Taking the Worry out of Volunteer Management

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Taking the Worry out of Volunteer Management
NSW MEALS ON WHEELS ASSOCIATION INC.
AMOWA National Conference 2005
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Taking the worry out of volunteer management

• Presenters background
• Why do people volunteer?
• Promotion how to effectively attract volunteers
• Recruitment how to turn an inquiry into a
  volunteer
• Training overcoming volunteer resistance
• Retaining building in rewards to the volunteer
  experience
• Feedback and questions

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Taking the worry out of Volunteer Management

• Presenters Background
• Sue Corlette, Media and Communications Officer,
  NSW Meals on Wheels Association
• Volunteer Coordinator Waverley Council Meals on
  Wheels
• Managed 400 volunteers Dalai Lama in Australia
  Tour 2002
• Seven years working with volunteer committees in
  event management for Royal Blind Society

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Taking the worry out of Volunteer Management

• Why do people volunteer?
• Social contact
• Work skills
• Want to feel part of/give to the local community
• Want to belong
• Want to help make a difference
• Want to improve language skills

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Taking the worry out of Volunteer Management

• Three steps
• Attracting Volunteers
• Training Volunteers
• Retaining Volunteers

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1. Attracting Volunteers

• Promoting to attract volunteers
• Are you selling the benefits or the rules?
• Are you targeting OUTSIDE of your existing
  volunteer base?

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1. Attracting Volunteers

• Promoting to attract volunteers
• Do you attribute enough importance to marketing
  and promotion?
• What is your comparative budget?
• Do you have a plan to achieve reach, frequency
  and share of voice?

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1. Attracting Volunteers

• Promoting to attract volunteers
• REACH
• who are you targeting can you reach a greater
  range of people?

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1. Attracting Volunteers

• Promoting to attract volunteers
• FREQUENCY
• it takes five messages in five different ways
  before most people will respond

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1. Attracting Volunteers

• Promoting to attract volunteers
• SHARE OF VOICE
• other people want volunteers too are your
  messages different, more or less appealing, timed
  and targeted better?
• Are you aware of trends? They will influence your
  ability to attract volunteers

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1. Attracting Volunteers

• VOLUNTEER TRENDS
• Sport - biggest area family sports
• Cultural museums etc, attract retirees
• Health more difficult, can be confronting and
  not so sexy, unless it is children
• General trend towards short term event
  volunteering, and environmental/outdoor
  activities
• Change from Charity to Social Enterprise Model
  can be barrier to volunteer participation (see
  handout)

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1. Attracting Volunteers

• Turning an inquiry into a volunteer
• Respond within 24 hours of inquiry
• Provide a direct number to the volunteer
  recruiter, or an experienced volunteer, for
  inquiries
• Have a script ready
• Make an appointment

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2. Training Volunteers

• Turning an inquiry into a volunteer
• Make their first day one of many not the last
• Welcome them, and organise a buddy to be with
  them for their first day
• Train the buddy to anticipate their needs and
  questions
• Make sure the buddy is a best practice role model
  and has something in common other than
  volunteering
• Have an induction program and kit ready, and
  spend time walking them through it
• Remember the first day is an orientation day, not
  a training day

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2. Training Volunteers

• Consultation gains compliance, training doesnt
• Introduce consultation luncheons or evenings
• Encourage two way communication use the luncheon
  as both a debriefing session and a training
  session
• The idea is to work together towards a clearly
  identified outcome
• Allow the volunteers to formulate ways to reach
  that outcome, within your legislated framework

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2. Training Volunteers

• Treat training as ongoing three times a year is
  minimum HAAC requirement
• Make attendance at luncheons/evenings, not
  training, as a requirement
• Use the luncheons/evenings as an opportunity to
  show volunteers are valued - provide good quality
  food in an appropriate environment

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3. Retaining Volunteers

• Retaining Volunteers
• Clearly defined roles
• Job descriptions that meet needs of the
  organisation AND the volunteer
• Ask for Feedback and Evaluation and act on it
• Communicate and involve in decision making
  processes
• Build in rewards and recognition

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Resources

• Volunteering Australia National Standards FREE
• Volunteering NSW http//www.volunteering.com.au/
• Australian Bureau of Statistics
• Glen Eira Volunteer Training Program
• NSW Meals on Wheels Millennium Project
• Volunteer referral centre in local areas
• Judy Esmond www.mtd4u.com
• Your existing volunteers!
• Become a volunteer

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Taking the Worry out of Volunteer Management

• Thank you for your time and attention.
• Do you have any Feedback and Questions?