The Three R's of a Volunteer Management System Recruitment, Retention and Recognition www. OneOC.org1

Why OneOC? Because volunteering is just one part of the solution for creating stronger and healthier communities. Every nonprofit is passionate about its mission. But desire alone is rarely enough to propel an organization to achieve its goals. Building on a 50-year history of mobilizing volunteer action for social change, OneOC is the expansion of our services to help nonprofits become as effective and efficient about their mission, as they are passionate. On September 15, 2010, Volunteer Center Orange County transformed to OneOC. 2

Volunteer Services – Mobilizing individuals, families, groups and businesses to discover their power to make a difference through service. Consulting Services – Maximizing nonprofit capacity and impact through our affiliated pool of nonprofit expert consultants specializing in volunteer management, board excellence, finance & human resources, leadership advancement, and fundraising and marketing. Training Services – Advancing boards, executives, staff and volunteers through educational forums that enhance nonprofit leadership, professional development and the use of leading business practices. Business Services – Extending legal, corporate and fiscal sponsorship to innovative community initiatives and emerging nonprofits. Our services are fully integrated, strengthened through community and corporate partnerships. Together we work to accelerate the success of Orange County nonprofits with: 3

o They were asked o They want to do something good for others and their community Two Main Reasons People Volunteer 4

o Time o Need for flexibility, unable to commit o Costs o Location o Lack of childcare o Type of service (homeless, prisoner, etc.) Barriers to Volunteering 5

#1 Reason o They feel that their skills and time is not being utilized well. Why Do People Stop Volunteering? 6

o I’ve never heard of you. o I don’t really understand what you do. o I’m not clear how my time and effort will make a difference. o I don’t know anyone else who volunteers with you. o I can’t figure out how to sign-up to volunteer. o It’s too hard to sign-up to volunteer and I don’t know if I’m really the right type of person. o You haven’t asked me to volunteer. VolunteerMatch Blog by Shari Ilsen, Sept 2011 Why I am not going to Volunteer for YOUR organization

The 10 Ways to Make Your Volunteers Happy! o You to be prepared for them. o To feel welcomed. o Good training. o To do interesting work. o To know up front how much time the job will take. o To be appreciated. o To be communicated with. o To know that they are helping to make the world a better place. o To be socially connected. o To learn something new. What Do Your Volunteers Want? 8

...the process of enlisting volunteers to do the work of your organization. Recruitment is… 9

Step 1 Use Strategically Defined Position Descriptions o Ensure that they meet the organization’s priority, needs, goals, and mission. o Ensure that they maximize the use of underutilized volunteers. Steps to Effectively Recruit & Place Volunteers 10

o Episodic volunteers o Corporate volunteers o Students o Senior and Retirees What are potential pools of underutilized volunteers in your community? Sources of Underutilized Volunteers 11

Since 1989: o More than twice as many youth are volunteering o Volunteering with educational or youth organizations is up around 75% A young person from a family where at least one parent volunteers is almost twice as likely to volunteer as a young person from a family with no volunteers Family Volunteering… o Strengthening family communication and bonds o Allowing family members to be role models o Providing quality family time o Building shared memories o Increasing commitment to volunteering and community Youth and Family Volunteering 12

Create positions that... o last one day o are early morning, evening or weekend positions o don’t require certain skills (offer training) o will be attractive even to those not interested in volunteering o can be performed remotely o are attractive to groups that do not normally volunteer Tips for Writing Position Descriptions for Underutilized Volunteers 13

STEP 2: Sell the benefits and share the features of the volunteer positions. A. Identify the features and benefits of the volunteer position(s). B. Craft a powerful message that will grab and hold your audience’s attention. C. Design a communication strategy that will reach your target audience. Steps to Effectively Recruit & Place Volunteers 14

What knowledge, skills, attitudes & attributes do you want in the volunteers? Who are you targeting? Where will you find your target audience? How will your message get to your audience? Design a communication strategy 15

Volunteer Centers o OneOC Local Media Outlets o Orange County Business Journal o Orange County Register o News, Seniors Today o Specific to cause or event (Race Pace magazine for your next Fun Run) Chamber of Commerce Current Staff & Volunteers Civic Organizations o Kiwanis, Rotary, City Citizen Group etc. Local Recruitment Sources 16

o OneOC.org/volunteer o Volunteersolutions.org o Volunteermatch.org o Idealist.org o Facebook o YouTube o Twitter o LinkedIn Technology 17

STEP 3: Match the Right Individuals to the Right Positions o Screen applicants, as needed. o Interview applicants. o Modify position description, as needed. Steps to Effectively Recruit & Place Volunteers 18

o Retention begins when you have accurately described the volunteer position and assessed whether the potential volunteer is right for the job. o Provide an atmosphere that is welcoming to volunteers. o Allocates sufficient resources to support them. Retention Begins w/Interview & Orientation Process 19

o Volunteers stay if their tasks and procedures are clear. o Volunteers stay if they feel welcome and appreciated. o Volunteers stay if they bond to someone within the organization. o Volunteers stay if they receive feedback that connects their job to program success. o Volunteers stay if they have a voice in the organization. o Volunteers are motivated by opportunities to learn new skills. o Volunteers are motivated by opportunities to “change the world.” Volunteer Retention Principles 20

When volunteers return to a program, the program managers have more time to be creative in carrying out the mission of the program. Trained, experienced volunteers are able to provide better services to clients. 21

o Retention doesn’t happen in a vacuum. o Retention is an outcome, not a task. o Don’t waste the volunteer’s time. o Let volunteers do the work they want to do. o Thank volunteers for their efforts. REWARD + RECOGNITION = RETENTION o Don’t automatically assume you’ve lost a volunteer. Basic Rules of Retention 22

o Listen to your volunteers o Give volunteers a reason to participate o Comes from the person within o Cannot be created but you can provide an environment that will encourage volunteers to motivate themselves. o Skill Development/Personal Growth o Challenge/Goals o Contact with Clients o Recognition of Service o Rewards o How ‘Not’ to Motivate Volunteers? Volunteer Motivation 23

o Make sure volunteers are doing work that is meaningful to them o Invite volunteers to participate in decision making. o Promote volunteers to other roles that take better advantage of their talents (i.e., volunteer ladder) o Let the volunteers know about the outcomes from the program o Ask volunteers for feedback o Provide professional development opportunities Recognition Tips 24

o Host a community block party or picnic for volunteers and their families o Plan to hold one recognition event per year o Give volunteers a framed photograph from the service event o Tell the volunteer’s supervisors about their involvement. o Work with local media to highlight outstanding volunteer stories. o OneOC’s Annual Spirit of Volunteerism Awards Recognition Ideas 25

o Highlight a volunteer on your website o Engage senior staff to send a thank you note to the o Submit a letter to the editor of your local paper o Secure a proclamation from your governor, state representative, or mayor to honor a special volunteer Recognition Ideas Continued 26

o Make sure the vision, mission, goals and objectives of the project are clearly communicated. o Providing training and professional development matching them to organizational tasks. These practices all center on enriching the volunteer experience. o Invest in volunteer management or consulting Some Practices Tied to Greater Volunteer Retention 27

o Inadequate supervision or leadership quality o Lack of training o Nonexistent or ineffective communication o Lack of feedback or recognition Why do Volunteers Leave? 28

o Reality-based training — case studies, real experiences o Match expectation with reality — show what a reasonable accomplishment would be o On-the-job training and assistance — “real, usable information on what to do” o Supportive materials and adequate equipment Preparing Volunteers for Success 29

Issues of volunteer retention are directly impacted by how clearly volunteers have been recruited, how fairly they are supervised and how effectively they are recognized and rewarded. Retention Tips - Summary 30

o Contact and acknowledgment o Regular feedback o Celebrate and recognize them for their accomplishments and contributions o Express appreciation for their service o Ensure personal goals are met o The final key to volunteer retention – operate a well-managed program. Retention Tips - Summary 31

o Estimated dollar value of volunteer time for 2010 is $21.36 per hour* o According to the Corporation for National and Community Service: o 62.8 million American Adults or 26.38% of the adult population gave 8.1 billion hours of volunteer service worth $173 billion for 2010 o Relationships connecting community and your organization o Diversity o Stakeholders o Extend mission *Calculated by The Independent Sector Is it worth it? 32

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Name: LaVal Brewer ~ LaVal Brewer Consulting Phone: Website: