Volunteers and seasonal staff aren’t just free or temporary help. They’re ambassadors for your event. Learn strategies for attracting the best volunteers and seasonal staff and how to train them to be passionate brand advocates. We’ll also share advice how to manage the legalities involved with a volunteer, student or temporary workforce. Managing a Volunteer & Temporary Workforce by Patrick Harris & Nicholas Vincent

1. MANAGING A VOLUNTEER &
TEMPORARY WORKFORCE
PATRICK HARRIS & NICHOLAS VINCENT

2. Your volunteers are your
armed forces: you recruit them,
you provide basic training
and you deploy them
to complete your mission.

3. WHY DO PEOPLE
VOLUNTEER?
• To be a part of something they
believe in
• To get connected to community
• As a social outlet
• To make a difference
• To bolster their resumes
• What else?

4. WHAT A
VOLUNTEER IS…
• An advocate for your organization
• Driven by your mission
• Crucial to the foundation of your
organization

5. WHAT A VOLUNTEER
PROGRAM IS LEGALLY
• Workers perform services typically associated
with volunteer work
• Services don’t displace any regular employees
• Volunteer works less than full time
• Services are truly voluntary, and not offered as a result
of any pressure or coercion. For example, employees
can’t be asked to “volunteer.”

6. WHAT A VOLUNTEER ISN’T...
• Free labor
• Nonessential
• Held to lower professional
standards

7. WHAT ARE YOUR
BLUE SKY GOALS?

8. THRIVING VOLUNTEER
PROGRAMS USE THIS PROCESS
• Retain• Recruit • Recognize

9. RECRUIT

10. PREPARE
• Evaluate, assess and prioritize needs
• Develop position descriptions
• Consider qualifications, expertise and time commitment
required
• Articulate benefits to volunteers
• Identify the skills and proficiencies required
• Formulate your training needs
• Develop questions to gain insight into volunteer’s
comfort and proficiency with technology

11. THE BIG ASK:
“WOULD YOU
LIKE TO HELP
US?”
• Place Volunteer Button on
your website
• Use Patron Tags to manage lists
• Use email marketing to
communicate

12. RESOURCES
• Online Resources
• Volunteer Match
• Idealist.org
• Community Resources
• College Career Centers
• Farmers Markets
• Other Events
• High Schools
• Ask Your Current Volunteers!

13. LEVERAGE
SOCIAL MEDIA
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• NextDoor

14. CHOOSING
VOLUNTEERS
• It’s okay to be picky
• Be specific about what
you’re looking for
• It’s okay to ask for short
term volunteers

15. RETAIN

16. TRAINING
• Be clear with information that
can be shared
• Empower legacy volunteers
the opportunities to train
(or mentor) new volunteers
• Offer small, ongoing training
opportunities

17. MANAGING
VOLUNTEERS
• Do you have a volunteer coordinator?
• Keep track of time contributions
• Create Volunteer Handbook
• Make sure roles and expectations have
been clearly defined
• Don’t assume all volunteers are
active all the time
• Avoid burnout

18. STEPS FOR
SUCCESS
• Keep lines of
communication open
• Share your own goals
• Lead by example
• Stay organized and energized!

19. DURING YOUR
EVENT
• Volunteer HQ
• Identify Volunteers
• Dress, name badge
• Be aware of H.A.L.T.
• Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired

20. RECOGNIZE

21. THE IDEAL
VOLUNTEER
EXPERIENCE
• Self empowering
• Motivating
• Generates excitement about
the next time
• Provides sense of community

22. AFTER THEY
VOLUNTEER
• Incentivize volunteers to come back
• Solicit feedback
• Ask your volunteers and your patrons!
• Letters of reference and certificates
• People use these on resumes

23. RECOGNIZE
VOLUNTEERS
PUBLICLY
• Send out newsletters
• Volunteer spotlights
• Let your volunteers tell their story
• “Thank you” dinners
• Let their stories motivate others
• Make them feel like part of the family

24. RESPECT
• Respect their time
• Respect their role
• Respect their willingness

25. REMEMBER

26. THE VOLUNTEER CULTURE
• Make it fun for them!
• Give them a sense of pride
• Provide a collaborative
environment
• Facilitate team building
• Create a community
across all constituents
• Be thankful!

27. TEMPORARY WORKERS

28. TYPES
• Skilled tradespeople
• Custodial
• Catering
• Security
• Camp staff

29. CAUTION AND TIPS
• Understand the difference between
• Independent contractor
• Seasonal employee
• Learn your local, state and federal laws
• Support temporary workers
• Help them understand culture, mission, goals
• Help them be an extension of your organization

30. STEPS FOR SUCCESS

31. STEPS FOR SUCCESS
• Think of your volunteer program
as cyclical, not linear
• Recruit, Retain, Recognize, Repeat!
• Support everyone who supports you
• Help them understand culture, mission, goals
• Evaluate success and challenges
regularly and get input

32. RESOURCES

33. RESOURCES
• Free volunteer management websites
• www.signupgenius.com
• www.volunteersignup.org
• www.signmeup.com
• Free scheduling tools
• www.meetingwizard.com
• www.needtomeet.com
• www.calendly.com
• www.doodle.com

34. RESOURCES
• “The Seven Deadly Sins of Recruiting Volunteers,” by Thomas
W. McKee
• http://www.volunteerpower.com/articles/7sins.asp
• The New Breed: Understanding and Equipping the 21st Century
Volunteer
• http://www.volunteerpower.com/

35. RESOURCES
• Independent Contractor: Self-employed or Employee
• https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-
employed/independent-contractor-self-employed-or-employee
• Appreciating Volunteers
• http://www.forpurposelaw.com/appreciating-volunteers/
• Legal Issues Related to Volunteering
• http://www.ifrc.org/docs/IDRL/Volunteers/Legal%20issues%20related%
20to%20volunteering%20-
%20Toolkit%20for%20National%20Societies%20-%20En.pdf

36. THANK YOU
PATRICK HARRIS | PHARRIS@VENDINI.COM
NICHOLAS VINCENT | NVINCENT@VENDINI.COM