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Secrets of sustainable volunteer programs

A framework to evaluate your program and make it stronger

Presented by Lauren Serpa & Barbara Thorsen

CalSERVES Volunteer Programs Training Series

SPEAKERS

Lauren Serpa

Program Coordinator

@CalSERVES VIP

Barbara Thorsen

Program Manager

@CalSERVES VIP

WHO WE ARE:

Napa County Office of

Education (NCOE)runs

CalSERVES

AmeriCorps programs throughout California

WHO WE ARE:

The Volunteer

Infrastructure Project

(VIP)is a

CalSERVES AmeriCorps

program

AmeriCorps VIPCalSERVES

SINCE 1998 CALSERVES HAS…

ENGAGED OVER 3,000 AMERICORPS MEMBERS

PROVIDED VOLUNTEER INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDING SERVICES TO OVER 300

CALIFORNIA AGENCIES

ENGAGED OVER 150,000 VOLUNTEERS

PROVIDED OVER $10,000,000 IN EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS TO

AMERICORPS MEMBERS

WORKSHOP GOALS

• Define “volunteer infrastructure”

• Define (or revisit) your volunteer program

needs and purpose

• Evaluate your agency’s volunteer program

using the CalSERVES Volunteer Capacity

Assessment

• Identify individual next steps in building

your agency’s volunteer program

HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THIS WORKSHOP

• Get ready to participate! You’ll have

the opportunity to listen, talk/share,

and reflect/plan individually

• Keep your eye on the activity timer

Let’s break the iceForm a group of 3 -4 people , introduce yoursel f , then share your answers to

these quest ions:

How long have

you been

working in

volunteer

engagement?

1

Which emoji below best

describes your feelings on

volunteer management?

2

VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT & “INFRASTRUCTURE”

VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT CYCLE

Identify needs and purpose of volunteer effort

Planning: policies, procedures,

logistics, roles

Recruitment and Selection

Place, support, and supervise

volunteers

Evaluation and recognition of

volunteers

Program evaluation and

assessment

Adapted from the University of Texas

Volunteer Management Program

Cycle, ©Rehnborg

Water:

Time and talent of

community members

Waterwheel:

Volunteer

management system

Mill:

Service provided to

meet needs

VOLUNTEER INFRASTRUCTURE

≠ DAY-TO-DAY PROGRAM

MANAGEMENT

VOLUNTEER INFRASTRUCTURE

IS THE SECRETOF

SUSTAINABILITY

VOLUNTEER INFRASTRUCTURE =

systems, structures, policies, and plans that provide the structure

needed to run a high quality volunteer program long-term

THE PILLARS OF VOLUNTEER INFRASTRUCTURE:

1. The organizational structure supports volunteer involvement.2. Allocated resources appropriately support the volunteer program.3. Community/Outside partnerships regularly support volunteer efforts.4. Recruitment & outreach strategy effectively fills identified volunteer needs.5. Volunteer program policies utilize best-practices to address volunteer

performance, behavior, risk, and other human resource-related topics.6. Fully developed volunteer roles meet real service needs and needs of

volunteers. 7. Volunteer screening processes ensure volunteers are matched with

appropriate roles.8. Complete volunteer training plan gives volunteers tools needed to serve

effectively.9. Staff and volunteer leaders are given clear roles in volunteer supervision and

are provided with appropriate training in volunteer management.10. Effective team relationships are developed between volunteers & staff.11. Recognition and retention strategies keep volunteers engaged over time.12. A system is developed to receive, analyze, and incorporate volunteer

feedback.13. Accurate tracking and recording systems provide up to date records of

volunteer involvement.

THE META-PILLAR

Every organization with strong volunteer

infrastructure has a strong system of

recording and enforcing the volunteer

structures that have been developed.

NEEDS AND PURPOSE:DEFINING OUR “MILL”

VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT CYCLE

Identify needs and purpose of volunteer effort

Planning: policies, procedures,

logistics, roles

Recruitment and Selection

Place, support, and supervise

volunteers

Evaluation and recognition of

volunteers

Program evaluation and

assessment

Adapted from the University of Texas

Volunteer Management Program

Cycle, ©Rehnborg

GROUNDWORK FOR A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

• Start with the NEED

• Why does the organization want

volunteers?

• What are the needs of the community or

clients? Can they be addressed with

volunteers?

• Why are volunteers important to the

mission and vision of the organization?

GROUNDWORK FOR A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

• Use your needs to create GOALS

• Write a purpose statement and/or vision

for the volunteer program

• What do you need volunteers to

accomplish?

• How will the clients benefit? The

organization? The community? The

volunteers themselves?

GROUNDWORK FOR A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

• Work from your goals to design your

program INPUTS

• What will volunteers do? What tasks will

they perform, what positions will they

hold?

• What types of volunteers will you need to

meet the goals?

GROUNDWORK FOR A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

• From your anticipated inputs, determine

what successful OUTPUTS will be

• Based on what volunteers will do, what

will they ACCOMPLISH?

• eg, if a volunteer will be mentoring a

child, their output could be the number

of hours they spend with the child

GROUNDWORK FOR A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

• Looking at the outputs, what will be the

OUTCOME?

• Based on what volunteers accomplish,

what RESULT or CHANGE will be seen?

• eg, if a volunteer will be mentoring a

child, their output could be the number

of hours they spend with the child, and

the outcome could be the child’s raised

grades in classes or higher test scores.

ACTIVITY:NEEDS AND PURPOSE

WORKSHEET

Consider the community need

you are addressing through

volunteer effort, and fill in the

needs assessment for volunteer

involvement.

ACTIVE BREAK TIME!

Grab a

Volunteer

Capacity

Assessment

Handout

The VCA measures the presence of structures in an agency that point to volunteer program

capacity

Developed by CalSERVES

AmeriCorps @ Napa County Office of

Education

CalSERVES AmeriCorps programs have placed over

850 AmeriCorps members in more than 300

California nonprofits, schools, and government

programs to build volunteer programs

a broad survey of Volunteer Management research and

best practices (mainly from the US, Canada, Australia, and the

UK), including existing assessment tools in the field

AND

our experience building volunteer programs in over 300

California service agencies from 2009-2015

The VCA was inspired by:

Who the VCA is for:

• Nonprofits

• Government agencies

• Schools and educational organizations***

** With a grain of salt

THE VCA DOES MEASURE:

Are you set up for success in mobilizing

volunteer efforts to make an impact?

Do volunteers and volunteer management

staff have the support and tools they need

to be successful?

THE VCA DOES NOT MEASURE:

Whether your volunteers make an

impact

The success of your volunteer program

How to complete the VCA:

**Instructions are on Page 1 of the VCA handout**

• Be thoughtful and honest

• For each indicator, note whether the structures

are in place “yes/somewhat/no”

• Use the “baseline” column so that later you can

compare mid- and post- comparisons

How you can use the completed VCA:

• Identify structures your agency lacks

• Prioritize indicators to develop

• Make an action plan to develop

missing indicators

Complete one page of the Volunteer Capacity Assessment for your

organization

ACTIVITY:VOLUNTEER CAPACITY

ASSESSMENT

What page of the VCA should I start with?

If your volunteer program sounds like

this…

…then consider

starting here:

New or unstructured volunteer program Level 1

Seasoned volunteer program with lots of

room to growLevel 2

Strong volunteer program that’s well

integrated into the agencyLevel 3

ACTIVITY:

COMPLETE ONE PAGE (OR MORE) OF THE VOLUNTEER

CAPACITY ASSESSMENT FOR YOUR AGENCY

Small Group DiscussionFORM A GROUP OF 3-4 PEOPLE, THEN DISCUSS

THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

Did you learn

anything about

your agency

through the

assessment?

1 2

What strengths or

weaknesses of

your volunteer

program did you

notice?

• Identify 2 or more priority areas

of improvement from your VCA

• Complete the action plan

template for your improvement

areas

**You’ll have the opportunity to share

one of your action steps with a partner,

or the whole group**

ACTIVITY:COMPLETE AN ACTION PLAN

Partner Discussion

Find a partner, then:

Share one area of improvement, and

how you’ll address it through your

action plan

(Now is a good time to brainstorm with

or ask for advice from your partner!)

Wrap Up

Your 30-second story:

Tell us one action step you

identified, and the area of

improvement it will address.

Wrap Up

Volunteer infrastructure provides:

• A strategy for sustainability of day-to-day volunteer effort

• A structure to enhance or expand programs

AMERICORPS VIP MAY BE ABLE TO HELP YOUR AGENCY

Have big

infrastructure

projects to tackle?

CALSERVES RUNS AMERICORPS PROGRAMS

CalSERVES

AmeriCorps programs are funded by

AmeriCorpsvia our state commission

California Volunteers

VIP AIMS TO HELP YOU DO MORE.

We build and strengthen volunteer

programs within nonprofit and

educational organizations that improve

the lives of children and families.

OUR GOALS FOR PARTNER AGENCIES:

•Achieve new standards in effective

volunteer programming

•Recruit short-term and High Value

volunteers

•Raise funds and build partnerships with

businesses to promote volunteer program

sustainability

THE AMERICORPS TERM OF SERVICE

CalSERVES VIP Fellows are

AmeriCorps members

who complete

1,700 hours of service

at assigned Partner Sites

WHAT OUR AMERICORPS MEMBERS DO:

45% OF THEIR SERVICE:

BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE and systems at the Partner Site to effectively engage

volunteers and increase capacity to serve clients through volunteer programs.

35% OF THEIR SERVICE:

RECRUITING, screening, training, or placing one-time and skilled volunteers.

10% OF THEIR SERVICE:

FUNDRAISING, or garnering new resources to increase and complement the Partner

Site’s service efforts through fundraising and the building of business partnerships.

10% OF THEIR SERVICE:

Participating in TRAINING opportunities, including live and online trainings, team

meetings, and coaching meetings with supervisors and team leaders.

INTERESTED IN HOSTING A VIP FELLOW?

Contact us to see if the program is available in your community:

Barbara:

bthorsen@napacoe.org

Lauren:

lserpa@napacoe.org

CONTACT INFO

Lauren Serpa

lserpa@napacoe.org

Barbara Thorsen

bthorsen@napacoe.org