulted in no interruption of service to clients. The volunteer administrator said about me, “Without Jordan’s expertise, 30 families would have gone hungry that day.”
    • Because of my extensive software knowledge and ability to work under pressure, I fixed a bug in the keynote speaker’s presentation at the annual funder’s benefit, thus saving the keynote address. As the keynote speaker quipped, “I’m indebted to Anvi for her skill and especially for her calm during the chaos.”
    • My ability to structure partnerships was called upon when I sat on a task force to brainstorm encouraging STEM in schools. It was my partnering model that created a successful program. According to the principle at Main Street High, “our partnership with Computer Alliance Corp has led to a 30% increase in students choosing STEM universities.”

    No Swell Heads

    There is a risk in that too much praise can lead to swelled heads, but you know what? That risk already exists, because we praise volunteers a lot (at least in my experience). Somehow, many of us, myself included, feel like praise is a way to keep volunteers coming back. That’s not exactly accurate, so why not be less fluffy and broad and overly effusive about praise and be more specific in pointing out exactly why this volunteer is effective? Praise then becomes tangible and we can more easily attach meaning to something tangible and concrete than to broad phrases like “you’re so good with people.”

    To which a volunteer would ask, “how am I so good with people?” Um, well, yeah. Sometimes intangibles are just obvious, which makes them hard to define. It’s the feeling you get when you interview an exceptional volunteer; that “there’s something about this person” tingle that crawls up your arm. So, define it, especially when you see it in action. “Drake has this unique ability to put people immediately at ease.” How is Drake’s empathetic property valuable? Holy moly, how many times did I look for that quality in a volunteer when working with clients who were scared, abused, or closed up? And when I had a Drake in my midst, you bet Drake was on speed dial. (is that a thing anymore?)

    The Change Train Keeps Rolling

    We realize we must adapt to an ever-changing world. One way we can sustain (as opposed to retain or harness) volunteers is to help them chronicle their unique contributions to our work. By doing so, we give them the tangible evidence they need to find meaning in their volunteering. The two hours are not what it’s about. It’s about the volunteer’s unique ability to listen without judgement or the volunteer’s skill in teaching a child how to draw or the volunteer’s sense of humor that broke through to a client who didn’t get along with other staff or volunteers.

    I realize this is not a ground-breaking change. But, as we navigate the changing world, it will be the subtle shifts we make that position us to keep engaging volunteers. Ears to tracks on the ground, we can hear the train coming before it runs over us.

    With volunteer appreciation weeks coming up all over the globe, we are determined to appreciate volunteers for numerous reasons. Instead of trying to retain and harness volunteers, let’s engage them by giving them what they seek and appreciate them for the unique intellectual/empathetic/skilled properties they bring.

    Those unique properties are what we engage anyway.

    -Meridian

  • Volunteer Resilience

    In the last VPT podcast, Laura Rundell wisely chats about resilience, a subject we have been forced to examine in the past year. Laura asks: What is resilience? What masquerades as resilience? How do our volunteers show resilience?

    What can we learn from this year?

    We were unprepared for the magnitude of the pandemic and how it disrupted volunteerism. But, you know what? We, LoVols, deal with disruption all the time. Changes in volunteer assignments, policy tweaks, staff shuffling, new projects implemented, tasks taking precedent over other tasks, organizational restructuring, and then there’s the personal changes in volunteers’ lives that create disruption. We live in the Upheaval Hotel. (Too many volunteers answering that old add you forgot to remove in your room? I’ve got one on the 10th floor with explaining the new policy changes you might like better)

    Because volunteer resilience is key to not only surviving major disruptions, but key to surviving and thriving during more minor disruptions, we are knee-deep in encouraging resilience. Nurturing volunteer resilience is necessary, regardless of a pandemic or a change in policy. So, going forward, what can we learn from this experience?

    I recall a few years back, we had a near volunteer mutiny when a beloved staff member left in a hasty manner. It was not pretty. I was unprepared for the upheaval that followed. But through a series of dialogues, adjustments and extensive follow-ups that centered on resilience, the volunteers stayed. It proved to me that resilience is a mind-set we can help foster.

    How can we help volunteers be resilient?

    • Make change normal: Use change language and lay a foundation that says change is natural and an evolving strategy to move forward. Make the distinction from the need to adapt and pivot (change) on operational issues from the solid core values of your mission that remain foundational and say, for example, “we are adapting and learning to navigate the changes we must make to grow, but we never lose sight of our mission which is the foundation on which we operate.” Make sure volunteers know that the mission is their anchor.
    • Present change as an opportunity: Present change in a positive light by encouraging volunteers to think about opportunities such as, “now that we have to re-think our in-person services, let’s look at the opportunities to utilize different skills, find new talents.” Get volunteers to brainstorm, be part of the process. Change is received more readily when volunteers are part of the change process.
    • Connect to purpose: Offer stories of how the volunteers’ can-do attitude helps those being served. Tell volunteers how they inspire staff and clients to keep going. Use humor and inspiration as stress relief.
    • Debrief and reflect: Always elicit feedback. In change management, feedback is key to navigating change. Not once, but repeatedly, so when you hear the volunteers say, “We get it, you’re always asking how are we doing with these changes,” you’re on the right track. Reflection is a way to embrace the difficulties, to acknowledge the loss of status quo. Reflection is nonjudgmental and healing and allows for the volunteers to express their frustrations and loss. When I experienced the volunteer near mutiny, reflection gave the volunteers a space to grieve over losses without feeling judged. I learned so much by just listening to them.
    • Survivor attitude: Make surviving a badge of honor. We tell volunteers how special they are, so add surviving into that mix.
    • Introduce scenarios into training: I love scenarios because they apply knowledge to real situations. Adding a change scenario is a great way for volunteers to think about how they might act when change is inevitable and a great way to encourage resilience.
    • Admit the struggle: As a volunteer manager, you are good at being honest. Admit the “work in progress” because it’s easier to be resilient when you know everyone else is struggling to be resilient too. It’s the team mentality. We will get through this together.

    Resilience is not…

    Resilience is not forcing volunteers to accept the unreasonable without question. That’s being a door-mat. And it’s good to let volunteers know that you understand the difference between resilience and being taken advantage of and will work to make sure they are treated with respect. That way, when proper changes occur, they will likely be more resilient.

    Oh, and what about you? How’s your resilience holding up? Do you, as Laura says in the podcast, practice self-care and find joy in our profession? Do you seek out other volunteer professionals to vent to? Laura and I chat often, and I have to say, I get so much out of our chats. We’re not alone. We are strong and resilient. Finding another volunteer engagement professional to chat with, laugh with, cry with, or vent with is one of the greatest ways to steady a wobbling boat, to adjust your sails and take a moment to enjoy the journey.

    And feed your resilience.

    -Meridian

  • Yay, Another Holiday Card From a NonProfit!

    https://gratisography.com/

    So, last week, I posted a sharable holiday card for volunteers. Nice, huh, cause volunteers love getting cards from organizations, right? Cards mean we care, we appreciate (and we all know volunteer appreciation, no matter what it consists of, especially if it involves balloons, is the key to volunteer retention), we go the extra mile to engage our volunteers. What could be wrong with that?

    Volunteers love getting cards, right?

    Funny thing. Ironically, as I was sitting at my desk, on my laptop, posting the volunteer card, I was also looking at a pile of holiday cards I received from various nonprofits I’ve volunteered for. And my reaction to some of them? I just laughed. (Not the intended reaction, I’m sure)

    I laughed because I’ve been inactive at some nonprofits. I’ve not been contacted, surveyed, or asked what I’d like to do or heaven forbid, why I am not volunteering anymore. I’ve not been offered any “opportunities.” I basically sit on a list, like countless other volunteers. My name is a number.

    But, it’s my job, isn’t it?

    I have to admit, I’ve been mindlessly guilty of thinking cards mean the same thing to every volunteer. I’d think “hey, I HAVE to keep in touch with each and every person that even so much as breathed the words, “what’s this volunteering about?” I’d think, “how can I keep my hooks into this prospective volunteer?” And I also thought, “if I send this pretty card, surely that will make this inactive (or grieving or ill or suffering or unsure) volunteer whip out their phone and give me a jingle.”

    I could picture that volunteer, gazing at the glittery goodness, thinking, “wow, I’ve been so selfish. I need to contact Meridian. It doesn’t matter that the department she assigned me to never followed through. She’ll get me something better, I just know it!”

    So what if the message doesn’t resonate, it’s a pretty card!

    I knew a CEO who thought that volunteers would feel special getting cards signed personally by her. Never mind she rarely interacted with volunteers during the year.

    As a volunteer, I look at the cards from certain organizations as a waste of time and money. I actually feel that instead of connecting me to the organization, it has the opposite effect. The tone-deaf mindset alienates me further.

    So, don’t send cards? No, send them, but not mindlessly. Some of the cards I received included timely messages about the organization’s work. I find that more engaging than a simple signature. But a message to me as an active volunteer when I’m not, is tone-deaf.

    If I haven’t volunteered of late, messages such as “and thank you for volunteering this year,” reinforces the perception that the organization does not know me, nor cares to. Do I want to volunteer for them now? Eh, probably not, especially if I’ve not felt engaged when I did volunteer.

    In simple math, more volunteers=more work

    Once there are more than 30-40 volunteers, the ability to track them personally diminishes, which is why every volunteer manager needs his/her own volunteer administrative help to keep track of each volunteer’s status. Then, cards can work when a more personal message is included.

    And you know what? If one of the holiday cards I received had simply said, “We miss you,” I’d have felt like they were talking directly to me. I’d have felt guilty, intrigued, pleased, and motivated by those 3 simple words. Keep your glittery goodness. I want to be acknowledged as a human being.

    Glitter or Connection? Um, connection please!

    I’m involved with a start-up. I’m not getting a card from them. They have no regular meetings, no luncheon and drat, there are no balloons, ever. Everything is chaos. But you know what? They know me. That’s my glittery goodness.

    Managing personal connections with volunteers is not easy. It’s not simple. It’s not perfect. However, we can chip away at tone-deaf messages by looking at the causes and by forming solutions such as,

    • I have too many volunteers to keep track of personally: It’s easy to connect with volunteers who are outgoing, give a lot, are dependable, communicate, ask questions etc. Connecting with the rest of the volunteer team is challenging. Get volunteer administrative help now. Once I did that, things got better. A whole heap better. Here’s my complicated math equation. Every 25-50 volunteers=1 part-time volunteer administrative helper. I also had one designated volunteer to manage prospective volunteers. (she was so busy, she came in twice weekly. But you know what? More prospective volunteers followed through, thanks to her communication skills)
    • I’m unsure of volunteer preferences: Use surveys, whether informal or formal. Explain why you are surveying the volunteer-“because we want your experience to be a meaningful one. It’s a win-win for us, for you and for the people we serve.”
    • volunteers come and go, so I don’t know who is active, inactive, temporarily unavailable and I can’t create personal messages for everyone: Fair enough, so pay attention to language. What message would resonate or at least not sound tone-deaf? What would an active volunteer, an inactive volunteer and a volunteer who wants to be active, but can’t, all want to hear? Maybe scrap “thank you for volunteering,” and say something like, “every volunteer has contributed to our successes in our fight to eradicate homelessness” or “volunteerism is at the heart of our work and we want to acknowledge your contribution, past, present and hopefully, future.”
    • I can’t always know that a volunteer is sick, or their loved one died, or they got laid off: We can’t, and although it pains us, all we can do is be honest. “I didn’t know. You are valuable and we want to know your status, not because we want something from you, but because you are one of us.”
    • some volunteers are not returning calls, emails etc: This goes against every fiber of our volunteer manager hearts, but send the volunteers who are MIA a letter/email/card/call letting them know that they are welcome back anytime they wish to rejoin, but you are removing them from further volunteer updates. Then, remove them from the volunteer list. (OMG, it hurts to type “remove” and volunteer in the same sentence…nooooooooooooo.) Keep them on general lists, because you want that volunteer to continue to be an advocate for your organization.

    To send cards, or not to send cards

    Are we sending cards because it’s always been done this way? It’s tradition? I’m not saying don’t send, but how much in volunteer management is done because it’s always been done this way? It’s time to re-think volunteer engagement messaging, language and methods.

    What resonates with your volunteers? 2020 has given us the opportunity to change the way we engage volunteers. As the leader of volunteer engagement and impact, look at everything with a fresh eye. You got this.

    Oh, BTW, here’s the holiday card I’ve always wanted to send:

    let’s be real

    -Meridian

  • A Good Time to Collect Data: Free Volunteer Survey

    As we move into a new reality, this is an ideal time to survey volunteers and sort through their thoughts on volunteering past and volunteering future. By gathering their opinions, we can create data that supports our advocacy for a vibrant volunteer initiative.

    volunteer-surveyDownload

    Ask volunteers to write down their thoughts on their past volunteering along with their visions for the future. The shorter “list-type” sections help volunteers hone in on specifics. From these survey questions, you can extract key words, phrases and topics and connect the dots.

    For example, under the question “how can technology support your volunteering” on page 5, 80 of 100 volunteers surveyed used the phrase, “keeps us more informed.” On the same page under “volunteers need,” 85 volunteers wrote “training.” Finally, in the box asking, “volunteers feel supported when,” 92 volunteers wrote “when we are included.”

    By connecting the dots, you then can say:

    • 80% of volunteers surveyed will use technology to stay informed
    • 85% of volunteers surveyed want more training
    • 92% of volunteers surveyed feel supported when they are included
    • conclusion: training and technology can be used to help volunteers feel included which supports volunteers and keeps them engaged.

    Hope you can use this, or at least I hope it might stimulate your creative thinking on how to gather data from your volunteers.

    Happy Productive surveying!

    -Meridian

  • Volunteer Impact: Showing Volunteers’ Value: Free Download

    Change is upon us, so let’s make changes work for us and our volunteer initiatives. Let’s demonstrate volunteer impact which shows volunteer value and drives more volunteer engagement. (which in turn, increases volunteer impact and so on)

    Download this handy volunteer impact guide along with the volunteer impact worksheet and look for ways to report on volunteer impact.

    Volunteer Impact: Showing Volunteers’ Value guideDownload
    volunteer-impact-worksheet-1Download

    What is the value of a volunteer?

    It’s time to show it.

    -Meridian

  • You Can Water Plastic Flowers, But They Won’t Grow

    In a volunteer manager’s chaotic day, volunteer impact is difficult to plan, hard to complete and often impossible to execute. We laughingly describe our chaos in phrases like, “herding cats,” “wearing many hats,” and “controlled chaos.” But, the inability to move ourselves and our volunteers forward due to chaos is no laughing matter.

    I’d like to add another phrase to the lexicon: “Watering plastic flowers,” which means time spent on futile activities. But wait, futile is a strong word; it means “pointless,” or “incapable of producing results.”

    So, let’s eliminate the word futile, because there’s always hope right? As volunteer managers, we hold hope in our hands: Hope for that volunteer who is hurting and wants to help, but keeps canceling. Hope that our impassioned speech about volunteer value changes minds. Hope that today we will fill a role no volunteer wants to do.

    Instead, let’s look at ROI-return on investment. When our time investment does not produce enough results to continue, this doesn’t mean we must stop reaching out to that volunteer who never shows up; it means we have to weigh how much time we spend doing it.

    And remember, for every minute we spend on something with little ROI, we miss spending that minute on something with a large ROI that has impact and moves us in the direction we want to go.

    What steps can we take to determine where we should invest our time?

    • Volunteer ads: Analyze ads’ effectiveness and spend more time on effective ads. Relegate lesser producing ads to your office volunteers to manage. (and if you don’t have a team of volunteers helping you in every aspect of your job description, what the heck are you waiting for?)
    • Volunteers who are unreliable: Set a tolerance number-I will contact a volunteer X number of times and after no response, I will send them a letter/email/message thanking them, inviting them to contact us when ready.
    • Conflict challenges: If a challenging volunteer repeats egregious behaviors, craft a policy on expectations and stick to it. Make sure every volunteer is given a copy, reads and signs the copy and is aware of your policies and the final dismissal step.
    • Educating staff on the many aspects of volunteerism: Start with one important point and repeat, repeat, repeat; then build on that one concept. Too many concepts dilutes the ability to absorb it all.
    • Staff who improperly manage a volunteer’s time: Move the volunteer to a department that effectively engages volunteers. Make no apologies for moving volunteers to departments or positions that meet the volunteer’s needs.
    • Report, speak and substantiate the why: Want change? Infuse the why (specifics) into everything you say and do. For example, “We have an opportunity to partner with a local florist whose employees want to volunteer and potentially donate flowers, fund-raise for us and help advocate for our services. This will lead to other business partnerships so I need support from multiple departments.” Or, “I moved volunteer Tess to finance because her skills were underutilized in client records.”
    • Close your open door: Set aside planning time and remove yourself from distractions. With any repeated behavior, people will grow accustomed to “oh, yeah, Julie’s out right now. It’s planning time. She’ll be back in an hour.”

    Overloaded volunteer managers have no time for weak ROI. Under our careful cultivation, we need flowers that bloom and grow into effective volunteer engagement and impact.

    So, watch out for plastic flowers; they may look colorful, but water them all you want and they still won’t grow.

    Instead, water the flowers blooming with impact and watch your garden grow into a lush volunteer initiative.

    -Meridian

  • What do #LoVols do all day?

    What do #LoVols do all day?

    Do #LoVols chat up potential volunteers, make a few phone calls and then go home to binge watch Mind Hunter while eating Cheetos and petting the rescue cat? What do we do all day, exactly?

    We say things like, “I do a bit of everything,” or “I’m a jack of all trades,” or “depends upon the hour, ha ha,” which gives the impression that we are not in control and have no direction. Here’s the thing though: We are in total control and every portion of our day is devoted to engaging volunteers and creating volunteer impact. It’s time we show the world we are proactive, not reactive. Let’s gather all of our people skills under one term, “volunteer engagement skills” and stop downplaying our role. We’re a Jack of the volunteer engagement trade which consists of all kinds of skills, each one working towards a single purpose: creating an effective volunteer experience and team.

    We wear volunteer engagement and impact gear. Our skill set is people- saturated. What looks breezy is calculated. What looks effortless is deliberate. What looks casual is strategic.

    We may appear to be socializing but we are establishing a welcoming and meaningful atmosphere through the hard work of making it look effortless so volunteers are engaged and add value. There is method to our madness as we strategically create a team of effective volunteers through each people-saturated element:

    • vetting
    • on-boarding and/or orienting
    • looping
    • efficiently and effectively communicating
    • training to position
    • educating
    • adjusting or agile thinking
    • mediating
    • structuring

    let’s look at each element and why it is crucial to volunteer impact:

    • vetting: includes background checks, reference checks, one on one interviews, sit-downs and all other “getting to know a volunteer” tactics.
    • Why is this important? Volunteer engagement professionals (LoVols) weed out potential harmful volunteers and redirect volunteers to a fit that works for all stakeholders ensuring clients and staff work with competent people that do no harm and produce results.
    • onboarding and/or orienting: includes introduction and immersion into the mission. Whether by formal or informal methods, the LoVols connects the new volunteer to the work. Orientation is the emotional glue that binds a volunteer to the organization.
    • Why is this important? Volunteer engagement professionals ensure each volunteer understands organizational purpose and intent and is in sync with mission goals and objectives, thus equipping a volunteer with the necessary emotional connection to embrace the mission.
    • looping: includes checking in and checking back with clients, staff and the volunteer in a continuous loop to ensure satisfaction by all stakeholders.
    • Why is this important? Feedback is key to volunteer, staff and client satisfaction. Continual feedback and adjustments create impactful, working relationships, and prevent missteps, misunderstandings and potential disasters. Unlike employees, volunteers work less time without pay so looping is crucial to volunteer success.
    • efficiently and effectively communicating: includes emails, chats, phone calls, meetings and all other methods providing information to volunteers.
    • Why is this important? LoVols balance inspiration and expectations to ensure volunteers understand expectations and organizational direction while reaping the positive benefits of volunteering.
    • training to position: this includes on the job training for the volunteer role. Unlike onboarding or orientation to mission, this training is specific to job requirements. Whether the LoVols trains personally or has been instrumental in guiding staff to train new volunteers, training to position ensures volunteers are equipped to function within their roles and produce results.
    • Why is this important? Volunteers free staff to accomplish their objectives. Essential training equips volunteers with the confidence to fulfill their roles and allow staff the additional time to accomplish their objectives which becomes a dual benefit.
    • educating: this includes newsletters, seminars, workshops, email blasts and other methods to inform volunteers not only about organizational news, but about topics relevant to volunteers’ lives.
    • Why is this important? Education is high on employee and volunteer lists of desirable perks. Continually educating volunteers equips the volunteer team with correct and current organizational information, especially since volunteers are WOMM (word-of-mouth marketing) ambassadors to the community. Educational offerings speaks volumes about the commitment to the volunteers’ positions within an organization and to their well-being.
    • adjusting or agile thinking: this includes reevaluating volunteer involvement or placement, utilizing innovative methods of retention, matching volunteers to roles, flexible adjustments and any other method to address individual volunteer needs.
    • Why is this important? LoVols balance organizational needs with volunteer needs to create a symbiotic relationship that adds value and furthers mission goals.
    • mediating: this includes intervening when necessary, balancing the advocating for volunteer rights while promoting organizational needs, finding middle ground that satisfies all stakeholders and honors the mission. It includes having difficult conversations with volunteers, putting the mission first, dismissing a volunteer when necessary and advocating for volunteers to be treated with respect.
    • Why is this important? Improving or salvaging a relationship with a volunteer is crucial. Poor experiences affect volunteers, staff and clients. LoVols mediate to ensure all stakeholders are satisfied so that mission goals are achieved.
    • structuring strategically: this includes creating innovative new roles to engage today’s volunteers, revamping outdated volunteer positions, policies, procedures and methods of communication, gathering feedback and involving volunteers in strategies.
    • Why is this important? As volunteerism evolves, LoVols structure volunteer initiatives to sustain and attract today’s volunteers by creating new roles, offering flex scheduling, sharing jobs, ensuring diversity, engaging virtual and one time volunteers and including volunteers in strategic planning. As demand for volunteers grows, LoVols are busy structuring for future growth and laying the groundwork to attract and sustain a team of effective volunteers who add value.

    The next time someone stops and says, “gee, it looks like you’re having a lot of fun,” smile and reply, “I’m actually hard at work because one of my volunteer engagement skills includes making fun look effortless. Thanks for noticing.”

    -Meridian

    Photo by Oladimeji Ajegbile on Pexels.com

    P.S. Feel free to share this with anyone who doesn’t understand your job…your grandpa, your snotty cousin Mildred, all your old college roommates, staff at your organization, your CEO…

  • Happy New Year! Volunteer Plain Talk Podcast Episode 4

    Happy New Year! Volunteer Plain Talk Podcast Episode 4

    https://www.buzzsprout.com/605416/2382236-episode-4-interview-with-sam-clift-volunteer-resource-manager-london-transport-museum

    How do you evolve your volunteer program for the volunteers of tomorrow whilst meeting the needs of your volunteers today? Sam Clift, Volunteer Resource Manager at London Transport Museum talks through achieving senior management buy-in, involving volunteers in strategy planning, getting volunteers on board with organisational change and using technology and volunteer support to make volunteering more accessible and inclusive. Sam can be contacted at sam.clift@ltmuseum.co.uk or alternatively at his LinkedIn page: http://linkedin.com/in/sam-clift-0363a821
    Tips I learned from Sam:
    Court senior manager buy-in by chiming with their priorities. 
    Keep volunteer value continuously in view.
    Technology can be embraced by volunteers.
    One change can create looking at other ways to change and grow.
    Use incentives to make changes more palatable.
    Involve volunteers in strategic roles.
    Be honest about limitations.
    Elevate volunteers to mentor roles.
    Find new ways to embrace inclusion.
    Meet challenges head-on.

    Thank you to Sam for his hard work and insights and for sharing his program with us. And here’s to an exciting new year.

    -Meridian

  • Volunteer Plain Talk Podcast Episode 2

    Volunteer Plain Talk Podcast Episode 2

    https://www.buzzsprout.com/605416/1914074-episode-2-interview-with-elizabeth-robinson-volunteer-and-advocate

    What can we learn from a volunteer turned activist turned founder of her own non-profit organization? Turns out, a heck of a lot. Listen in as Elizabeth Robinson, founder of Community Cats of Palm Coast shares insights on effective social media, creating roles that engage volunteers, and the problem with silos. Please visit Community Cats of Palm Coast, give them a like and check out their interactive posts that get the community involved.

    https://www.facebook.com/communitycatsofpalmcoast/

    Thanks for listening!

    -Meridian