1. 1 Build a Better Volunteer Engagement Program! Brush off the cobwebs, clean out the closets and check for cracks. Jennifer Bennett, Manager Volunteer Programs, VolunteerMatch Maura Koehler-Hanlon, Client Relations Manager, VolunteerMatch

2. 2 Goals and Outcomes Introduce common volunteer engagement program components Review best practices and sample documents Discuss the importance of risk management Provide a timeline for program evaluation

3. 3 Evaluate your Program What are the current pieces of your program? –What happens? When does it happen? Who’s involved? Who should be involved? Why do you do what you do? –“I don’t know” and “Because we’ve always done it” aren’t necessarily bad answers but you can do better. What works and what doesn’t? How do you know? –Are prospective volunteers a good fit? –Do volunteers stay? Do you want them to? Are they aging in place? –Are you filling all the needs in your program, your clients and your organization?

4. 4 It’s actually about risk. It’s not exciting or fun, but all the pieces in your volunteer engagement program need to do one thing… Protect your Program Volunteers Staff Clients and Patrons Organization from all of the things that could go wrong – to manage risk

5. 5 Luckily – It’s not just about risk. Meaningful work for the volunteer Work that’s important to the organization Finding the right fit Making good use of skills and talents

6. 6 Program Components Getting to know your prospective volunteers –Determine if they’re a good fit for the culture and the work. Completing your due diligence –Risk management, but also a chance to better know your prospective volunteers. Making sure you’re all on the same page –Does everyone - volunteers, staff, clients – know what’s expected of them? Is it written down? Has everyone agreed to follow the rules?

7. 7 Building the foundation Job Descriptions –Well thought out, detailed, comprehensive Recruitment Plan –Where and when, but most importantly why. Targeted message for each channel. Marketing! Application –Contact information, but start to get to know your volunteers “why do you want to volunteer at the library?” Interview –Build on the application questions. Ask about skills, interests, experiences – are they a good fit. Orientation –An opportunity to share what you do and why you do it. Introduce the culture, policies, procedures. Can be one on one. Training –What does a volunteer need to know to be successful?

8. 8 Managing the Risk Non-Disclosure/Non-Compete Agreement –Should cover work product, equipment. Background Check –At-risk populations: children, elderly. Positions with access to sensitive information or PII (personally identifiable information.) Reference Check –Consider asking for volunteering references, as well as personal and/or professional.

9. 9 Establishing the rules Policies and Procedures Handbook –Begin with applicable HR/Library policies. Determine what other policies need to be included – start with instances where things went wrong. Include conflict resolution, dismissal or termination procedures. Acknowledgement Form –I acknowledge that I have been given a copy of the Volunteer Handbook… Memorandum of Understanding/Agreement Letter –Specific for each volunteer/volunteer position. Identifies the who, what, when, and for how long. Use to reinforce the most important policies and procedures.

10. 10 How do you get started? What are you doing now? –Walk through the process a prospective volunteer would currently go through before becoming a volunteer. Can you identify any steps that might be missing, or steps that might not be necessary? –Not every program needs every component but don’t leave out something that might be important. Have you recruited a volunteer to help you? What have you learned from things that have gone wrong? –Learn from past volunteer mistakes or lessons learned. Think about the things that could go wrong – manage that risk.

11. 11 What do you do now? Program Evaluation Check List Review the Sample Documents Recruit a volunteer to help you Start slowly – build consensus Share ideas and documents with other Libraries

12. 12 Questions? californialibraries_support@volunteermatch.org VolunteerMatch Learning Center http://www.volunteermatch.org/nonprofits/learningcenter/ Help with Best Practices Jennifer Bennett 415-321-3639 jbennett@volunteermatch.org