Volunteer Management Tools and Tips VISTA In-Service | Friday, November 4, 2016 Ellie Purdy, Volunteer Outreach Manager Minnesota Literacy Council epurdy@mnliteracy.org

VOLUNTEER MOTIVATIONS Think-Pair-Share In your experience coordinating volunteers… …what are some common motivations for volunteers to get involved with your program?

VOLUNTEER MOTIVATIONS Best Practice: (From MAVA’s Volunteer Impact Leadership Training Series) Successful volunteer programs match their organization’s needs with their volunteer’s motivations.

VOLUNTEER MOTIVATIONS Quiz: What’s your primary motivation type? Based on Motivation Theory by John Atkinson & David McClelland Quiz taken from MAVA’s Volunteer Impact Leadership Training Series.

VOLUNTEER MOTIVATIONS Think-Pair-Share What’s your primary type(s) of motivation? Does it resonate with you? Why/why not? What types of volunteers do your current (or future) volunteer positions seem to attract? Do your current volunteers’ motivations seem to match up well with their volunteer roles?

VOLUNTEER MOTIVATIONS 2 guiding questions: Ask your volunteers: What are your motivations for getting involved in this volunteer role? Ask yourself: Will this role allow them to make their desired impact while meeting our program’s needs?

POSITION DESCRIPTION Think-Pair-Share In your experience coordinating volunteers… …how have volunteer position descriptions helped you in your volunteer management?

POSITION DESCRIPTION Best Practice: (From MAVA’s Volunteer Impact Leadership Training Series) Volunteer position descriptions create a foundation for a positive relationship by: Providing clarity Creating language for recruitment/marketing Helping you evaluate whether it’s a “fit” Providing a basis for supervision and feedback And more!

Activity: read and analyze some volunteer position descriptions. What’s good? What’s not? What’s missing? How do they compare to yours? What info should I be sure to include on my position descriptions? Who should give input in the development of my volunteer position descriptions?

VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT Crafting strong recruitment messages Best Practices: (From MAVA’s Volunteer Impact Leadership Training Series) Start with your position description. Recruitment message should include three elements:

Best Practices: VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT Where and how to recruit? (From MAVA’s Volunteer Impact Leadership Training Series) Develop a team Keep it consistent Develop a toolkit Make a personal ask!

VOLUNTEER ONBOARDING Think-Pair-Share In your experience coordinating volunteers… …what is (or what will be) one important component of your volunteer onboarding process? … how has it helped you as a volunteer manager?

VOLUNTEER ONBOARDING A complete, consistent volunteer onboarding process helps your organization manage risk. Risk management helps keep your staff, students and volunteers safe.

VOLUNTEER ONBOARDING Activity: Categorize the volunteer onboarding tasks.

VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT TOOLS Browse & take templates

Communicating expectations: VOLUNTEER ONBOARDING Communicating expectations: Use your tools: position descriptions, interview questions, code of conduct, etc. Clarifying expectations: Questions to clarify THEIR expectations Statements to clarify YOUR expectations

Building a Strong Community of Volunteers Think-Pair-Share What does the word “community” mean to you?

Four Elements of Community (McMillan and Chavis) Membership Integration and Fulfillment of Needs Shared Emotional Connection Influence

Membership Sense of belonging Personal investment Identifying with the group Communication Common theme Emotional safety Sense of belonging- feeling like they are part of the whole Personal investment-the cause/activity is personally meaningful for the volunteer, they have an investment in success Identifying with the group- Communication- checking in with volunteers, telling them pertinent information, greetings Common theme- how communication flows among volunteers and between volunteers/staff Emotional safety- Volunteers feel comfortable saying how they feel about their experience

Membership Examples: Welcome new members Regular and ongoing communication (newsletters, in person, emails/phone calls) Nametags, t-shirts Incorporating symbols and logos Certificates and materials from orientation or training Welcoming environment – how initial contact is done, how they are greeted, space and time for socializing, snacks Communication – quick hellos, email check-ins and follow-ups, email newsletters, phone calls, postcards Nametags – a tangible sign that they are part of the group Using symbols and logos – this shared system could include language and acronyms, as well as actual logos. Making sure everyone understands what they mean. (i.e. ESL, GED, etc) Certificate and materials from training – more tangible signs that they are part of the group.

Influence Members can influence the group and are influenced by it. A group is cohesive because it has influence over its members Members of a group are motivated – VOICE In order to have influence, members need to have trust in the group. Members also need to feel empowered. Here are some ideas we’ve done at the MLC.

Influence Examples: Evaluations Placement based on the volunteer’s interests/skills Seeing the impact of their work (i.e. learner progress) Seasoned volunteers mentoring new ones Experienced volunteers are given additional opportunities or responsibilities Placement decisions – you decide where you’d like to be placed…you have power/influence over this. -AmeriCorps experience Surveys/Evaluations – 3 –month follow up survey. Evaluations after trainings or events your opinion matters…what you say will have influence Sharing Successes – announce when someone passes the GED or Citizenship test. Group Structures – all MLC vols go through training, follow the same steps to becoming a volunteer. AmeriCorps…orientation…hours…ties us together Leadership ops – experienced vols take on bigger roles. Mentor and coach other teachers or teach their own class (instead of being a classroom assistant)….they have influence and contribute to the group.

Integration and fulfillment of needs Members are an integral part of the group. Members feel rewarded and like their motivations for volunteering are fulfilled. Volunteers are provided with the tools and knowledge required to be effective. Their motivations (or needs) may be: - to serve the community - to be social - to gain employment skills or experience - to be recognized They’re also given the tools/knowledge they need to do the work.

Integration and fulfillment of needs Examples: Tours and/or introductions Placement based on their interests and goals Trainings Recognition events/awards Access to resources (e.g. literacy council’s library)

Shared emotional connection Members support each other and have a history of shared experiences or events.

Shared emotional connection Examples: Make a personal connection with each volunteer Movie nights, book clubs, monthly potlucks Require a sustained commitment Extra training/workshops Social Networking

You’re invited to the ABE Volunteer Management Conference! Wrap-Up! Questions / comments You’re invited to the ABE Volunteer Management Conference! Informal evaluation THANK YOU! 