1. Supporting and Sustaining Volunteer Involvement
Nonprofit Learning Point
August 10, 2016

2. Melissa M. Gilmore, M.Ed., CVA
Faculty
Mary Ella Douglas, CVA
Melissa M. Gilmore, M.Ed., CVA
Managing Partners
Make It Happen Now, LLC

3. Introductions Name Organization Years in Volunteer Administration
The 1 thing your organization does
best to retain volunteers

4. Photographs

5. Certificate

6. Learner Objectives Recognize today’s volunteer needs and expectations
Identify organizational strengths and weaknesses related to sustaining volunteer engagement
Identify and create effective methods for coaching, recognizing and supporting volunteers.

7. How are volunteers different today from twenty years ago?
Write down 3 ideas you have on 3 post it notes
Pair up with a partner and share your ideas; pick the top 2 from your combined ideas
Share your top 2 with the whole group
Similar ideas will be placed together and small groups will work together to find creative ways to address differences, and then share with the whole group

8. Today’s Volunteers Want and Need:
You to be prepared
To feel welcomed
Good training
To do interesting work
To know up-front how much time the assignment will take

9. Today’s Volunteers Want and Need Cont’d.
To feel appreciated
To be communicated with well and often
To know that they are helping to make the world a better place
To be socially connected
To learn something new

10. Evolving Needs The Relationship Timeline

11. Critical Points in the Volunteer Life Cycle
Initial contact
Opinions shaped
Staff reaction
Given choices
Understanding how things work
First month
Learning
Placement comfort
Reality check

12. Critical Points, Cont’d.
First six months
Fulfillment
Fit
First anniversary
Relationships
Accomplishments
Opportunity

13. Critical Points, Cont’d.
Longer Term
Job adjustment
Life fit
Empowerment
Believer in the mission
Identify Departure Timeframes

14. Organizational Culture
What’s your organization’s acceptance of volunteers?
If there was one thing you could change about your organizational culture toward volunteerism, what would it be?

15. Organizational Strengths and Weaknesses

16. Strengths What do we do well? Do we have a strong sense of purpose?
Do we have a positive culture?
Is our mission well known?
Are we well respected in the community?

17. Weaknesses What do we do poorly? What problems could be avoided?
Do we have financial problems?
What is our reputation in the community?

18. Opportunities Trends that could positively affect us?
New products, goods and/or services we can utilize?
Use technology in new ways?
Investigate potential partnerships?

19. Threats What are competing agencies doing well?
What obstacles are we facing?
Are there troubling changes on the horizon?

20. Advocacy
What are some ways we can advocate for more resources for supporting and sustaining volunteer involvement?

21. Types of Advocacy Internal Individual volunteers volunteerism efforts
volunteer administrator’s position
External
Organization
Organization’s cause
profession of volunteer administration
Both are needed to educate and raise awareness.

22. Source: The Corporation for National and Community Service
Volunteer Retention
“One out of three people who volunteer one year do not volunteer the next.”
Source: The Corporation for National and Community Service

23. Volunteer Retention, Cont’d.
Retention rates increase with age
Higher the education = more likely to continue volunteering
Devote more time = higher retention
Retention is related to type of organization
More challenging activities = higher retention

24. Improving Volunteer and Staff Relations

25. What are some things your agency does to encourage volunteer and staff teamwork?

26. Staff Assessment Part of organizational plan to engage volunteers
Survey or questionnaire
Confidential results; collective themes, ideas, recommendations used to enhance efforts
Training topics; areas of awareness

27. Staffing Volunteers = part time “staff” Diverse
Alone and/or in groups; virtual
Ideal = someone manages the volunteerism efforts

28. Effective Volunteer Efforts
Balance
Volunteers
Volunteer Managers
Paid Staff
Communication

29. Volunteer/Employee Relationships
Staff: educated, trained to accept, work with and coach volunteers
Teamwork: necessary
Close attention paid to relationships between long time volunteers and new volunteers

30. “Treat volunteers the way you’d like to be treated
“Treat volunteers the way you’d like to be treated. If that doesn’t work, ask them how they would like to be treated.” Steve McCurley

31. Staff will do What they feel safe doing
What they feel rewarded for doing
What they view as important

32. If working with volunteers is not a stated expectation and evaluated, why would staff want to do it?
Do you have a policy about staff working with volunteers? How was it developed?
Is working with volunteers part of staff performance reviews?

33. Making Volunteers feel like Part of the Team
Respect their time and schedule constraints
Welcome them
Have materials/tools ready
Invite them to meetings; keep them informed
Help them achieve success
Smile and say, “Thank you!”

34. Volunteer Position Description
Why have them?
Communicate clear expectations
Identify roles and responsibilities
Mutual agreement with supervisor and volunteer
Hold staff and volunteers accountable
Foundation for performance measurement

35. Leadership
“Management is doing things right; Leadership is doing the right things.” Peter Drucker

36. Great Leaders Ask… Where are you looking to anticipate change?
What is the diversity measure of your network?
Are you courageous enough to abandon the past?

37. Peer Consulting Tips Clarify goal/client’s needs - listen first
Avoid “war stories”
Be supportive, positive
Offer specific ideas; feedback
Move from problem to solutions as quickly as possible

38. Peer Consulting Scenarios
Break into small groups (3 people)
10 minutes to review and discuss each situation
Discuss with your consultants possible solutions and potential next steps

39. Parking Lot

40. Resources CVA Credential www.cvacert.org
Everyone Ready®
Volunteer Match
GRAVA
NLP Emerging Leaders
Hands On Greater Richmond
Connect VA

41. Winding Down
Share 1 take-away or 1 thing to implement when you go back to your workplace.

42. Reflection Activity Did we fulfill the Learner Objectives?
Recognize today’s volunteer needs and expectations
Identify organizational strengths and weaknesses related to sustaining volunteer engagement
Identify and create effective methods for coaching, recognizing and supporting volunteers.