The document discusses 14 ways for organizations to get more from their volunteers. It suggests that many agencies take a passive approach by assigning volunteers without considering their skills. A better approach is to actively engage volunteers. Some key recommendations include interviewing volunteers to understand their skills and interests, clearly explaining the organization's needs, providing orientation and training, treating volunteers as partners, celebrating their contributions, and getting feedback to continuously improve engagement. The goal is to better align volunteers' talents with agency needs and empower them to make a significant impact.

1. How To Get More From
Every Volunteer By: Tom Okarma

2. Many agencies take a passive approach when
dealing with volunteers.
They gratefully accept virtually anyone who comes through the
doors, and assign them to an area with the most urgent need.
Often this is without regard to the volunteer’s own skills, and
or any formal training or orientation.
Not exactly a recipe for success…
Fortunately, there is a better way, to actively engage your
volunteer workforce.

3. Here are 14 Ways
to help turn your
volunteers into a
powerful team to
make a significant
impact in your
community.

4. 14 Ways to Get More Out
of Every Volunteer
1. Remember, all volunteers could be doing other things.
Respect them, and celebrate their efforts and successes.
2. Treat your volunteers
as “partners” not part-
time workers.
Remember they are
critical for your success.

5. 14 Ways to Get More Out
of Every Volunteer
3. Volunteers can save your
organization a lot of
money if you can tap into
their talents and align their
skills with agency needs.
4. Learn why your volunteers
want to help and let them
do what fills that need, if
you can.

6. 14 Ways to Get More Out
of Every Volunteer
5. Develop a Philosophy of Volunteer Engagement
Policy so everyone from the boardroom to the
mailroom understands how volunteers should be
treated and utilized.
6. Your volunteer coordinator should meet with and
interview each volunteer candidate to determine
fit, skill sets, desires and how best that person can
deployed at the agency, based on agency needs.

7. 14 Ways to Get More Out
of Every Volunteer
7. Look for synergies and
opportunities for
alignment between their
experience and agency
needs.
8. Clearly explain the
agency mission, vision,
values, and needs.

8. 14 Ways to Get More Out
of Every Volunteer
9. Integrate your
volunteers into the
organization just as
you would a staff or
board member.
10. Volunteers will need
orientation, training,
and periodic
retraining.

9. 14 Ways to Get More Out
of Every Volunteer
11. Treat volunteers like insiders. Share information and
stories of impact. Volunteers want to know they are
making a difference.

10. 14 Ways to Get More Out
of Every Volunteer
12. Include them in staff meetings, whenever possible.
13. Meet with them periodically to get feedback.
14. Celebrate their
service and thank
them through
luncheons,
awards, etc.

11. 14 Ways to Get More Out
of Every Volunteer
According to LinkedIn, more than 4 million people have shown interest
in volunteering. Whether its retirees, those no longer content with
success alone, but searching for significance, today’s millennials, and
many others with significant skills want to make a difference, and are
exploring ways nonprofits might feed their desire to help.
I challenge you to embrace the volunteers you have, show your
appreciation for their efforts, and tap into them to expand your
existing volunteer base.
Remember, from one can come many.

12. This presentation is
To read the full article about
creating an impactful
Volunteer Program visit
TomOkarma.com
14 Ways to Get More Out
of Every Volunteer