Take This Job and Love It Findings from the PAVR-O 2010 New Decade Survey of Managers of Volunteers Benjamin H. Gottlieb, Ph.D., Psychology Department, University of Guelph

Background of Survey and Participants

Who Answered the Survey? Total number of respondents who manage/coordinate at least 50 volunteers per year on a part-time or full-time basis…………………129 Gender: – 120 female, 8 male, 1 did not answer Age: – 7 (1%) under 30 years – 27 (21%) from years – 47 (36%) from years – 46 (36%) from – 2 (.02%) over 65

Who Answered the Survey? Education – 2 completed high school – 22 (17%) with some college/university – 77 (60%) completed college/university – 28 (22%) with postgraduate work

Who Answered the Survey? Formal training in volunteer management: -Have you obtained a Volunteer Management Certificate from a College or other post-secondary institution? 70 (54%) - yes 59 (46%) -no -Have you received certification or recertification from PAVR-O or CAVR? 28 (22%) -yes 99 (78%) -no

Who Answered the Survey? Time spent in current position as VM: -Mean= 6.33 years -Median= 2 years -Minimum= 1 year; maximum= 33 years Time spent in past positions as VM: – Mean= 9.22 years – Median= 2 years – Minimum= 1 year ; maximum= 33 years

Who Answered the Survey? Employment status: -108 (84%) permanent/full time -17 (13%) permanent/part time -3 contract or casual/full time -1 contract or casual/part time Hours of paid work weekly as a Manager of Volunteers: – Mean= 34.6 hours – Median= 37.5 hours – Minimum= 4 hours – Maximum= 70 hours

Agency Characteristics Organizations services: 19–meal delivery 33–escorted transport 23–congregate dining 56–friendly visiting 17–volunteer hospice visiting 61-hospital and other Number of volunteers managed: Mean= 429 Median= 135 Minimum= 50 Maximum= 5,500

How Much We Love It

Attitudes to Workplace Pride in Organization: 4 (3%) –not at all proud 14 (11%) –somewhat proud 12 (9%) –no strong feelings either way 49 (38%) –proud 50 (39%) –very proud Mean= 3.98 (between no strong feelings either way and proud) Median= 3 (no strong feelings either way) Overall, organization as an employer is: 24 (19%) –excellent 53 (41% –very good 42 (33%) –good 8 (6%) –not so good 1–poor 1-missing Mean= 2.28 (between good and very good) Median= 2 (very good)

Whats To Love About It?

Organizational Valuing of Volunteer Services How often does your organization/agency: NOTE: 1=Never; 2=Rarely; 3=Sometimes; 4=Often; 5=Always

Compensation: Our Extrinsic Reward

Compensation-Related Responses Total annual pay for work as a Manager of Volunteers: -N=109 (21 missing) -Mean= $50,743 -Median= $44,500 -Min= $10,000 -Max= $ 112,000 Satisfaction with compensation-Pay I receive as a Manager of Volunteers is: 16 (8%) –excellent 38 (30%) –quite good 46 (36%) –reasonable 23 (18%) –quite low 5 (.04%) –poor 1-missing -Mean= 2.71 (between reasonable and quite good) -Median= 2 (quite good)

Compensation-Related Responses Compared to volunteer management jobs elsewhere, pay at current organization is: 12 (10%) –much less 23 (18%) –a little less 18 (14%) –about the same 26 (21%) –a little more 30 (24%) –much more 17 (13%) –dont know 3-missing – Mean= 3.36 (between about the same and a little more) – Median= 2 (a little less)

Compensation-Related Responses Compared to what I could earn as a human services worker with my skills and experience, my current pay is: 31(25%) –much less 30 (24%) –a little less 23 (18%) –about the same 19 (15%) –a little more 8 (6%) –much more 15 (12%) –dont know 3-missing Mean= 2.48 (between a little less and about the same) Median= 2 (a little less)

I know that it is outrageous what they pay people in the CSS sector. I sit on a board for a new Community Health Centre and the rest of the Board were shocked at how low the salary grid is over all. If I didnt love the people that I work with and the difference I see in my volunteers lives from being involved I would have changed jobs long ago myself. I think the reason for the salary difference is that the hospitals have made the case to pay what they do solely on the grounds that hospitals are under funded and we need more money with their constant hand out. …

They also have the whos who on their boards, need to keep the OMA happy and play the political games well. The CSS are smaller, grassroots which are more concerned about the service that they provide or fund raising to pay their staff to support volunteers to keep the doors open that they dont play the game. As a result it has continued the current system. When I had asked then Health Minister George Smitherman at the LHIN priority setting meeting about funding volunteer managers, he stated that they dont provide health care so are not an essential staff team member. …

Volunteer Managers are not on Ministry approved positions. That is why I am a Community Health Worker. From Smithermans comments about Volunteer Managers not providing health care services I have started doing some research of my own. I had volunteers stating on evaluations and making comments for years about areas of improved health outcomes such as I smoke less because I am volunteering which when I followed up is about a carton less per month. Talk about harm reduction!...

Other comments came related to eating healthier, exercising more, reduced isolation, building support networks, greater knowledge of community resources, increased sense of well- being and employment skills. I searched for a tool to measure the social determinants of health that affect volunteers. From that search, I have had some interest in the creation of the tool and found nothing out there. I have made the case that volunteering is a form of health promotion and I have support from the South West Health Promoters Network (a group of Health Promotion staff with Community Health Centres) and our rep from the LHIN.

Love Conquers ALMOST All

Volunteer Management Problems How much of a problem is each of the following for you as a Manager of Volunteers? (1=Not a problem; 2=A Bit of a Problem; 3=A Moderate Problem; 4=Quite a Problem; 5=A Serious Problem)

Volunteer Management Problems How much of a problem is each of the following for you as a Manager of Volunteers?

Volunteer Management Problems How much of a problem is each of the following for you as a Manager of Volunteers?

What We Need To Nourish Our Love

Managers Resource and Skill Needs

Managers Resource and Skill Needs (continued)