education only

1. Recruiting and Training
Volunteers
•Section 1. Developing a Plan
for Involving Volunteers
•Section 2. Recruiting
Volunteers
•Section 3. Developing
Volunteer Orientation Programs
•Section 4. Developing Training
Programs for Volunteers

2. •Section 1. Developing a Plan for Involving Volunteers

3. WHY SHOULD YOU ENGAGE
VOLUNTEERS?

4. Different advantages of using volunteers
as part of a thoughtfully developed plan
Volunteers save money. This obvious
advantage of volunteers can be a lifesaver for some
organizations
Volunteers bring needed skills. Many
volunteers have specialized knowledge such as
computer programming, advertising, or conflict
mediation that your organization occasionally needs,
but not often enough to hire someone to do the work
full-time.

5. Volunteers bring renewed
energy and excitement. Even the
most dedicated people can get burnt out
working on the same thing when they are
doing it 40 (or more) hours a week.
Volunteers can bring a fresh perspective
and enthusiasm for the work. This can help
revitalize staff, and may help move projects
in exciting new directions.

6. Volunteers increase community
ownership. The more community
members are involved in your project, the
easier it will be to gain support for your work.
Also, by using volunteers from throughout the
community, you can be sure that your goals
are "in tune" with what the community wants,
and not just what organization members think
they want.

7. WHY SHOULD YOU PLAN?
Why should you plan the involvement
of your volunteers? As with anything else
your organization does, planning your
volunteer program will help it run more
smoothly and easily. Additionally, a well-
developed plan helps stop potential problems
before they start. That way, you can have all
of the advantages of volunteer help without
most of the headaches.

8. WHO SHOULD DEVELOP THE
PLAN?
• Organizational leaders, such as the
director or key board members.
• Staff members. These are the people
who know best what work needs to
be done, so their involvement is vital.
Also, by involving staff members in
the planning process, you help
alleviate fears that volunteer workers
might replace them.

9. • Prospective volunteers. If your organization already
has volunteers, or you know whom you would like
to recruit, ask them to help develop the plan. That
way, your plan is sure to be developed in the
volunteers best interest, as well as in the interest of
agency staff.
•If your organization doesn't already have one, you
might consider appointing a volunteer coordinator or
director. This person, who often reports to the director,
may be a staff member, or could be a volunteer
himself.

10. Typical tasks of a volunteer
coordinator:
• Recruits volunteers
• Communicates with different departments and program
coordinators to find out what needs to be done and how
much volunteer time is needed to do it
• Educates staff on the roles and responsibilities of volunteers
• Interviews and screens potential volunteers
• Takes charge of volunteer orientation and training
• Expresses volunteer opinions and ideas to other staff
members, and facilitates collaboration between volunteers
and paid staff members

11. HOW DO YOU PLAN THE
INVOLVEMENT OF VOLUNTEERS?
 First of all, use the principles of strategic planning. Strategic
planning is a process of determining how to get from "here"
(where we are now) to "there" (where things ought to
be).But planning for the involvement of volunteers will have
important steps of its own. These steps are listed below.
These are especially applicable for organizations having the
resources and need for a comprehensive program for
volunteer involvement. Smaller organizations, or
organizations that rely less heavily on the use of volunteers,
may want to adapt the plan suggested below, or might
simply pick the parts which make most sense for their
organization.

12. ESSENTIAL STEPS OF AN
EFFECTIVE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM:
• Have reasons and a rationale for wanting volunteers
• Develop job descriptions
• Recruit volunteers
• Screen potential volunteers
• Conduct orientation of volunteers
• Train volunteers
• Supervise volunteers
• Retain volunteers
• Evaluate volunteers
• Recognize efforts and achievements

13. Have a rationale and reasons for
wanting volunteers.
• "We think community involvement is really important to
helping us stay on track."
• "We want every child in our community to have caring
adults to talk to, and we're a long way from that goal."
• "Volunteers can help us reach our goal of financial
independence."
• "We believe that by using volunteers, we can establish a
network of tutors who can significantly reduce the illiteracy
rate in our city."
• "Our organization wants to become financially independent,
and none of us have the first idea of how to do it."

14. Develop job descriptions.
Now that your organization has decided exactly why it
wants volunteers, you may want to write a formal job
description. This is unnecessary for some tasks, especially
those that are one-time events, such as passing out water to
runners at your annual 10K run. But for more involved
jobs that are longer term, a written description is an
excellent way to explain the details to potential volunteers.
It also shows that your office is professional and well-
organized --the type of place where people want to work.
Also, this is a good way for you to think even more clearly
about how many volunteers you need and what you need
them for

15.  A volunteer job description, much like the
description of a paid job, should include the
following:
• Title
• Rationale/Purpose
• Nature of job/Responsibilities
• Qualifications
• Time requirement
• Proposed starting date (and, if applicable, end date)
• Boundaries: Authority invested in position, reporting
relationships/supervision
• Benefits

16. Recruit volunteers.
The next step in the process is to find the people
you need--and convince them that they need you,
too.
 Screen potential volunteers.
A well-run recruitment effort should
dig up many people offering their
services to your organization. That's
terrific, it's just what your
organization needs. But some of
these people may not be appropriate
for your agency, or for the job they
offer to do.

17.  Conduct orientation of volunteers.
When you have chosen volunteers from your pool of candidates, the
next thing to do is explain to the new volunteers the basics of the
organization, its philosophy, and what they will be doing. For larger
volunteer programs, those that require extensive training, or those that
will include a long time commitment with the agency, this often takes the
form of a formal orientation session.
 Train volunteers.
More complex tasks may require extensive training of volunteers.
 Supervise volunteers.
Even though volunteers aren't on the payroll, you won 't want to leave
them to their own devices, without any sort of supervision and direction.
Many people look on their volunteer experience as a time to learn, and
gently delivered constructive comments can help the volunteer to grow.

18.  Evaluate your program.
In a comprehensive volunteer program, you should
evaluate how well volunteers are doing. This
includes how well they are meeting their goals, as
well as how well their work is helping to fulfill the
agency mission. Often, volunteer
 Recognize efforts and achievements.
This is one of the most important things you can do for your
volunteers. It's always important to recognize the work of
your employees, and this is especially true for volunteers,
who don't, after all, receive monetary compensation for
what they do. Everyone wants his or her efforts to be
noticed! If someone feels important to the organization, too,
it's much more likely that they will remain an active member.
(like paid staff) are evaluated every six months or year.

19. Section 2. Recruiting Volunteers

20.  WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO
RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS FOR
YOUR ORGANIZATION?
Recruiting volunteers means asking people to work
in your organization without pay. You can recruit
them formally (asking them to fill out application
forms, offering them a job title, etc.) or informally (by
asking your sister to help build an agency float, for
instance), or anything in between.
You might need volunteers for a specific task at a
specific time, or in a much more general role, for any
help they can give. Recruitment does not have any
set time limits -- you might recruit for a certain event,
for a certain block of time such as six months, or for
an indefinite period. It is helpful to seek volunteers
who reflect the diversity found in the community, and
who have ties with other community groups or
agencies.

21.  WHY MIGHT YOU RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS?
•To give your organization the power to do more work
•To reduce the burden on paid staff members
•To give your group a larger, more diverse
membership
•To increase awareness and understanding of your
organization through your recruiting as well as
through the work the volunteers do
•To get as much done as possible within the confines
of your budget
•To act together to achieve a shared purpose

22.  WHEN SHOULD YOU RECRUIT
VOLUNTEERS?
Anytime is a good time to recruit volunteers, but you might
step up your efforts when:
•You have upcoming products, events, etc., with which you
will need special assistance.
•You are expanding your organization's services.
•Your staff has become smaller or is not able to handle the
amount of work you do.
•You are holding an annual "volunteer drive."
•During National Volunteer Week or any official national
day/week that corresponds to your organization mission (e.g.,
a coalition that works to reduce tobacco usage might
increase volunteer efforts before the Great American
Smokeout).
•You need volunteers to staff a booth at a fair, hand out

23.  HOW TO RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS: SOME BASIC STEPS
RESEARCH SOURCES OF POTENTIAL VOLUNTEERS IN
YOUR COMMUNITY
Determine the makeup of your community, and its
community sectors. Some community sectors include
schools, churches, neighborhoods, businesses,
service organizations and clubs, youth groups, senior
groups, media, grassroots groups, etc. Having a
thorough understanding of the sectors in your area will
help you to be aware of who is available as a
volunteer in your community.

24.  FINDING VOLUNTEERS
When looking for potential volunteers, brainstorm different ways to
reach the greatest number of people. Some ways to find potential
volunteers might include:
•Hold an annual appeal for volunteers that is modeled after traditional fund-
raising drives.
•Set up booths at local art fairs, carnivals, etc.
•Write letters to the editor in the local newspaper, or ask if you could write a
guest column.
•Broadcast a PSA on a local radio or television station.
•Use personal contact with current volunteers and staff. (This is the primary way
people become involved in volunteer activities).
•Ask current volunteers to participate in a presentation to another group that
they are involved with (e.g., the Rotary Club, a church singles group, the health
class at a volunteer's high school).
•Ask for help from existing volunteer agencies, local scout groups, the National
Honor Society, or other bodies at least part of whose mission is community
service.

25.  BUILDING A DIVERSE GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS
A diverse group of volunteers can broaden the range of opinions
and ideas to which your organization has access. They bring
knowledge of the cultures and circumstances of the population
groups they come from, so that your organization will have a better
understanding of those groups, and be better able to relate to
them. Furthermore, they enrich the organization with their
perspectives and the variety of their experiences and
backgrounds. A diverse group of volunteers also makes possible
heightened cultural sensitivity within the organization, and allows
for the kinds of interchanges that make it possible for people with
very different backgrounds to understand, respect, and cherish one
another’s differences as well as their similarities.

26.  CONVINCING POTENTIAL VOLUNTEERS TO
BECOME ACTIVE VOLUNTEERS
•Invite potential volunteers to meet staff members and other volunteers and get a
real "feel" for the organization.
•Invite volunteers to observe and/or try out the volunteer job they’re interested in,
with help from a staff member or experienced volunteer.
•Write a letter to potential volunteers – either a general letter, if you are recruiting a
large number of people, or a warm, personalized note. Both types of
communication should explain what your organization does, why you need help,
and why you need their help in particular.
•Be flexible in scheduling, so that volunteers can work the hours that are most
convenient for them, can work when their friends are working, and/or can work
with particular staff members or participants.
•Show that you take volunteers seriously. Ask volunteers to sign a contract to work
for a specified amount of time and to find replacements for themselves if they can’t
make a scheduled volunteer commitment. Provide coordination and supervision
for volunteers, so that they can improve their skills and performance. Emphasize
how important their contribution is to the organization.

27. •.
 BUILDING A DIVERSE GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS
A diverse group of volunteers can broaden the range of opinions and
ideas to which your organization has access. They bring knowledge
of the cultures and circumstances of the population groups they
come from, so that your organization will have a better understanding
of those groups, and be better able to relate to them.
.
 RECRUITING MEMBERS OF SPECIFIC POPULATIONS
 Possible barriers to be
aware of when recruiting
from specific populations:

28. Section 3. Developing Volunteer Orientation Programs

29.  WHAT IS AN ORIENTATION
PROGRAM?
•The way your organization does
business
•Your attitudes toward the outside
world
•Your seriousness of purpose
•Your sense of humor
•Your general expectations about the
content of the job
•Your general expectations about the
way in which the job should be
performed

30.  WHY SHOULD YOU HAVE
ORIENTATION PROGRAMS?
 Impartingknowledge
 Increasing confidence
 Increasing enthusiasm
 Avoiding future problems.

31. WHAT KIND OF ORIENTATION SHOULD YOU
GIVE?
Some criteria in making decisions about your
orientation program:
•The number of people who need to be oriented right now
•The number of people available to do the orienting (and
their available time and expertise)
•The complexity of the job to be performed
•The prior experience of the new volunteer in performing
that job or a similar one
•The presence (or absence) of an orientation program that
someone else may already have

32.  HOW DO YOU RUN ORIENTATION PROGRAMS?
 WHAT INFORMATION SHOULD YOU COVER DURING
AN ORIENTATION SESSION?
•A description of your organization's programs, the
community you serve, and your organization's relationships
in the community.
•The structure of your organization, including an introduction
to key staff members and an explanation of their roles.
•What is expected of the volunteers, including a general
overview of the jobs they will be doing.
•A brief history of your organization. An explanation of your
organization's policies, rules, and procedures.
•A tour of the facilities. Make sure you show the volunteer
offices, phones, rest rooms, parking, et cetera.
•The volunteer training schedule, if one exists.
•The volunteer evaluation and performance review system.
•Volunteer benefits.

33. Section 4. Developing Training Programs
for Volunteers

34.  WHY SHOULD YOUR ORGANIZATION HAVE
TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR VOLUNTEERS?
•Training helps new volunteers get to know the people, the program, and
the job quickly and efficiently.
•Training your volunteers establishes that there is a minimum competency
that all volunteers are expected to obtain.
•Many volunteers see training as a benefit of being part of an organization.
Training teaches them skills that may be helpful to them elsewhere, and
may even help them get a paying job.
•Training publicly acknowledges a necessary level of proficiency. By training
your volunteers, you are making the statement that the organization is
professional and capable of doing important work and doing it well.
•Some organizations use training as a "weeding out" technique, making
sure that volunteers who have signed up will be likely to live up to their
commitments.

35.  WHO SHOULD TRAIN NEW VOLUNTEERS?
 Some organizations have a director of training as a
member of the staff.
 If your organization has a volunteer coordinator or director,
he or she will almost always play a role in training
sessions, and may take charge of the trainings in smaller
organizations.
 As training director Lisa Rasor puts it, "We encourage
experienced volunteers to be trainers because that's one
way for them to refresh their skills and to feel more
connected to the agency -- to have more of a stake in
what's going on.“
 If no one in the group excels at the task for which you are
training volunteers, you might even want to go outside of
the group to find someone to run the training. This could be
someone you hire on an ad hoc basis -- or would he be
willing to offer his services for free?

36.  HOW DO YOU DEVELOP TRAINING
PROGRAMS?
 As with any other plan you will develop, there are certain steps to developing a
training program.
1. DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO TEACH VOLUNTEERS
2. DECIDE HOW YOU WILL TEACH THEM
3. WRITE A BUDGET FOR YOUR TRAINING
4. DECIDE WHAT MATERIALS YOU WOULD LIKE TO USE THAT WILL FIT INTO
YOUR BUDGET
5. GET THE WORD OUT
6. MAKE SURE ALL OF THE LOGISTICS HAVE BEEN WORKED OUT BEFORE
EACH TRAINING SESSION
7. PAY ATTENTION TO THE PHYSICAL COMFORT OF TRAINEES
8. SET PEOPLE AT EASE
9. START TRAINING!
10. PRINCIPLES OF ADULT LEARNING
11. DEVELOP LESSON PLANS
12. EVALUATE TRAINEES

37. THANK YOU