New to Volunteer Management: Here’s a Brief Overview

Did you know that the majority of nonprofits do not have a volunteer manager, yet most use volunteers on a daily basis?

In my previous jobs I learned the hard way how to create volunteer applications, volunteer screening procedures, and volunteer management best practices; but this shouldn't have been the case. There is an abundance of volunteer management resources available on the web, many which are free. Here's a brief overview of these resources:

Awesome volunteer management websites

• Idealist.org's Volunteer Management Resource Center
• Service Leader.org -- Specialized resources for Volunteers, Leaders and Managers of Volunteers, and Instructors and Thought Leaders
• National Service Resource Center -- Tools and Training for Volunteer and Service Programs
  
• Volunteer Match -- Find your next volunteer, or search for a volunteer opportunity
  
• Volunteer Today.com -- Pertinent information on recruiting and engaging volunteers; and promoting professional development opportunities for those who work to engage volunteers
• Points of Light Ideas and Insights -- Research, analysis, tools and training to support the creation and management of volunteer programs.
  
• Energizeinc.com -- Volunteer Management Resources for Directors of Volunteers in a Volunteerism World.
  
• National Youth Leadership Council -- Resources on service-learning
  
• Servenet (Youth Service America) -- Volunteering Opportunities
  
• Innovations in Civic Participation -- Works with individuals, organizations, and groups around the globe to support the development of innovative approaches to national youth service and service-learning.
• National Commission on Service Learning -- A national initiative to engage more young people in service to others as part of their academic studies.
• Corporation for National and Community Service

Selected Volunteerism Books and Research

• Starting and Maintaining a Quality Internship Program -- by Michael True
• 12 Key Actions of Volunteer Program Champions -- by Betty Stallings
• 55 Minute Volunteer Management Training Series -- by Betty Stallings
• Strategic Volunteer Engagement: A Guide for Nonprofit and Public Sector Leaders -- by Sarah J. Rehnborg.
• From the Top Down: The Executive Role in Successful Volunteer Involvement by Susan Ellis
• Journal of Volunteer Administration
  
• Center for Information and Resource on Civic Learning and Engagement -- A nonpartisan research center studying youth participation and civic engagement
  
• The Unpaid Intern, Legal or Not, New York Times 4/2/10
• Volunteer Management Capacity in America's Charities/Congregations -- by Mark Hager
  

This was compiled by the wonderful and talented Wanda Bailey. She is the former ED of Volunteer San Diego and she provided me this list of when we met to discuss my dissertation which deals with episodic volunteering. Thanks Wanda!!