Six Tips to Manage Volunteers
Q: How can I better manage my volunteers?
As a person who has worked in the nonprofit sector for 20 years, I know how important volunteers are to the mission of our organizations. I also know, having volunteered for a variety of organizations, that the process of creating a great volunteer experience that leads to people feeling truly engaged can be mystifying. The administrative aspects of managing volunteers, like recruitment and keeping track of contact information and hours contributed, is relatively easy. Developing your volunteer base is not difficult, but it does require intention and consistent effort. Here are a few tips to help you improve your volunteer management.
Ask volunteers to fill out an application, just like they would for a job. This helps you to assess the best ways that each volunteer can contribute to your organization.
Interview prospective volunteers. Give each candidate the opportunity to ask questions and to decide what their level of commitment can be to your organization.
Get to know your volunteers. The process of getting to know another person takes time, so your assessment of volunteer interests and skills can’t be limited to the application and interview process. Show interest in each volunteer and provide them with opportunities to develop their skills and explore their interests.
Consistently communicate. Volunteers want to know what is going on in your organization, and they want to hear it from you! Make sure your volunteers receive regular formal communications with important updates, like printed newsletters or email. Invite volunteers to all of your social media accounts. Make sure your volunteers hear about important changes from you rather than through the grapevine.
Check in on a regular basis. Call, email, or schedule a meeting with each volunteer at least once a month to see how things are going. Ask them to provide you with recommendations for how the organization can create a better experience for them.
Recognize each volunteer’s contributions. Tell volunteers directly that you appreciate what they are doing for your organization, and do it often! For those who don’t mind the spotlight, you can also feature volunteers in your newsletter or on social media.