Volunteer Management Conference 2013 GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT: VOLUNTEER SATISFACTION & RETENTION THROUGH PERSONAL GOALS CAVAN GAHAGAN SENIOR LEARNING CENTERS MANAGER MINNESOTA LITERACY COUNCIL

 Who our volunteers are and why they volunteer  What we have to offer as a volunteer outlet  How to apply their goals to our volunteer needs  Translating that into happier and committed volunteers WHAT WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT TODAY

 Retirees  Service learners/college students  Community members/neighbors  Church members  Numerous others WHO ARE OUR VOLUNTEERS?

 Teaching experience  Helping their community & neighbors  Gaining more intercultural competence & understanding  Feeling like they’re help someone or with something  Many other reasons WHY DO THEY VOLUNTEER?

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” * MOHANDAS GANDHI

WE DO NOT ONLY SERVE NOR ONLY BENEFIT STUDENTS. StaffVolunteersStudents NOT StaffVolunteersStudents THIS!

1.Motivate your volunteers by learning their goals for volunteering 2.Realize what great benefits your volunteers can get from their service 3.Highlight those benefits every day! 3 KEY POINTS

1 THE BIG QUESTION = WHAT’S IN IT FOR THEM?

Volunteer’s Goal:Staff’s Support: “I want to get more teaching experience before teaching abroad.” “We need a teacher every Monday! And Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday!” “This is my neighborhood, so I really want to help my community and know it better.” “José works at the restaurant up the street. Have you tried it yet?” “I don’t know too much about other cultures, but I want to learn.” “You have to try Maryan’s sambusas! They’re fantastic!” “I love helping people to read!”“Here is a great book of stories. Could you sit with David and read one?” “I need volunteer experience for my résumé. Could I use you as a reference?” “Hmmm, you’ll do my bidding, you say?” KNOW THEIR GOALS TO PLAN YOUR SUPPORT

2 KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER

 Multitude of teaching and classroom experience  Working with people from different countries or a variety of cultures  Trainings and opportunities to develop new skills  Helping people in need of the most help  Non-profit work is very flexible and applicable to many different careers  Community-based organizations are organizations directly based in the community!  Can you ever say that our work is boring? THE BENEFITS OF VOLUNTEERING IN ADULT BASIC EDUCATION

3 SHOW ME A VOLUNTEER WHO FEELS LIKE THEY’RE WASTING THEIR TIME, AND I’LL SHOW YOU A VOLUNTEER WHO STOPS COMING.

 Present the opportunity to fulfill their goals  Individualized support is the most effective way to approach it  Connect at least one thing they do to what goals they have when they first start and throughout their time  Remember to thank them every time they volunteer! GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT!