This document was created by an individual or individuals who submitted a proposal so he / she / they may present at the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiative’s 2011 Conference on Service and Volunteerism (GCSV11). This proposal was approved by the Indiana Commission on Community Service and Volunteerism (ICCSV) and other community partners. Sharing this document is a courtesy extended by the OFBCI to conference attendees who may want to reference materials covered at the GCSV11, and the OFBCI in no way not responsible for specific content within.

1. Training Busy Staff to
Succeed with Volunteers
Tricia Bishop, CVA and Kristin Kraemer, CVA

2. Staff Personalities
 Those who want volunteers and know how to
engage them
 Those who want volunteers and think they know
how to engage them
 Those who want volunteers but do not know how to
engage them
 Those who do not want volunteers

3. Why is it important to train staff?
 Develop understanding as to why organization wants
volunteers
 Staff involvement = commitment to program
 Alleviate misunderstanding, fears, and concerns of
staff
 Build teamwork
 Bolster support of program, each other
 Review key aspects of supervision – how to
supervise
 Review volunteer policies and procedures
 Allow staff to provide feedback

4. Benefits to Staff
 Successful completion of work
 Build teamwork
 More services rendered to clients
 Assure greater potential for retention
 Reduce conflict
 Alleviate fears, misunderstandings, and concerns
 Help avoid friction between staff and volunteers
(clarifies roles and responsibilities)
 Help avoid opposition, resistance, and inability to
achieve creative engagement of the volunteer

5. Benefits to Volunteers
 Receive better training and supervision
 Are part of the team
 Feel welcomed and wanted
 Time utilized effectively and efficiently
 Needs for challenges, social interaction, direction,
feedback and appreciation are more likely to be met

6. Role Playing
 A volunteer doesn’t report for his assignment for two
months. An area staff member sees the Volunteer
Coordinator in the hallway and asks where the
volunteer is. The Volunteer Coordinator doesn’t
know anything about it. What could have prevented
this situation?

8.  A new volunteer complains to the Volunteer Office
that their training isn’t going well. The volunteer has
worked with three different staff people on three
different days and is given three different sets of
instructions. How could this situation have been
prevented?

10. A volunteer was recently placed in a new
assignment. After two days, the area staff
complain that the volunteer doesn’t follow
directions. The staff don’t want to work with the
volunteer anymore. How do you prevent this
from happening again?

12. Two employees are having difficulties with
another co-worker. The two are discussing
their personal problems in the presence of
a long-term volunteer. Should you have a
discussion with the employees and, if so,
what do you say to them?

14. A staff member has an acquaintance who
started volunteering without going through
the Volunteer Office. The staff member
thought they were “helping” the Volunteer
Office Staff fill a necessary position. What
do you tell the staff person?

16. A staff member requests six volunteers to help
with an event in less than two weeks. You are
unable to fill any of the positions. How do you
respond to the person requesting the
volunteers?

18. A volunteer complains that they have to do
unpleasant tasks every week that paid staff
never seem to do. How can this be
prevented?

20. A staff member complains that they have a
volunteer they no longer want to work with.
The staff person says the volunteer has not
worked out well for over six months and
hasn’t shown improvement. Can you
remove this volunteer with only this
information and how can you prevent it from
happening again?

23. Training New Employees
 New Employee Orientation
 Basic Overview of Volunteer Program
 Review policies and procedures

24. Build Rapport With Staff
 Maintain regular communication
 Ask staff for input/suggestions
 Host informational gatherings
 Recognize staff to their supervisors
 Staff commitment to program

25. Financial Costs of Volunteers
 Determine cost of a new volunteer
 Attrition
 Staff time/training

26. Know Volunteer Jobs Inside and Out!
 Clear job descriptions
 Review job descriptions annually
 Be a Volunteer!
 Write supervision of volunteers into staff job
descriptions

27. Volunteer Supervision
 Increased Professionalism
 Evaluations annually
 Staff Liaisons/chain of command

28. Leadership/Coaching of Paid Staff
 How to Help Volunteers meet their goals
 Clear communications
 Ask open ended questions
 Self-evaluations