1.
A strong volunteer program requires
more than good recruiting.
Did you know that on an average it costs five times more to develop a new
volunteer than to cultivate existing ones. Any strong volunteer program must
have a built-in plan for the continued growth of it's volunteers.
2.
Develop an organizational culture that
is volunteer-compatible.
Your culture is the set of key values, guiding beliefs and understandings
shared by the people in your organization. Culture is revealed in the attitudes,
feelings and overall chemistry of the environment your leaders create.
This
is a huge key, because if your organizational
culture looks down on or sees a volunteer
as substandard or makes it difficult
for a volunteer to interact with it’s
policies and procedures, the volunteer
will become frustrated and leave.
Be
a "cultural engineer" and create
the culture you want within your organization
by instilling the right values and guiding
beliefs into your staff.
3.
Be sure the benefits of volunteering
with your organization are clear and
easily attainable.
Some benefits volunteers seek:
• A chance to make a difference
• Self-expression
• The opportunity to grow and develop specific skills
• Personal challenge
• Recognition of achievement
4.
Recruit only people whose values match
those of your organization.
Your ministry is about people. Don’t recruit those who are "abrasive,
but get things done." Aggressive producers are often masking deep seated
insecurities and the quick results they produce will not compensate for the
long-term negative effects on your organizational culture.
5.
Celebrate your volunteers through structured
activities.
No matter how selfless one may be, every volunteer has a need to feel celebrated
and appreciated. It does not matter how well intentioned a leader is, if
you do not build these celebrations into your organizational structure, your
efforts will fall short.
6.
Orient new volunteers through intentional
training.
You should have position descriptions for each of your volunteers, especially
those in leadership, as well as a structured training process that involves
more than observation. It is easier for one to succeed when they are taught
what success looks like.
7.
Encourage Feedback.
If your volunteers are the lifeblood of your organization, then they carry
the information you need to solve your organization’s greatest challenges.
However, most people will not volunteer information unsolicited. Create mechanisms
for continual volunteer feedback. Schedule regular meetings to permit an
open exchange of ideas. Perform exit interviews with volunteers who resign.
Use what you learn to sculpt a more volunteer-friendly organizational culture.
