Social Entrepreneur blog for the world changers
volunteering
Why is it so difficult to manage volunteers?
Jan 27th
This week I taught my undergraduate students about volunteer management best practices. I enjoyed hearing about their volunteer experiences and I was not surprised when some students explained how they had volunteered at well known organizations that were disorganized in their volunteer management practices.
The biggest issue I’ve encountered while working in nonprofits is the lack of planning for volunteer management. Like the case with nonprofit operations in general, many nonprofits don’t make the time to strategicly plan their volunteer recruitment and retention efforts. All volunteers should be managed just like another member of the staff and should be able to:
- Complete an volunteer application
- Receive a job description
- Be oriented and trained on the job
- Receive communication on a consistent basis from the staff and board
- Be evaluated and recognized for their efforts
I learned this the hard way t0o — its not “oh we need some volunteers this week so lets recruit them” but let’s plan in advance the volunteers we need this years, the skills we are looking for from those volunteers, and how we are going to recruit them.
One of the required readings for this section was the Strategic Volunteer Engagement Handbook. This helpful handbook lays out how nonprofits can effectively manage their volunteers.
New to Volunteer Management: Here’s a Brief Overview
Jun 7th
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
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
- 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
New to Volunteer Management: Here’s a Brief Overview
Jun 7th
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!!
Stuck in the Middle
Oct 21st
Yesterday was a normal day of work for me until my friend and colleague posted a U Tube video on Facebook. Normally I ignore politics and political shows because I usually get stuck in the middle of a political tug of war between family and friends. This time was no different because Glen Beck was complaining about TV's service campaign (IParticipate) and how Obama's pushing of volunteerism is equal to communism.
I immediately called my husband who watches every possible political show out there liberal and conservative. I was frustrated. How could Glen Beck state that volunteerism equals communism?? My husband assured me I was viewing the video out of context and Glen Beck was frustrated because Obama is refusing to be on any TV network that disagrees with him. He said that the TV networks had no choice but to create the TV service week (IParticipate). I thought that's frustrating too. TV networks should be allowed to have free speech even if people don't always agree with them? Right?
I don't mean to get upset but I'm sad, I'm sad that our nation the left and the right side of the political schema cannot come to an agreement that volunteerism is good. Volunteerism is such integral part of the nonprofit sector and it is such a shame that politics have to get in the way of something I think is really cool - IParticipate.
I try to shy away from the controversial issues on this blog, but I feel like these political tug of wars have got to the point where we forget what matters anymore -- a life of love, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and the meaning of volunteerism -- an altruistic activity, intended to promote good or improve human quality of life
I immediately called my husband who watches every possible political show out there liberal and conservative. I was frustrated. How could Glen Beck state that volunteerism equals communism?? My husband assured me I was viewing the video out of context and Glen Beck was frustrated because Obama is refusing to be on any TV network that disagrees with him. He said that the TV networks had no choice but to create the TV service week (IParticipate). I thought that's frustrating too. TV networks should be allowed to have free speech even if people don't always agree with them? Right?
I don't mean to get upset but I'm sad, I'm sad that our nation the left and the right side of the political schema cannot come to an agreement that volunteerism is good. Volunteerism is such integral part of the nonprofit sector and it is such a shame that politics have to get in the way of something I think is really cool - IParticipate.
I try to shy away from the controversial issues on this blog, but I feel like these political tug of wars have got to the point where we forget what matters anymore -- a life of love, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and the meaning of volunteerism -- an altruistic activity, intended to promote good or improve human quality of life
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