2. Volunteer Management Training

3. Trainer with Talk Action
Welcome!
Helen Garforth
Trainer with Talk Action
@TalkActionOrg

4. What’s on today’s agenda?
You will come away with…
Practical ideas for recruiting, inducting, engaging with and supporting volunteers better
Activities that you can use as part of your volunteer management strategy
Examples of tools, and a signpost for where to go for more information
Experience and explore an engaging co-production approach
A group of peers tackling similar issues
The beginnings of an action plan for improving or embarking on volunteer management

5. Frame it!

6. What is volunteering?
…any activity that involves spending time, unpaid, doing something that aims to benefit the environment or someone (individuals or groups) other than, or in addition to, close relatives. …volunteering must be a choice freely made by each individual. This can include formal activity undertaken through public, private and voluntary organisations as well as informal community participation. NCVO

7. Volunteer or not? Trustee Magistrate Sports coach Intern
Work experience
Community advice
Counsellor
Fundraiser
Mentor
Gardener
Lifeboat crew
Mountain rescue
Bingo caller
Speaker
Driver
Health worker
Carer
Data entry
Games Maker
Community journalist
Blogger
Activist
Community
Campaigner
Resident group member
parkrun marshal
Website designer
Advocate

8. Motivation Matters

9. What motivates someone to volunteer?
What do they want out of it?
What can an organisation offer a volunteer?
What can a volunteer bring to your organisation?

10. Motivations
Body
Heart
Mind

11. Volunteer motivations
Experience – add to CV
Passionate about a cause
Keeping active or getting fit
Qualifications or training
Meeting people – social connection
Supporting a charity with a personal link
Getting back in to work

12. Volunteer motivations
Find fulfilment outside ‘work’
Corporate volunteering commitment
Feeling useful
Having fun
Giving something back post-retirement
Taking positive action
Recommended by health professional

13. What organisations can offer
Springboard into employment
Training, support and personal development
Feeling valued - being part of a team
Physical activity
Fun and social
Experience in a new field
A tailored, positive experience
Travel (and reimbursement of expenses)

14. What volunteers can bring
Specific skills, knowledge and experience
Energy and enthusiasm
Connection to client group/community
Different perspectives
Flexibility
Diversity
Extra capacity
New networks
Funding
Challenge

15. Mixed motivations Understand motivations to:
match volunteers with relevant roles – get a good fit
play to strengths
identify opportunities
Hook in and keep switched on
Motivations:
Individual and complex
Altruistic and self-interested
Motivations may change over time
If in doubt – ask!

16. The Volunteer Journey

17. Volunteer experience – the good, the bad and the ugly…
Pick two images:
volunteering when all is working well, satisfying for the volunteer and productive for the organisation
volunteering when it is not working out for either party – the nightmare scenario!

18. Building a positive volunteer experience
Rewarding – i.e. responsive to individual motivations
‘A good match’ with motivations
Making a difference – productive and recognised
Balance between management and ‘getting on with it’
Being part of a team

19. Volunteer Management Cycle
Strategic decision to involve volunteers
Recruitment – plan and do
Welcome and induct volunteers
Support, manage and celebrate volunteers
Review, reflect, change
Volunteer Management Cycle

20. Volunteer Management Cycle
Strategic decision
Commitment and buy-in from staff and trustees
Why do you want to involve volunteers?
What capacity do you need?
What do you expect to be the outcomes?
Identify roles – involve team
Identify training or other staff needs

21. Volunteer Management Cycle
Recruitment – write role descriptions and advertise
Plan! – Think about the audience, method of communication and message you want to use to reach potential volunteers.
Use your networks and publicity – website and social media
Local volunteering infrastructure – Volunteer Centres
Do – it
Local press
National media – sector specific Third Sector
Charity Jobs in The Guardian and other national press promotion
Reach
University websites
Gumtree

22. Volunteer Management Cycle
Welcome, assign and induct volunteers
Use induction checklist
Buddy system with existing volunteers
Get to know volunteers
Support and manage volunteers
Regular supervision ‘Open communication’ – two way with volunteers
Create opportunities to reflect on, review and make changes to the way you involve volunteers.

23. Key documents and tools
Volunteer policy Template role description Induction pack Checklist for volunteer supervision Frameworks for quality/accreditation – e.g. Opportunities to recognise/celebrate volunteers - See handout – for further links and resources

24. Volunteers and the law

25. Staying legal…
Pay only expenses Don’t create a contract DBS only when appropriate Insurance And beyond… Benefits Agreements Risk responsibility See handout for further links and resources

26. Challenging myths

27. Agree or disagree…
You can’t volunteer and claim Job Seekers’ Allowance
Volunteers replace or undermine paid staff
Volunteers shouldn’t be given much responsibility
You can’t volunteer if you’ve got a criminal record
All volunteers must be DBS checked
Volunteers shouldn’t be trusted with confidential information
Volunteers are unreliable
Anyone can manage volunteers – it doesn’t take any skills

28. Problem solving: Think of one challenge you need to overcome….

29. Action planning What do you want to change?
What do you want to do to make that change?
What are the potential risks? And the risk of not taking action?
What needs to happen and when?
What resources do you need?
Who needs to be involved?
What’s your very first step?

30. Thank you! Contact: TALK ACTION 0207 324 4774 jelliott@talkaction.org