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DECISION TO VOLUNTEER: A LOOK AT THE 2007 STUDY BY

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<ul><li>About the Study </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Study Rationale </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Study Framework </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Five Key Findings to Apply to </li></ul><ul><li>Your Organization Now </li></ul>

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ABOUT THE STUDY What don’t we know about volunteering in the U.S.?

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Study Framework <ul><li>Sponsored by ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership </li></ul><ul><li>Collaboration with 23 cosponsoring associations: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>engineering, health care, education, professional and technical fields </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>range of tax classifications; national, international membership, demographic profiles </li></ul></ul>

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Study Framework <ul><li>Random sample of the active membership of these organizations + full sample of the known volunteers (weighted) </li></ul><ul><li>Internet survey fielded Nov. – Dec. 2007 </li></ul><ul><li>26,305 respondents, overall 14% response rate (margin of error < 1%) </li></ul>

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FIVE KEY FINDINGS

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<ul><li>1. NOT ALL VOLUNTEERS ARE ALIKE </li></ul>

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Patterns of Association Volunteering

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Local Leaders <ul><li>Focused on local chapter board and committee service </li></ul><ul><li>Mentoring, coaching, tutoring, and membership recruitment </li></ul><ul><li>Two thirds at entry or mid-career levels of employment. </li></ul>

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Writers <ul><li>The “subject matter experts” of your organization: </li></ul><ul><li>Presentations, expert panels </li></ul><ul><li>Publishing </li></ul><ul><li>Standards review </li></ul>

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Teachers <ul><li>Mentoring, coaching, tutoring, professional advice and membership recruitment </li></ul><ul><li>Contribute the fewest volunteer hours for the cosponsor organization </li></ul><ul><li>Lower satisfaction levels </li></ul>

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Shapers <ul><li>Engaged in every activity and perform the majority of volunteer work within the associations participating in this study. </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Mentoring </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Membership recruitment </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Local and national board and committee service </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Presentations </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Fund raising </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Older ages, longer membership span, more academic backgrounds, more senior career levels. </li></ul><ul><li>Highest satisfaction levels. </li></ul>

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Volunteering & the Family Life Cycle <ul><li>Differences among generations are subtle. </li></ul><ul><li>Difference more noticeable along professional & family situations. </li></ul><ul><li>Many paradoxes exist … </li></ul>

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Many paradoxes <ul><li>Younger members less engaged in association volunteering now but more likely to see the benefits of volunteerism generally. </li></ul>

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Many paradoxes <ul><li>Older members more engaged in volunteering now but less likely to intend to volunteer in future. </li></ul>

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Many paradoxes <ul><li>Members with families less likely to volunteer for associations but more likely to seek connections to professional world through volunteering. </li></ul>

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Many paradoxes <ul><li>Non-U.S. volunteers less likely to volunteer now but more likely to volunteer for professional reasons. </li></ul>

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<ul><li>2. IT’S POSSIBLE TO INCREASE ASSOCIATION VOLUNTEERING </li></ul>

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First the good news… <ul><ul><li>Association members an ideal demographic group for volunteer recruitment: </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>History </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Family tradition </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Skilled </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Satisfied </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Link to career path </li></ul></ul></ul>

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Address the Realities … <ul><li>Community and professional volunteering – they need to see value </li></ul><ul><ul><li>We need to work harder to demonstrate professional & societal value </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Deliver on the professional benefits </li></ul><ul><li>Get their attention </li></ul>

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<ul><li>3. UNDERSTANDING WHY PEOPLE VOLUNTEER </li></ul>

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<ul><li>The “Pro-Social” Volunteer: </li></ul><ul><li>Making a difference for others/society* </li></ul><ul><li>+ </li></ul><ul><li>Career Benefits </li></ul><ul><li>* Such as building a stronger profession </li></ul>Reasons People Volunteer

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Top Reasons Members Volunteer <ul><li>Do something for profession/cause important to me </li></ul><ul><li>Its important to help others </li></ul><ul><li>Feel compassion for others </li></ul><ul><li>Gain new perspectives </li></ul><ul><li>Explore my own strengths </li></ul><ul><li>Volunteering important to people I respect </li></ul>

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<ul><li>4. UNDERSTANDING EFFECTIVE VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT </li></ul>

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Power of the Direct Ask <ul><li>How did you first learn about volunteering? </li></ul><ul><li>Direct Ask ... 51% were </li></ul><ul><li>Asked by staff or another volunteer </li></ul><ul><li>Local chapter or section </li></ul><ul><li>Meeting or conference </li></ul><ul><li>While only 13% </li></ul><ul><li>Answered a call for volunteers, ad, website or </li></ul><ul><li>Contacted organization </li></ul>

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Why do members begin volunteering? <ul><li>Meaningful opportunity </li></ul><ul><li>Right skills </li></ul><ul><li>Accessible location </li></ul><ul><li>Interest in volunteering / No loss of income </li></ul><ul><li>Short-term assignment </li></ul>

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Why do members begin volunteering? <ul><li>More interesting reasons … </li></ul><ul><li>More information about opportunities </li></ul><ul><li>Organization will train me </li></ul><ul><li>My employer supports me </li></ul><ul><li>I knew I could make a difference to my profession or work </li></ul><ul><li>I was actually asked </li></ul>

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<ul><li>5. RETAINING VOLUNTEERS AND ATTRACTING NON-VOLUNTEERS </li></ul>

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Why don’t members volunteer? <ul><li>Uncontrollable reasons: </li></ul><ul><li>Time constraints </li></ul><ul><li>Family or professional responsibilities </li></ul><ul><li>But the #1 reason is controllable! </li></ul>

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Why don’t members volunteer? <ul><li>Top 5 (controllable) reasons: </li></ul><ul><li>Lack of information about volunteer opportunities. </li></ul><ul><li>Volunteer elsewhere. </li></ul><ul><li>Never asked to volunteer. </li></ul><ul><li>Lack of information about virtual volunteer opportunities. </li></ul><ul><li>Lack of information about short-term assignments. </li></ul>

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Other barriers: <ul><li>Lack of follow through </li></ul><ul><li>Inadequate expense reimbursement </li></ul><ul><li>No tangible benefits </li></ul><ul><li>Lack of recognition </li></ul><ul><li>Tension with staff or other volunteers </li></ul><ul><li>Limitations imposed by job (or employer) </li></ul>

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Ten Commandments for Improving your Volunteer Program <ul><li>Know thy membership. </li></ul><ul><li>No cookie-cutter approaches. </li></ul><ul><li>Link your volunteer program to your mission. </li></ul><ul><li>Match opportunities and skills. </li></ul><ul><li>Treat volunteer involvement as a member benefit. </li></ul><ul><li>Recognize all volunteer contributions. </li></ul><ul><li>Effective volunteer programs must be adequately resourced. </li></ul><ul><li>… But money isn’t everything. </li></ul><ul><li>Train staff to work with volunteers. </li></ul><ul><li>Don’t write off the non-volunteer. </li></ul>