Volunteer Programs

Susan Saito

Community Education Specialist

West Metro Fire Rescue

Start with WHY Simon Sinek

WHY activities

• Why do you do what you do?

• Why does your department/agency do

what it does?

• Why do you want to have a volunteer

program?

• Why do people want to volunteer for your

department/agency?

Insight from Simon Sinek…

• People don’t buy WHAT you do, they buy

WHY you do it.

• People who believe what you believe:

– Will be loyal

– Be part of what you do

Understanding the WHY

of Volunteering

• There is a debate among some professionals

regarding the motivations for volunteering:– Social Motivators: Achievement, Affiliation, Influence

– When asked why they volunteer, people said:

• They were asked

• They wanted to do something good for others

• Keep in mind that Volunteers have a reason for

volunteering

• Some argue that volunteering is selfish

Why start a Volunteer Program?

• Discussion – WHY would you want

to start a volunteer program?

– Meet your agency’s needs

– Provide support for your staff

– Expand the reach of your agency

– Allow citizens to become engaged in

your mission

Should you do this?

• Look at your strategic plan and guiding

documents and mission statement.

• Does volunteering fit in to why your

department does what it does?

– Does your department value community

involvement?

– Does your department’s budget allocate funds

for community involvement?

– Do you have the right people on board to do

this?

WHAT kind of work

do you want help with?

• Sticky note activity:

– What kind of help do you want/need?

• List the tasks/jobs/work you would like to have

outside help with (one item per sticky note)

• Stick them on the wall

• Sort by category

What kind of work are these

tasks/jobs?

• Ongoing work

• Temporary project

• Seasonal events

• Sensitive/protected info

HOW would these jobs

be best filled?

• Discuss categories and determine who

would be the best fit to do the work:

– Volunteers

– Staff

– An intern

– Hiring temporary staff

Organization Readiness

• The most important thing to do before

starting a volunteer program is ask the

question: “Is this organization ready for

volunteers?”

• Story –

Aunt Claire and Phoenix Food Bank

Volunteers will talk about

their experience with you.

Trends in Volunteering

• Part of Civic Life 62 million+ Americans volunteer

• Community Engagement

• Part of Social Life

• Pathway to Employment

• Volunteers as Donors

• Spans generations – people of all ages volunteer

HOW to coordinate a

Volunteer Program

Elements of a Volunteer Program:

• Planning for Volunteer Engagement

• Recruiting and Placing Volunteers

• Orientation and Training

• Supervising and Recognizing Volunteers

• Evaluation

Metro Volunteers/Points of Light Volunteer

Management training and certification

Planning for Volunteer Engagement

• Vision

• Mission

• Purpose Statements

Planning for Volunteer Engagement

Activity:

1.Write the mission statement of your organization

2.In general, what are the needs that volunteers

serve at your organization?

3.Who are the key stakeholders when it comes to

volunteer engagement?

4.Using this info, draft a purpose statement for

your organization’s volunteer engagement efforts.

Program Planning

• Activity: Write a Volunteer Position Description

to reflect the work done to meet the needs of

your organization

Follow up later at workplace:

• Create a Volunteer Application

• Create a Volunteer Handbook

• Create a Volunteer Evaluation

Program Planning

Develop a budget• Membership Dues for Volunteer Management Groups

(DOVIA, Metro Volunteers, Volunteer Connection)

• Volunteer Management Conference Fees/Expenses

• Printing (applications, handbooks, forms)

• Background checks

• Refreshments, meals, lunch stipends

• Uniforms

• Appreciation/Recognition gifts

• Recognition Awards/Luncheons

• Other

Program Planning

• Find local and online resources for

managing a volunteer program– Metro Volunteers

– Points of Light Foundation

– Community Resource Center

– Colorado Nonprofit Association

– DOVIA

Recruiting Volunteers

• Identify who you want to recruit, then find them.

• Online opportunities – metrovolunteers.org

– volunteermatch.org

– Nextdoor.com

• Corporate Volunteer Programs– Retail, Insurance Companies, Banks, Business

Associations

• Service Organizations – Kiwanis, Rotary, Optimists

• Youth– Builders Club, Key Clubs, Service Hours through school

• Seniors– RSVP, AARP, Professional Retiree Groups

Recruiting and Placing

• Develop position descriptions for volunteer

recruitment and placement

• Develop and implement a targeted recruitment

strategy

• Define the techniques for screening, interviewing

and matching volunteers with positions

• Activity: Craft a volunteer recruitment message

• Interview and match volunteers to appropriate

positions

Hiring, Orientation, Training

• Interview ALL potential volunteers

• Conduct a background check

• Contact personal references

• Interview hard, manage easier

• Refuse a potential volunteer if they are not a

good fit for your agency

• Saying no upfront is easier than terminating

later

Training

• Review your Volunteer Position

Descriptions– Look at the position and identify what type of training is

needed for the volunteer to be able to do the job

– Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes (perspectives/behaviors)

– Conduct an Orientation for long term volunteers

– Match the training to the work:

• Skill based training

• Same day training for event volunteers

• Job sheets or prototypes for specific tasks

Supervision

• Policies, procedures, operations

• Responsibilities and Functions of the

Volunteer (hours, dress code, attendance/tardiness policy …)

• The organization’s responsibility to

volunteers (safe work space, supervisor, meaningful work …)

• Guide and Support volunteers – Peanut butter and jelly exercise

– Take care of the person, not the task.

Give them the tools they need

to get the job done

Evaluation Type Focus Notes

Process-based Program design and

deficiencies

How are volunteers oriented to the

program?

Are they receiving adequate

training?

What do volunteers see as

strengths and weaknesses?

Goals-based The degree to which

the program met its

predefined goals

Did the program achieve its goals?

How were the goals established?

Were there adequate resources to

meet the goals?

Outcomes-based Determining if the

activities performed

led to the outcomes

needed

Did the outcomes refer to a specific

change due to the activity?

Recognition

• Plan to recognize your volunteers:– Make sure your volunteers are identified on

your agency’s organization chart

– Develop and communicate your agency’s volunteer (points, hours) earning chart

– Purchase volunteer “perks”:• Uniforms

• Name badges

• Gifts

• Prizes

Recognition

• Volunteer Appreciation Week – in April

– Schedule a formal or informal event to recognize your volunteers

– Write thank you notes to your volunteers

– Do something fun with your volunteers• Luncheon

• Verbal and written recognition for accomplishments

• Games

• Give away your conference swag

Recognition

• End of year– Make certificates for your volunteers stating number

of hours they have given to your agency (and the

value of that time)

– Year end summary of volunteer hours and projects

– Year end summary of volunteer hours and their value

(2016: $24.14/hour – independentsector.org)

– Year end celebration of volunteerism and their

contribution to your agency

Retaining Volunteers

• Communicate with your agency’s staff or personnel regarding your volunteer program– Program overview

– Updates

– Expectations

– Make sure your own staff is updated regarding your program and can answer questions from volunteers or refer them to the right person.

• Schedule meetings with your volunteers to get their feedback on their experience/expectations with your agency

Retaining Volunteers

• Say “Thank You” every time you see them.

• Ask them how they feel– Create a volunteer satisfaction survey

– Schedule volunteer review/feedback session

• Feed them.

• Treat them well.

• Let them know they are appreciated.

Retaining Your Volunteers –

Have fun with them!

Make the time you spend with

your volunteers as fun as you

can possibly make it.

Retaining Volunteers –

Provide meaningful work!

Retaining Volunteers – explain how their work

benefits the community or your agency

Retaining volunteers –

Feed them!

Say “Thank you”

in as many ways as you can!

•Thank you!

• Thank you!• Thank you!

• Thank you!

• Thank you!

• Thank you!

Volunteer Program Resources

• www.pointsoflight.org

• www.volunteeringandservice.org

• www.doviacolorado.org

• www.metrovolunteers.org

• www.volunteermatch.org

• www.crcamerica.org

• www.coloradononprofits.org

Points of Light

• www.pointsoflight.org

What We Do

Points of Light – the world’s largest

organization dedicated to volunteer service

– mobilizes millions of people to take action

and change the world. To bring the power of

people where it’s needed most, we…

National Conference

• www.volunteeringandservice.org• Service Unites, Points of Light's Conference on

Volunteering and Service, is the largest service-related

convening of nonprofit, government, business and civic

leaders in the world. Each year, thousands of people

who really care about the future of volunteer service

convene in one place - to learn from, share with, and get

inspired by one another - to work together to increase

the number of volunteers in the world and the impact of

the work they do.

Directors of Volunteers in Agencies

• www.doviacolorado.org

• DOVIA is the premier professional

organization for volunteer managers,

offering trainings, networking events, and

an annual conference to make your work

more effective now, and to enrich your

career for years to come. Learning best

practices is the key to success.

Volunteer Management Certificate

• www.metrovolunteers.org

• March 13-May 30

• The Volunteer Management Training Series (VMTS)

consists of six modules created by the Points of Light

Institute, and is designed to give you a comprehensive

understanding of the major components of a nonprofit

Volunteer Management program.

• The classes may be taken individually or as a series.

Each session costs $50, and you can take the entire

series for $225. To earn the Volunteer Management

Certificate, you must complete the entire series.

Recruiting

• www.volunteermatch.org

VolunteerMatch is the most effective way to

recruit highly qualified volunteers for your

nonprofit. We match you with people who

are passionate about and committed to your

cause, and who can help when and where

you need them.

Internships

• Check local colleges and university

websites for criteria and processes

regarding hiring paid and/or unpaid

interns.

Questions?

Susan SaitoCommunity Education Specialist

West Metro Fire Rescue433 South Allison Parkway

Lakewood, Colorado 80226

(303) 989-4307, ext. 537

ssaito@westmetrofire.org

www.westmetrofire.org