Energetic volunteers are crucial to the success of non-profit organizations. How do we keep people enthusiastic and interested in working for those organizations and their goals? In this session, you’ll learn tips and tricks for providing spirited leadership to new volunteers, then growing those volunteers into leaders for the next “generation.”
Grateful 7 speech thanking everyone that has helped.pdf
The Power of Volunteers
1. The Power of Volunteers
Charging Up People for Leadership
Alyssa Fox
Senior Manager, Information Development
NetIQ Corporation
24 April 2012
Spectrum Leadership Day
Many non-profits, and even some profitable organizations, can’t achieve many of their goals without volunteers taking on some of the desired tasks. Everything we do with our volunteers, every interaction we have with them, should reflect that knowledge and understanding.Because volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds, you can gather diverse viewpoints to help make decisions. For non-profits, in trying to serve members or your clientele, so to speak, various viewpoints will help you ensure you’re meeting the needs of the most people possible.Often, without volunteers’ help, some tasks simply won’t get done. Some organizations are entirely volunteer-driven (for example, local STC chapters),
Greet newcomers – new employees if at company, new members to local organization chapter, new faces at meetings.Hold social events – sometimes people just want to get their feet wet. Good to have events that are informal, and ensure the more experienced people/people who have been around a while talk to the new people. Take people at work out to lunch or coffee, learn about them and their interests.Encourage co-workers – STC local meetings, encourage co-workers to go to brown bags/webinars/meetings about topics of interest to get them involved. Sometimes people volunteer b/c their co-worker or friend is enthusiastic.Raise visibility – volunteers want to be part of something significant…that people know about.
Know needs of org. – STC – particular program, office, initiative. With volunteers being remote or online, it’s not always a safe assumption that everyone understands the goals of the group or org.Match volunteer skills/desired tasks – give them something interesting to work on.* Ask people to serve* - Most people do not say “no”; they simply never know you wanted them to say “yes”. Talk to people 1:1.Tell volunteers why you’re recruiting them – what do they bring to the table? great ideas, strong work ethic, experience in a certain area.Tell volunteers what you need – clear expectations and deadlines, size of tasks, contact points, status reports if necessary, etc.Ask for their ideas – Erika and after-hours networking, Daniel and student liaison/lunches, D30M and template ideas, agile team – ways to do scrum implementation
Orientation or transition meeting – define goals and implementation stepsTRAINING – STC website training from previous webmaster, free webinars where possible inside companies, brown bags.Welcome packet/materials – can be onlinePoint them to proper information – wikis, forums, website, leadership resourcesExperienced people to help them – people who have previously been in those rolesSet short term goals. “small wins” – key to change mgmt. too.
Constant communication – online network, wikis, IM, Yahoo group, etc.How can I help? Buddy system. New volunteer paired up with experienced volunteer.Include them in decisions. TRUST your volunteers.“Single day of service” – shorter chunks of time commitment – judging competitions (2-3 weeks commitment), one-time projects at workDocument what you do to make it easier for next person.
Thank-you notes/gifts – thank-you notes and volunteer gifts each yearTraining/entry to programs – free entry to June meeting, sending admin council members to summit and leadership daySocial events – brunch for D30M, dessert happy hourRecognizing them at meetings/in emails – thanking sponsors at STC meetings, rotating banner on websiteNominations for awards – Firefighter awards, DCSA awards, VP awards, cash bonuses at work