Volunteer management is an integral part of any nonprofit organization. At its core, a volunteer manager’s role involves ensuring that volunteers are actively engaged through proper inclusion, training, and recognition. These elements are key to promoting volunteer well-being, which in turn fosters greater retention over time.
In this second blog post of our Volunteer Specialist Resource series, we’ll explore more about inclusion, training, and recognition to understand how they can translate into strengthening volunteer retention.
Creating an Inclusive Environment
Volunteer managers play a pivotal role in developing strategies to retain volunteers. Understanding the reasons why volunteers might leave can help to identify and address any barriers and is key to fostering a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all volunteers.
To improve volunteer accessibility, consider the following questions:
- How physically accessible are the volunteer positions?
- What support services and individualized assistance measures are available?
- How can policies or practices be modified to accommodate special work arrangements?
- Are staff members sufficiently trained on disability awareness and stereotypes to foster an informed environment?
It is essential to assess how your organization actively engages people of all abilities in volunteering. Many Canadians encounter social and economic barriers that can hinder their participation. Good practice involves interacting based on personal experiences with an individual rather than on preconceived assumptions. This approach involves understanding individuals in their specific contexts and meets people where they are in their experience and needs. Adopting this reflective method not only improves inclusivity but can help to support better volunteer retention.
Effective Volunteer Training & Support
To retain volunteers, it is important to ensure that they are properly trained and feel confident to perform assigned tasks. Lack of proper training can lead to a disconnect between the volunteer and the organization. Therefore, it is essential to provide support and make sure that volunteers feel comfortable and well-prepared in their roles. This approach not only enhances the volunteer experience but also strengthens connections to the organization.
Volunteer specialists should to consider the following points to enhance volunteer retention through training and support:
- Identify previous knowledge and skill gaps—Start by assessing the volunteer’s skill level. Create a development plan for their growth and training needs.
- Provide an outline of volunteer roles & responsibilities—Make sure volunteers understand exactly what is expected of them by clearly defining their roles and responsibilities from the outset. Ensure they have the necessary technological access if required for their role.
- Review organizational policies and goals—Give volunteers a comprehensive overview of your organization’s operations, values, mission and vision, leadership structure, and history. This helps them align better with your organizational culture and objectives.
- Ask for feedback—Learn what the volunteer needs and how you can help them become more confident in their role. Be sure to set up one-on-one touch bases continuously to discuss progress and achievements, ensuring they feel valued and heard.
Tools to Help With Training
Developing an effective training plan and fostering engagement can take time, but it is important to consider a wide scope of tools and use external resources that can help provide guidance.
- HR Intervals has resources on Learning, Training, and Development that can help in the creation of training programs.
- The Canadian Code for Volunteer Involvement, for example (developed by Volunteer Canada), provides organizations with a philosophical framework for volunteer involvement.
- Volunteer Alberta also has some insightful resources on Volunteer Rights.
Volunteer Recognition
A 2013 study conducted by Volunteer Canada showed that the majority of volunteers prefer to be recognized for their contributions in sincere and authentic ways rather than through formal banquets or public recognition. Seventy percent of survey participants indicated that they appreciated informal recognition as simple as an in-person “thank you.”
Given the significance of informal recognition to volunteers, here are some simple ways to help them feel recognized within your organization:
- Help the volunteer feel welcome—Take the time to get to know each volunteer personally and why they are motivated to help your cause. Introduce them to your mission and the specific steps you’re taking to achieve it. This may help them feel connected and valued from the start.
- Craft a meaningful position title—Assigning a specific position title can enhance a volunteer’s sense of belonging and purpose. This acknowledgment can help boost their engagement and sense of belonging.
- Ask for feedback—Asking for feedback is a simple way to make a volunteer feel involved and valued. Maintaining an open dialogue and being receptive to suggestions for improvement demonstrates that their input is important to the organization.
- Advocate for them—Make sure you are openly recognizing the work done by volunteers within your organization. Staff and board members should be aware of volunteer contributions and the impact they have.
The same 2013 study also highlighted that volunteers not only want to be recognized for their efforts but also want to see the impact of their contributions. Eighty percent stated that they would like to be recognized or thanked by the organization they volunteer for by hearing about how their work has made a difference. Organizations can recognize volunteers’ efforts by communicating and highlighting the impact that they are having on their communities.
Conclusion
Ensuring the well-being of volunteers through focused efforts on inclusion, training, and recognition can greatly enhance volunteer retention. It is important for organizations to reflect on existing policies and procedures and consider how they can evolve to provide greater support and acknowledgement to volunteers. This reflection and adaptation will help in maintaining a motivated and committed volunteer base.
References
https://volunteer.ca/vdemo/engagingvolunteers_docs/2013%20Volunteer%20Recognition%20Study.pdf
https://volunteer.ca/vdemo/EngagingVolunteers_DOCS/VMH_Eng_2016_Print.pdf
https://www.proprofstraining.com/blog/volunteer-training-program
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About the Author
Kenzie Hopp (she/her)
Kenzie recently graduated from the University of Alberta with a BA in Economics and actively works to develop her knowledge of the non-profit sector through her role as a Communications Contributor. With previous experience as a non-profit marketing assistant, she joined the VA team in October as a Newsletter & Social Media volunteer to explore her interests in marketing and communications.
Aside from volunteering, Kenzie works in banking as a Credit Analyst and enjoys cozying up with a good book, hiking with friends, and watching movies at Metro Cinema! Kenzie hopes to be known for her curiosity and kindness by all she meets.