Tag Archives: volunteer retention

Volunteer Motivation: Past, Present and Future

03 Wednesday Oct 2018

Posted by in Uncategorized, volunteer motivation, volunteer recruitment, volunteer retention

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architecture building city concrete

Photo by Juhasz Imre on Pexels.com

Alana clicked the wireless presenter and the slide advanced. “Here,” she said, “we have a list of awards our volunteers have won.” Photos of volunteers holding certificates popped up on the screen. “As you can see,” Alana said, “the work we do is impressive.”

A young trainee in the front row raised his hand. “When did they win those awards?” He pointed at the picture of a smiling lady, her silver hair shining in the stage lights.

Alana glanced at the screen. “I wasn’t here at the time, but Marge won that award in 1999 I believe.”

For some volunteers, 1999 might as well be 1899. Past performances are the equivalent of telling your children that “when I was your age, I walked to school. Five miles. Uphill. In the snow. Both ways.”

It’s old news. But woah, hold on, wait a minute. So, when recruiting and on-boarding volunteers, should we just ditch mentioning our volunteer awards and heck while we’re at it, should we just forget about talking about our accomplishments too, because that stuff happened last week? Should we hide our best volunteers in the closet because hey, they’re so yesterday?

No, that’s not even close to what I mean. I am all for showcasing awards and accomplishments and sharing volunteer achievements with anyone and everyone. I am all for nominating volunteers for awards. In a previous post, Awards: The Bridge to Inspire I listed reasons for nominating inspiring volunteers. I am all for exposing new volunteers to passionate and inspiring experienced volunteers. So, what do I mean?

Past awards and achievements are like a building’s foundation. They illustrate the strength of mission worth and goals achieved. They show the new volunteer that your organization has a solid base and has worked hard to lay down an infrastructure on which to continue building.

One thing I discovered when parading “accomplished” volunteers through training sessions was, there seemed to be a growing sense among the new volunteers of “what do the accomplishments of this seasoned volunteer mean for me? Am I supposed to duplicate their ways or will I have my own volunteering path and is there anything left to be done?”

The modern volunteer needs to get excited about their volunteering journey. Much more than in years past, volunteers are looking at the future instead of being content with the present. It’s a subtle, but significant shift.

What does that mean for us then, when it comes to recruiting, retaining and on-boarding new volunteers? It means balancing past volunteer awards and accomplishments with present goals and visions of the future. It means setting the foundation and then inspiring new volunteers to put up the walls, or decorate the interior or construct another floor. It means focusing on continually moving forward.

Getting in on the ground floor of any enterprise is always exciting. There’s a sense of ownership, of possibilities, of seeing an idea take flight. As a society, we love start-up successes because those stories are filled with grit and vision and frankly, we imagine that those people could be us.

Even though we may not work for a start-up organization, we can capture that feeling by introducing expansion, new programs and future vision to the new volunteer who may be sitting there wondering, “why, exactly do you need me when you already have all these great volunteers doing all this great work?”

By balancing accomplishments with future goals, we infuse a sense of organizational history with a vision for the future. And nothing is more infectious than an inspiring vision. It gives new volunteers their own identity. It means that they won’t feel as though they have to mimic past volunteers in order to win an award. Instead, they will look forward to making their unique mark.

Past infused with future looks something like this:

“As you can see, our volunteers have won numerous awards for their work, something we are extremely proud of. Now, let me tell you about the exciting direction and future plans for our organization, which needs your passion and help to accomplish.”

“Our volunteers have given over 70,000 hours in the past 5 years. It’s a testament to their belief in our mission. That’s why we are expanding our programs. These new programs are innovative and we’re really psyched about all the future possibilities. That’s where you come in.”

“Thank you for listening to our volunteer, Kenya. She has been instrumental in getting that program off the ground. You may choose to volunteer in her area, or we have some new and I think, pretty out-of-the-box opportunities in the infancy stage you may find suit your skills and interests.”

New volunteers learn a great deal about mission work and goals from the past, but they are motivated by the excitement of what’s to come and how they fit into visionary plans.

They want to own the future. Let’s make sure we give it to them.

-Meridian

 

 

 

 

Volunteering and the Goldilocks Margins

25 Wednesday Jul 2018

Posted by in Uncategorized, volunteer recruitment, volunteer retention

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Volunteering and the Goldilocks Margins

photo courtesy of https://gratisography.com/

Do volunteers wander from organization to organization, sampling the volunteer porridge or sitting in different volunteering task chairs, looking for the opportunity that is “just right?”

Some volunteers do exactly that, while others might taste a cold volunteer encounter and walk away for good, equating all volunteering with their one, less-than-perfect experience. Some volunteers are undeterred and will continue searching for an opportunity that fits. The point is, the more we set a foundation for finding a “just right” volunteer experience, the more volunteers will at least try us out.

Our earth exists in the Goldilocks zone, the habitable area around the sun. In this zone, conditions are optimal to sustain life such as presence of liquid water, luminosity of the central star, gasses etc. In other words, there are variables, which when combined, create the optimal backdrop for life to form and thrive.

Can this be applied to volunteer engagement? Do we need more than a friendly face to recruit volunteers, and to sustain them?

Well, let’s examine these common statements about “getting volunteers”:

  • “Just ask.”
  • “There are lots of people out there with time on their hands.”
  • “You can’t tell me that a few hours on a Saturday is a big deal.”

What is so wrong with the above statements? For one thing, they are simplistic extremes (like hot and cold porridge) and do not take into consideration the conditions that must exist for volunteer engagement. Volunteering conditions, like the Goldilocks principle have to fall within certain margins in order to attract and sustain volunteers.

Just as distance from star, liquid water and atmosphere are the major conditions for a habitable planet, there are major conditions for engaging volunteers. When our volunteer programs fall within the optimal margins in the following three conditions, we have created a volunteering Goldilocks zone.

  1. Volunteering must be seamless. Not easy, but seamless: A prospective volunteer needs a response within 24 hours (48 on weekends) or else our “urgent need” is meaningless. Steps to volunteering must be clear, relatively simple and able to be completed in a timely manner. Any glitches, or unreasonably long waiting periods will dim a volunteer’s enthusiasm. This doesn’t mean we need to accept any person without reservation, vetting or orientation. It means the process must make sense to the volunteer and not fraught with unnecessary obstacles. If we proclaim we want volunteers, we have to show it by a seamless onboarding process. We must not advertise volunteer roles and then use bait and switch to get volunteers to fill roles we need to fill. We can’t over-onboard or under-onboard volunteers. We need a system that is practical, understandable and frankly adaptable.
  2. There must be meaning in the volunteer work: Volunteers want to make a difference. Every task or role needs a direct connection to the mission. Every task or role must be explained so volunteers clearly understand why their help is crucial, why their time is valuable and why we wanted them in the first place. Even less exciting volunteering roles support the mission. It is imperative we convey the impact roles and tasks have on furthering our work. Not enough conveying of meaning drives volunteers away, but so does gushing over them and treating them as though anything they do is the most amazing thing in the history of volunteering. Volunteers need meaning that focuses on the work and how they have contributed.
  3. Communication is crucial: This is probably the most basic condition. Volunteer communications must be clear and on point. Impact on mission, appreciation for their time, clear instructions, organizational policies, changes in org policies are all examples of the areas that volunteers need clear and direct communication. Obviously too little communication begets disaster but bombarding volunteers with too many emails, or phone calls also can turn them away.

These margins are only the beginning. Just as in the Goldilocks zone where other, more subtle influences determine if and how life can be supported, there are unique volunteering influences that can impact whether a volunteer decides to share his/her time with us. Some of these variables are:

  • Does the task fit within an acceptable time frame?
  • What skills are necessary to do the task?
  • How far away is the task site?
  • Is the task recurring, one time or sporadic?
  • What support can be expected?
  • How much training is involved?
  • What responsibility level is involved?

Each one of the above variables contributes to a volunteer’s commitment. When the “just right” foundation is in place, then the above variables can be adjusted for an optimal experience.

Volunteering needs a Goldilocks zone, one in which careful planning creates the favorable conditions for engagement. It’s not about luck, or happenstance or just asking anymore. It’s about the creation of an engaging atmosphere, followed by attention paid to all the other, unique conditions that might drive a volunteer away.

It takes a knowledgeable, experienced and fearless volunteer manager to push an organization into the volunteer Goldilocks zone. Optimal margins for volunteer engagement require the participation and buy in from the entire organization, not just the volunteer department.

So, as we consider the conditions in which volunteering engagement is optimal, we can begin to lay our Goldilocks foundation.

Let’s be a habitable volunteer planet. Let’s be just right.

-Meridian

“We want to work with staff who have drunk the Kool-Aid,” an interview with Laura Rundell, CVA

31 Wednesday Jan 2018

Posted by in charities, episodic volunteering, group volunteering, NGO, non-profit, part time volunteer manager, staff and volunteer relationships, sustainable volunteering, Uncategorized, volunteer coordinator, volunteer management, volunteer recruitment

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An Interview with Laura Rundell, CVA

Laura Rundell, CVA with a mug of Kool-Aid

 

Recently I had the pleasure in chatting with Laura Rundell, CVA, the Volunteer Coordinator at LifeBridge Community Services in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

VPT: Laura, tell us a little bit about your background in the volunteer management sector.

L: I’ve been involved in the volunteer sector since 1999.  During grad school where I received my Master’s in History, I worked part-time for the Park service. I have also worked for several other organizations, including the Spellman Museum of Stamps and Postal History in Weston, Massachusetts, the Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania and I am currently the Volunteer Coordinator at Life Bridge Community Services in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

VPT: And how long have you been at Life Bridge?

L: I’ve been here since 2014.

VPT: What brought you to volunteer services?

L: It was at the Phipps Conservatory that I began to fall in love with volunteer management. I had come from a smaller organization to Phipps and found out they had over 500 names on their volunteer list, so the scope changed dramatically.

VPT: And how did you come to be at Life Bridge?

L: I moved to Connecticut and landed at Life Bridge in 2014.

VPT: You’ve had a number of experiences thus far. What have they taught you?

L: Not all my experiences were perfect. An already challenging job is much harder when the goals for the program and the roles for volunteers are less defined.

I appreciate where I am as a volunteer manager now and loved my time at Phipps because they support the volunteer program and there are clear expectations and specific roles for volunteers.

VPT: Can you give us an example?

L: Yes. When I was invited for an interview at Life Bridge, I noted that the person who would be my supervisor had the CVA credential. It was clear they had put thought into their volunteer program and knew what it would take to make it successful. In my third interview, I was sitting at a table with all of the staff who would utilize volunteers in their programs. I was really impressed that they put so much thought and effort into recruiting for this position and knew then it was an organization I really wanted to work for. I was delighted to be offered the position.

VPT: That is impressive.

L: And, just recently, our Executive Director asked for a volunteer to be involved in researching best practices for a project. That shows commitment to engaging volunteer help at all levels of our organization.

VPT: I’ve noticed you are weighing in on articles and blog posts more and more and that is great; we need more voices. What do you feel is the future of volunteer management?

L: I see so many non-profits stretched thin and need more volunteers to take on a greater role.

VPT: That’s a good thing for increased volunteer participation, right?

L:  Yes it sure is, but I think the number one challenge for most volunteer coordinators is recruitment. It will be an even bigger challenge moving forward to keep filling those roles with qualified and committed volunteers. It means we all have to “step up our game”.

VPT: Are you seeing changes in the volunteers who are stepping forward?

L: There are more episodic volunteers, more students who are seeking career experience, and more individuals in the midst of a career change seeking resume enhancers and references. There are also more opportunities to recruit corporate and college groups.

VPT: Are there inherent challenges with episodic volunteers?

L:  We have had some really great short-term volunteers. Not every role is appropriate for someone who may only be with us a short time though. Some roles require clearances that can take 4 weeks to get back, so we really hope the person in that role can stay with us for at least a year. We’ve also gotten some really great college and corporate groups. However, walking that balance between offering the flexibility large groups may require and making it a meaningful opportunity that adds value to the organization is a challenge.

VPT: What have you discovered about recruiting volunteers that you can share with us?

L: You have to respond promptly when an applicant contacts you. When I relocated to Pittsburgh from Massachusetts, I contacted several organizations to volunteer and never got a return call. That was really frustrating.  After that first contact though, the applicant has to be invested — it has to be their choice to move forward. I have learned you can waste a lot of time spinning your wheels if an applicant doesn’t respond to a request to meet with you, doesn’t show up for an appointment or doesn’t follow up afterwards.

VPT: Changing direction, do you feel as though volunteer managers are starting to build a community with one another?

L: By the time I became a CVA, I was linked to a community of volunteer managers. But, often, a volunteer manager is a department of one and is isolated. When I was in Pittsburgh, I reached out to similar volunteer organizations and we volunteer managers would get together a couple of times a year to have lunch and share best practices. Here in Connecticut, we have Volunteer Square and they have done a wonderful job in creating a Professional Development Series for volunteer managers. I’m honored to serve on their advisory board.

VPT: So, there are some steps being taken.

L:  You know there is an Association of Fundraising Professionals (www.afpnet.org/) for those who are in the fundraising end but we have no association for volunteer managers.  I wish we had one nationwide organization. Not everyone can attend a national conference, but if we had a national association, we could have branches in our areas that we could connect with and could set national standards for our profession.

VPT: What do you see as future challenges for our profession?

L: As non-profit funding continues to decline, there will be more and more dependence on volunteer programs to pick up the slack and organizations will be utilizing volunteer services more. As everyone scrambles for a piece of the ever-shrinking pie, we need to have a unified voice instead of competing against one another for limited resources. For instance, if we all required that courts who refer mandated community service applicants to our agencies provide the funding necessary to fully vet, train and supervise these applicants, we might make some real changes in how court mandated service is assigned nationally.

VPT: What advice do you have for new volunteer managers?

L: After I moved to Connecticut, I remember talking to a volunteer I worked with in Pittsburgh and the volunteer said, “We want to work with staff who have drunk the Kool Aid.” If staff is unhappy, or does not believe in the work, then volunteers pick up on that. If an agency has a lot of turnover and has difficulty retaining paid staff, than recruiting and retaining volunteers may be an uphill battle.

L: I would also say, make sure you connect with other volunteer managers in your area. I have learned so much from my colleagues. Just an hour spent talking with another volunteer coordinator over lunch or coffee can be invaluable. You can learn “It’s not just me…others have this problem too” Also, obtaining the CVA (certified volunteer administrator) is very helpful. I feel like the CVA credential has given me more of a standing in my organization. The CVA gives me ethical standards to adhere to and by virtue of my having it, my volunteer program is elevated.

L: Also, you need to have rules and policies in place and stick to them. If someone wants you to waive the requirements for a new volunteer, remember this: There are bad actors who seek out vulnerable populations. This is why we don’t bend the rules. Make sure you have a volunteer manual, written policies, and an agreement letter for the volunteer to sign.

VPT: What makes a difference for you?

L:  I feel blessed to do what I do. Yes, there are challenges, yes there are frustrations, but a well-run volunteer program can leverage the passion and talent of volunteers.

L:  I’ll leave you with my favorite story about a volunteer. Before I was at Phipps, I was in charge of an exhibition opening of student art work in Pittsburgh. The students, their parents and the artist they worked with were all on their way, along with a volunteer to help at the reception. Right before the event, we had a severe storm warning and most of our staff left the building. Meanwhile, our volunteer drove through the storm to be there. The kids and their parents all had a great time at the exhibition opening because the volunteer made a commitment and the storm wasn’t going to stop her from coming! That is just one of the stories that keeps me motivated and gets me up in the morning.

VPT: Thank you Laura for your insights and for sharing with us today. We look forward to hearing more of your voice in the volunteer management arena.

 

 

The Volunteer Ripple Effect

06 Wednesday Dec 2017

Posted by in charities, NGO, non-profit, organizations, part time volunteer manager, prospective volunteer, sustainable volunteering, Uncategorized, Volunteer, volunteer coordinator, volunteer management, volunteer project, volunteer recruitment, volunteer retention

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I’m convinced. We, Leaders of Volunteers (#LOVols) hold in our hands more power to affect positive change than we can even imagine.

We have the opportunity to impact the world beyond filling tasks and adding to our volunteer base. The intuitive feelings within each of us are spot on: There’s so much more going on than our excel spreadsheets show.

I remember long ago struggling to find volunteers who could be with clients while loved ones attended church or synagogue or temple or mosque. I would look for volunteers of that same faith and hoped that they would be willing to give up their own attendance to help someone in need. It was the way it had always been done and it was frankly, exhausting.

Then one day, a volunteer stepped forward. Hannah offered to sit with Christian clients on a Sunday morning. (I’d love to take credit for thinking this solution up, but, no, it came from this wonderful, selfless volunteer.) Bam! The light went on.

I feared that mixing faiths (or cultures, or beliefs) would be a challenge in itself, but you know what? (Of course you know what comes next) It ended up uniting people in mutual respect and a desire to understand one another. The mere act of reaching across a cultural or spiritual divide created its own sense of wonder.

And here’s the thing. For the volunteers, it was never about, “oh, I’m so enlightened that I want to transcend these differences.” No, it was, “you know what? I’m free on a Sunday morning and you need someone, so what could be a better fit?”

The deep meaningful by-products of volunteering are seldom the initial goals. They just naturally evolve because the volunteer ripple brings out the best in everyone: Clients, families, volunteers, volunteer managers, staff, neighbors, community, everyone.

Think about that. Volunteer programs impact society in rippling positive ways beyond the delivering of meals, or escorting a tour group or passing out information. Our programs share love. Our programs open the doors for unity, connection and understanding to naturally take hold, and not just during holidays.

We often witness a profound change in people. We glimpse moments of powerful interconnection through the simplest of assignments. We stand, watching that small pebble create ripples of inspiring stories.

As you are running around this holiday season, scrambling to fill tasks, stop for a moment and think about the societal change you are helping to bring about. Because you value the innate worth of each human being and believe in their ability to transcend, you are spreading that change like a ripple in a vast sea.

Volunteerism is a rippling movement.

And leaders of volunteers are tossing the pebble into the water.

-Meridian

Press “2” For That Volunteer Question

29 Wednesday Nov 2017

Posted by in charities, NGO, non-profit, organizations, part time volunteer manager, prospective volunteer, Uncategorized, volunteer coordinator, volunteer management, volunteer recruitment, volunteer retention

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Press 2 For That Volunteer Question

“Yeah, so, this is Ginny from donor relations,” the voice on the phone sighs. “My next door neighbor’s fourteen year old daughter, April has a volunteer assignment for school. Why they are coming to me, I don’t know but just because I work at a non-profit, they think I’m free to help with all their little projects. When is the next volunteer training, or better yet, you call them. I don’t have time for this nonsense.”

“Hey, I’ve been calling you for an hour. Where are you? Anyway, this is Jazz from administration.”  The voice message plays, Jazz sounding out of breath.  “I need volunteer stats ASAP for a grant for our project that, oh, never mind, I just need some stats and fast to complete this application.  How many hours did volunteers give last quarter? This is the last component on the grant and it’s due today so I need this right away. Call me immediately.”

“Yo, this is Dean in records. The new volunteer, Charles, the one you sent us last month hasn’t been logging any hours, at least I don’t think so. I thought these volunteers knew what they were doing. Anyway, where does he fill out his paperwork again? And should he just make up hours for the time he worked?”

Do you get tired of answering the same questions over and over? While we are conditioned to give that personal touch, our time is pretty precious and continually answering simple questions can eat into our efforts spent cultivating volunteers, forging new recruitment avenues and solving challenges.

Taking a proactive approach can help. Think about all the standard questions repeatedly asked by staff and volunteers. Can these be put into a cheat sheet? Where can these cheat sheets be stored for maximum viewing?

We have to remember that folks don’t necessarily remember something told to them one time. Volunteers will forget specifics taught to them in orientation. Staff is too busy with their own pressing duties to remember the date of the next volunteer training. So, storing these cheat sheets in multiple areas will cut down dramatically on repetitive phone calls.

For volunteers, some visible places to store cheat sheets:

  • on a designated area of your website
  • as reminders in your newsletter
  • posted in your office
  • included in your welcome packet
  • given to volunteer mentors to share with newbies

For staff:

  • on an internal website
  • sent out as a quarterly email blast
  • given to department heads to post
  • at departmental meetings (ask to attend other department’s meetings to answer volunteer related questions, explain policies, intercept issues etc. )
  • on surveys sent to staff
  • posted in your office in case you are not at your desk
  • training dates posted prominently in your office (whiteboard, poster etc)
  • training dates printed on flyers, cards etc and given to staff (great recruitment tool also)

Besides cutting down on repetitive questions, posting core volunteer information creates an informed team of staff and volunteers who will disseminate correct information to potential volunteers. And, if volunteers have to constantly try to pin you down for simple questions, or if they always receive incorrect information from uniformed staff, they will quit out of frustration.

Elevating our vocation includes creating a comprehensive base of information visible to staff and volunteers. The more we polish the fundamentals of our volunteer programs, the more we can build upwards.

So, go ahead and press “2” for that volunteer question. But press “1” to leave the name and contact information of a prospective volunteer.”

Let’s make our systems work for us.

-Meridian

 

Is Volunteer Management a Science?

08 Wednesday Nov 2017

Posted by in charities, corporate volunteering, episodic volunteering, group volunteering, NGO, non-profit, organizations, part time volunteer manager, prospective volunteer, sustainable volunteering, Uncategorized, volunteer coordinator, volunteer management, volunteer project, volunteer recruitment, volunteer retention, volunteer statistics

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Is Volunteer Management a Science

In 1959, novelist and scientist, C. P. Snow gave a lecture entitled  The Two Cultures. Essentially Snow argued that the humanities and science were split into opposing cultures, each one not understanding the other.

Most of us would probably categorize volunteer management as a humanity.  In the post  The Volunteer Investor I likened volunteers to humanity investors.  But while humanity is at the heart of volunteering, isn’t the management of volunteers a science? And, by treating it as a science, does that automatically remove the humanity?

Well, what if we look at other science based professions that serve humanity?

  • Does the researcher seeking a cure for cancer not dream about the potential millions of people saved?
  • Does the engineer developing a new prosthetic not imagine the first time an amputee puts on that device and walks?
  • Does a safety engineer never think about the children she may keep safe?

Re-framing volunteer management as a science will not remove the humanity. Instead, it will elevate the skills volunteer managers possess. 

So, then how can we re-frame volunteer management to reflect the science of it? Do we stop talking about the heartfelt work volunteers do? Do we become invested in cold stats? Or, can we do both? Can we still convey the humanity while highlighting the precise steps taken to achieve outcomes?

When we, leaders of volunteers separate the volunteers’ incredible outcomes from the systematic steps needed to achieve those outcomes, then we can begin to identify and speak to the science of volunteer management.

How? Well, we can, as volunteer management professionals begin to:

  • Temper human stories with solution stories and the steps necessary to achieve results
  • Speak in management language when discussing volunteer engagement and challenges
  • Remove emotion when dealing with difficult situations and instead, utilize scientific methods such as observation, gathering of data, testing and logical thinking to solve problems
  • Re-evaluate programs based on priorities, time involved and solutions achieved
  • Re-think in terms of humanely leading volunteers, but managing projects
  • Tout the science of volunteer engagement in terms of strategies, social metrics and road-maps
  • Categorize the skills used to engage volunteers, such as motivating, knowledgeable delegating (not just delegation because anybody can delegate), problem solving, results orienting, relationship building, strategical planning, innovating and big picture thinking
  • Chronicle the methodical steps necessary to engage volunteers
  • Create data that leads to goals, such as maps, diagrams etc
  • Experiment and innovate

The perception that we coordinate volunteers who require nothing more than a phone call negates the methods required to fully engage these investors in our missions.

Do we do ourselves a disservice when we blur the lines between the hearts of our volunteers and the hard work we do? Do we sometimes become so emotionally invested in our volunteers’ humanity that we lose our management voices?

The results of volunteer involvement is humanity’s crowning achievement but the skills, knowledge and sheer hard work is the science of getting to those results.

If we project our profession as a science with a humanity outcome, we can then elevate the precise, nuanced methodology required to achieve our humanitarian goals.

Lab coat anyone?

-Meridian

 

 

 

 

Need Inspiration? “Progressive Organizations Don’t Want Bosses, They Want Team Leaders and That’s What You Are As a Volunteer Manager.”

11 Wednesday Oct 2017

Posted by in charities, growth, messaging, NGO, non-profit, organizations, part time volunteer manager, resale shops, thrift store, treatment of volunteers, Uncategorized, volunteer coordinator, volunteer management, volunteer recruitment, volunteer retention

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Sally Garrett

Sally-Ann Garrett

Do volunteer managers possess the skills required to succeed in the corporate world?

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Sally Garrett, a recent leader of volunteers who has taken a managerial position in the world of retail. Sally was the manager of a St. Vincent de Paul depot, an Australian branded “Vinnies” retail thrift store, the highest grossing and net profit store in Western Australia while under her leadership.

VPT (volunteerplaintalk): Can you briefly describe your current job?

S (Sally): My Current job is as a Retail Manager of a lifestyle super store with 26 paid staff.

VPT: How long have you been in this position?

S: I have been here 1 month.

VPT: Before this position, what was your job as a volunteer manager?

S: I ran a large not for profit processing and pick up depot and retail outlet.

VPT: How long were you in that position?

S: Two and a half years.

VPT: What skills do you feel you developed as a volunteer manager and how did they translate to the position you now have?

S: The biggest skills I developed are empathy, patience, organizing people, time management and being able to teach others that they are more than they believe they are.

VPT: What skills helped you the most in moving into your new position?

S: I guess because I had been rostering and managing large volumes of people all doing small roles, the biggest skill that has helped me in my new role is patience. You can’t rush volunteers and you develop a skill of being able to step back and look at the bigger picture all the time, so it became a habit to stop, look and listen. This has helped so much in my present job, because as I have a lot to learn, I am not at all overwhelmed. I am much more rounded in my approach to my team and I listen a lot more and act less, but it’s action with conviction. This means when I do act, it is for the long-term and not the short-term.

I have already found that many people can sort out problems for themselves and become self autonomous rather than needy. I can quickly detect when people are good at what they do or need better training because I’m watching them and listening. I’m not trying to learn their job so much anymore, but placing acknowledgment in what they can do. This has made my new team feel more confident and then their skills began to shine.

The second skill is having learned to not take credit for what others do, but rather celebrate their gifts and achievements. I don’t feel the need to own others’ successes. I have developed the ability to lead, not manage.

The third, most important skill is that I don’t take anything personal. I am impartial to people because I know it is about them not me, and every action someone takes says things about them, not me. So, if someone is frustrated they may call me names or tell me I am not doing my job but this translates into the fact that they are telling me they need more training and are feeling overwhelmed or vulnerable. This took a long time to learn. I always thought I was doing things wrong in this situation until a volunteer pointed out to me that the other 120 people loved what I did and felt supported, so once this skill kicked in it just meant going back to basics and taking time for a cuppa and a chat and getting to the real problem which was 100% of the time the person left feeling vulnerable for some other reason.

VPT: When you accepted this new position, did you find that your volunteer management experience helped you get the job? Any actual feedback from your new supervisor on your volunteer management experience?

S: When interviewing for the position I applied for, I was calm and confident as I knew I had become a leader and not a manager so the interview process was easy and effortless. I had nothing to prove; they either wanted my skill set or they didn’t. If I wasn’t a good fit, I didn’t want to be there.

I was asked to take on a much larger role than I applied for in the interview; the position was in another shop as they felt I would be of value in that role with a larger team and a busier store. As it turns out I came across as soft and compassionate but with a deep knowledge of people. This is what progressive organizations want. They don’t want bosses anymore, they want team leaders and that’s what you are as a volunteer manager.

VPT: Are there skills that volunteer managers lack, or do not realize are important if they are seeking jobs other than in the world of volunteerism?

S: Acknowledge your value!

I believe a volunteer manager is much more qualified at team leadership than anyone gives them credit for, including themselves. It is a huge task being a volunteer manager and when in the role it doesn’t feel it is that important, but you touch the very core of people when they are a volunteer. Because they aren’t there for money, you find out more of what makes people tick so translating that to paid staff roles, you are able to make your staff really feel cared for when they come to work.

You have developed an ability to shut the work-space out and make eye contact and listen to them and answer their questions. whether it be personal or work related. You have developed the ability to validate people, and that’s what our world needs more of. You are also able to adapt quickly because volunteer management deals with absences regularly.  You know how to get work done with few, if any help. Acknowledging the confidence that you know it will get done when the team is there, gives you a calmness and that drives people to help more and work harder. People love that you are in control and that you  appreciate their efforts rather than stressing and then making them feel less when they are giving more. All volunteer managers develop this skill.

VPT: How can volunteer managers prepare themselves to enter the world of corporate management?

S: Be the very best version of yourself, it’s really that simple; being authentic and not promising things you can’t deliver, the rest falls into place. When you develop the calmness of self-confidence, you can learn anything; the skill of managing people is the highest of all skills you need in life and work and you have that in the bag once you are a successful volunteer manager.

VPT: Is there any advice you would like to give your fellow volunteer managers?

S: Give them (volunteers) 15 minutes undivided attention and induct, induct, induct!

Make sure when your volunteers start, you have given them your time whether it is 15 minutes at the start or the whole induction if you can, that time is what the volunteer remembers, because volunteers revere you; they know how hard your job is and they see you as their guiding light. If you only knew how powerful you are you wouldn’t worry about a thing. But that’s where volunteer managers are the most successful. We don’t settle for second best because it always has to be the best. Aiming for the stars on every task is what we do. Landing on the moon is not good enough for us, but it’s great to everyone else. 

Know you are saving lives!  There is a high number of volunteers that are volunteering due to mental illness preventing them from holding down a paying job. Know that you are potentially providing the healthy, stable and compassionate environment that these people need to gain new skills and give their life purpose. It surprised me to be told on three occasions that it was because of me, personally that three people got up and tried again another day rather than ending their lives. It both shocked me and made me seek help myself to understand my role more fully. The knowledge of each person over my time in Volunteer Management truly made me see how I changed lives and how powerful and responsible my role was and how important it was to be transparent in all I did. I had to understand that it wasn’t my responsibility to take this knowledge on board personally and that it was only a part of the role. But the knowledge was confronting and it changed my dealings with people. Compassion isn’t being weak, it is the exact opposite.

Relax more and stress less, develop the ability to tell people they can do it on their own. Softly, gently encouraging and convincing people they are wonderful and able, is the greatest skill ever. It is the most productive management tool in the workplace.

What incredibly inspiring words for leaders of volunteers. Thank you Sally for sharing your wisdom and experience with us. All the best to you in your new position. They are very fortunate to have you on board.

So, the next time all of you volunteer managers feel under appreciated, remember these words from Sally: I was asked to take on a much larger role than I applied for in the interview; the position was in another shop as they felt I would be of value in that role with a larger team and a busier store.

Volunteer management matters.

-Meridian

Taking Extra Care to Support Volunteers

04 Wednesday Oct 2017

Posted by in burn out, charities, corporate volunteering, episodic volunteering, group volunteering, NGO, non-profit, organizations, part time volunteer manager, prospective volunteer, sustainable volunteering, Uncategorized, volunteer coordinator, volunteer management, volunteer recruitment, volunteer retention

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Taking Extra Care to Support Volunteers

The recent spate of natural disasters has cast a light on incredible volunteers across the globe helping people in need.

Although not always news worthy, volunteers daily walk towards a crisis instead of running away. In organizations everywhere, volunteers are doing the hard work, the emotional work. Because they feel so deeply, they are affected by the tragedies they witness such as in this story:  Volunteer shares harrowing account of how Hurricane Irma ripped toddler from woman’s arms

In our training programs, we encourage our volunteers to have empathy (the ability to understand and share the feelings of another) so they can better serve our clients. But can empathy take a toll?

I remember a new volunteer, Jenna and the first time she was present with a patient who died. Jenna had hours of volunteer training. She and I had talked at length about her strengths and capabilities. She was prepared… on paper.

Minutes after she left the room, allowing family members to gather, she sought me out. I was in the middle of some urgent matter that I have long forgotten. I looked up and saw Jenna’s face and I knew. You can’t mistake a face that has been profoundly affected by what was just witnessed. It’s there in the tiny muscles that make up the eyes and mouth. It’s there, deep in the irises that reflect a life altering experience. It’s there in the reverent voice asking for “a moment of your time.”

We found a private spot and sat for several long and quiet minutes while Jenna gathered her thoughts. It was difficult for her to put into words how she felt. She only knew that she felt changed, different, profoundly transformed somehow.

And if you think about it, how does each volunteer cope with the things they witness? Does training and on-boarding take care of the emotional investment our volunteers make when accepting roles placing them in life’s most profound situations?

Volunteers have an amazing resilience and ability to cope when faced with deeply personal scenarios. But what if a situation becomes more personal? In what situations can this happen to a volunteer, even if they have received excellent training?

  • a volunteer works with a person who reminds them of a family member (child, partner, parent, sibling)
  • a volunteer witnesses tragedy over and over and it accumulates
  • a volunteer is dealing with a crisis in their own lives
  • a volunteer is in a situation in which they perceive their help makes little difference (in outward appearance)
  • a volunteer gets caught up in the narrative of the situation
  • a volunteer feels the frustration of the client

We can’t prepare our volunteers for every situation, story and person they will encounter. So, how can we provide extra support for volunteers in order to prevent burnout? A few of the things we can do are:

  • ask clinical staff to be on the lookout for signs a volunteer needs support
  • ask clinical staff to be available to speak with volunteers who may be overwhelmed
  • enlist experienced volunteers to routinely call the volunteers who are working with clients. Experienced volunteers are the perfect candidates to do these check-ins because volunteers are comfortable speaking to other volunteers. (This is a great assignment for volunteers who physically can no longer do the job-instead of “retiring” them, elevate them to mentoring status)
  • create a monthly coffee klatch or tea time and encourage volunteers to share tips, stories and feelings
  • use newsletters to offer tips on self care
  • incorporate stories of volunteers who experienced emotional challenges into training and emphasize that this is not a sign of failure
  • designate a portion of each volunteer meeting to discuss “what’s going on with you”
  • intervene when noticing a volunteer experiencing emotional challenges (this can be personal, professional etc.)

If we make it clear that we are serious about supporting our volunteers, we will help them remain emotionally healthy and keep them from burning out.

This is the irony of non-profit work: We want our volunteers to share in our clients’ pain (Empathy) in order to better support the clients. But that empathy can lead to our volunteers experiencing their own emotional pain. Let’s make sure we support them so it doesn’t get out of hand.

-Meridian

 

 

 

 

“What I’m doing is not just a job, it’s something that I believe in.”

27 Wednesday Sep 2017

Posted by in charities, NGO, non-profit, organizations, part time volunteer manager, Uncategorized, volunteer coordinator, volunteer management

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Jennifer Lawrence Nelson

Jennifer Lawrence Nelson, CVA

 

Recently I had the pleasure of sitting down with an amazing Leader of Volunteers, Jennifer Lawrence Nelson, CVA. The Manager of Volunteer Services at Maple Grove Hospital in Maple Grove MN,  Jennifer, has an infectious laugh and an approachable aura about her. I literally had to call her back to complete my interview because the majority of the time, we ended up chatting like old friends. I could picture volunteers feeling completely welcomed in her office (which incidentally, has a harp in the corner under a lovely velvet cover).

Jennifer has been leading volunteers for over ten years, four of those years spent at a nursing home facility and now six years at Maple Grove Hospital. She was the first graduate to letter in community service at her high school. Yep, the first.

Jennifer served in the Peace Corps for over two years after graduating college. Her assignment took her to the country of Kyrgyzstan, a rugged central Asian country that sits along the historical Silk Road.

Her Peace Corps experience began with 2 days of training in Philadelphia and then living with a host family for three months, learning the language and culture. While the host family was close to the Peace Corps hub, her permanent site was in a small village where she lived for 2 years.

VPT(volunteerplaintalk): What was your assignment like?

J (Jennifer): My job as a business volunteer was working with craft groups, such as a sewing group. I assisted them in learning business practices. Something as simple as “why do we need a calendar to keep track of projects” was part of my helping.

While I was there, I was able to start a business and training center with the help of a grant and I also wrote a grant to expand the local public school cafeteria to meet the local law requirements regarding providing the mandatory provisions for the students.

I also had the opportunity to concentrate on a second area of work related to a passion of mine so I taught English and started a leadership club for girls. We established the first “take your daughter to work day.”  I also supported English clubs and English camps in my village and state.

VPT: I’m in awe.

J: (laughing) I get that. People respond with the “that’s awesome.”  But I feel like with strength of will, you can do it. I did it.

I will say that being in the Peace Corps gives me street cred with my volunteers. They realize what I’m doing is not just a job, it’s something that I believe in.

VPT: What did the Peace Corps teach you?

J: I learned that I’m tougher than I thought. At the end of my assignment I lived on my own. I found that if there was a spider, I had to kill it (something I would avoid at all cost in the US). It gives you the sense that you have to do what you have to do.

VPT: What else?

J: It changed me. I now have a global view of people. I don’t see the world the same way as I did and I think beyond America and our way of life. I think beyond my life here in Minnesota.

VPT: Can you tell me about the volunteer program here at Maple Grove Hospital?

J: We have so many volunteer opportunities here because volunteers have been a part of our organization since the day we opened.  In so many departments they are truly integrated and are able to do some tasks and take on responsibilities that might not be allowed in other settings.

VPT: Any interesting new programs?

J: We have a pet therapy program started with the help of the North Star Therapy animals that visit our hospital patients. It was started by one of our volunteers and is going well. We have lots of good stories about the interactions. We are careful with who is allowed to come on board, because you have to realize that we need not just well-trained animals, but also well-trained humans. After all, the people are still the volunteers.

We also have quite a few volunteers in guest services, which is a position they love. They thrive on it because it is a bit like being a detective. They have to help people find where they need to go, who they need to see etc. The volunteers take it seriously.

VPT: What are some of the challenges you face?

J: Oddly enough, one of the challenges is the perception that volunteering at our hospital is going to be like the medical shows on TV.

VPT: Really?

J: Yes, I’ll interview a new volunteer and they will reference a show, especially Grey’s Anatomy.  They imagine it will be exciting and glamorous.

Another challenge is helping volunteers understand that even if they are stocking a customer’s room with supplies, they have that 2 minutes to forge a relationship with the customer. It’s something we can all easily forget.

Even with the high schoolers, entering a room and picking up the food trays, they may spend 45 seconds but they too have a chance to make a difference.

VPT: Who does all the training for volunteers?

J: Our experienced volunteers step up into leadership roles and they train other volunteers.

VPT: Do you meet with them?

J: Yes, we have regular meetings to discuss what is working and what can be improved.

VPT: You transitioned from a role at a nursing home to the hospital setting. What was that like?

J: There was a learning curve. I went from a place with long-term residents to a place where customers stay a short time, get well, and go home.

VPT: How did that transition go?

J: I found that our HR department was a good source of help and advice.

VPT: Are volunteer numbers different in each industry?

J: Yes. Maple Grove Hospital is a highly visible and well-known volunteer opportunity in town, especially for high school students who want to meet their community service requirements. We onboard about 30 new volunteers each month.  At the nursing home, I was lucky to get 1 new volunteer a month.

VPT: Any theories?

J: Volunteering for a nursing home is not sexy. Go back to the television shows about hospitals. That’s a lot sexier.

VPT: What type of advertising did you try in the nursing home?

J: I tried everything. I put out ads, used online services, put notices in church bulletins, and even made business cards for the volunteers to give out.

VPT: Did you find there was a difference in those who volunteer for a nursing home and those who volunteer at a hospital?

J: Well, approximately 55% of our volunteers at Maple Grove Hospital are students. Others come because of word of mouth from the volunteers who work here. They tell their friends that this is a great place to volunteer. At the nursing home, which was actually part of a much larger campus consisting of senior health and housing, home health and hospice, I found that volunteers were family members that volunteered for activities while their loved ones were in the nursing home.

VPT: Would they stop volunteering once their loved one was no longer there?

J: Usually, yes. Other volunteers came from residents of the senior apartments on campus. It was convenient and also, they might have friends there or they saw themselves there in the future and viewed it as their community.

VPT: If you could bring something from your volunteers here at the hospital to the nursing home and vice versa, what might that be? What do you wish you could swap?

J: Hmmm, I think from the nursing home I’d want to have the dedication of the volunteers, they were so loyal to the organization and mission. They had a deep connection to the work and they saw the value in their volunteering.  You know, when a resident died, we didn’t just lose that resident and our relationship with them, we also lost our relationship with their families too.

VPT: So, a long-term relationship with clients has a longer retention?

J: It’s loyalty. And maybe the times are different now. Loyalty is rare, maybe because the speed of life keeps people from being loyal to more than a few people or causes in their life.

But, from the hospital, I’d want to bring the amount of volunteers.

(While we were talking there was a knock on the door. One of Jennifer’s volunteers had brought her a jar of pickles and some homemade corn relish.)

VPT: (chuckling) What was the most memorable thing a volunteer gave you?

J: A couple of volunteers in the senior housing complex when I worked at the nursing home were moving out. They said, “honey, come and shop in our apartment. You’re getting married.” I was at the time. They said, “We want you to have anything you want, we can’t take it with us.” I got 3 large pieces of furniture. I think I still have one of the pieces today. It’s funny, but they viewed me like a grandchild because I reminded them of their grandchildren which was ok. I appreciated how generous they were with me.

At the hospital here, one of the volunteers and her husband did something very sweet. Just after I moved to a different town I mentioned that I wasn’t sure what route I should take to and from work. One day, she and her husband drove to my new town and mapped the route, printed it out, highlighting the best route and gave it to me. I still take that route today.

VPT: That was a really thoughtful gift.

J: It was. My husband said that he never had anyone do anything like that for him. And he’s worked in a church! (laughing)

But he also said to me, “that’s how you know you’re loved.”

VPT: You attended the National Summit on Volunteer Engagement Leadership in July. Is there anything you took away from that experience? Anything you want to share with other volunteer managers?

J: Yes, do not let the momentum from the summit die. Get involved somehow and do something different. Write an article, take a chance, but do something. Be involved.

VPT: Thank you Jennifer, not only for spending the time talking with me, but for your leadership in guiding your volunteers and helping to move our profession forward.

-Meridian

 

 

 

The Volunteer Investor: Is It Their Time or Something More?

20 Wednesday Sep 2017

Posted by in charities, NGO, non-profit, organizations, part time volunteer manager, sustainable volunteering, treatment of volunteers, Uncategorized, Volunteer, volunteer coordinator, volunteer management, volunteer recruitment, volunteer retention

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The Volunteer Investor Is It Time or Something More

Time=Money. We all say it and that’s why we call volunteers “time donors.” They donate their time, and of course, skills, expertise, talents etc. But is that what they really are? Donors? Maybe there’s a more descriptive word for our volunteers. And what is the difference between the terms donate and invest anyway?

donate: to present as a gift, grant, or contribution

invest: to use, give, or devote (money, time) as for a purpose or to achieve something:

Hmmmm, there’s a subtle, but profound difference in the two definitions.

Volunteers don’t just show up, give a few hours and walk away. But outdated thinking categorizes them in this way. Doesn’t it feel like investing is closer to what volunteers do? Maybe we should start to rethink this whole time donor idea.

Let’s take this further and examine investors. Investors invest money, right? But why? Why do they invest money in startups. non-profits, real estate, stock markets and other ventures. To make more money? Or is it more than that?

Money is a currency. So what do investors really invest? Many things. They invest their future, hoping to be financially secure. They invest their dreams, hoping to achieve a goal. They invest their essence, hoping to give back. They invest their good name, hoping to attach to a cause that is worthy of their currency. They invest employee engagement, hoping to attract great employees. They invest their clout, hoping to further a cause that supports their vision.

Investors invest so many intangibles, and their currency is money. They don’t give startups or organizations money, they devote their money in order to achieve a goal.

How would this apply to volunteers?

If money=currency, then time=currency.

So if volunteers’ currency is time, then what exactly do they invest?

They invest their humanity.  (the quality or condition of being human)

Volunteer managers everywhere instinctively know this. We feel this every day when hearing and observing our volunteers’ intangibles. How do we feel this?

  • by the rewards volunteers tell us they personally feel
  • by their belief in us and our missions
  • by the passion exhibited by volunteers
  • by the camaraderie volunteers forge when bonding with like minded citizens
  • by the commitment volunteers show
  • by the enrichment volunteers gain by volunteering with us
  • by the sense of pride volunteers feel in their work
  • by the support and love they extend to us and other staff
  • by the initiative they take when doing word of mouth marketing in their communities
  • by the care they wrap around strangers in need
  • by the desire they exhibit in wanting us to grow and succeed
  • by the pure joy they infuse into our lives
  • by the amount of time they spend away from us helping us off the clock by recruiting, marketing. finding resources, donating, improving themselves, etc.

Investors, according to experts, want the following things from the areas in which they invest:

  • they want to build a relationship
  • they want to partner
  • they want to invest in a “team”
  • they want to see a better future
  • they want to grow
  • they want to understand concepts

Sounds an awful lot like the wants of our volunteers, doesn’t it? Calling volunteers “time donors” implies that they give time and walk away and are mostly disconnected from us. Nothing could be further from the truth.

So, do volunteers donate their time or devote their time if devote implies giving for a purpose? I think devote wins hands down.

For years and years, we have been trying to equate time donation with money donation. Time and money are simply two different types of currencies. And besides, we all know that volunteers do so much more than give their time to a task. They also raise money, find resources, advocate, broadcast, recruit, and market for us. They have chosen to invest a huge chunk of what makes them human in our missions. They have chosen to connect their precious humanity to us.

Let’s stop constantly trying to shove volunteers into the round money hole by equating time spent with dollars saved, which isn’t a true measuring stick at all. Let’s erase the idea that volunteers have no more connection with us than a few hours here and there.

time donors=minimal involvement

volunteer investors=fully engaged

Instead, let’s elevate the volunteers’ role as investors. Investors who devote their time, money, skills, talents, resources, passion, commitment, expertise, experience, knowledge, drive, zeal, perspective, and so much more to helping us further our causes.

Humanity Investors.

What could be more important than that?

-Meridian