Volunteer Recruitment and Retention April 16, 2009

Volunteering…what’s the big deal?

What are we talking about? Sept to Sept million people volunteered through or for an organization In 2006, 61.2 million volunteers dedicated 8.1 billion hours of volunteer service In 2001, 83.9 million American adults volunteered, representing the equivalent of over 9 million full-time employees at a value of $239 billion

What is Volunteering? The service must not be provided primarily for financial gain Must be done of one’s own free will. Must benefit a third party

First…Chapter Motivations Identify and clarify your chapter’s motivations for engaging volunteers Ask key questions –What do you as chapter leaders want from your volunteers? –Is there real work to be done? –What are the chapter’s goals and how will our volunteers help us reach them?

Volunteer Motivations What motivates you to volunteer for your chapter? How does that relate to why others might volunteer?

Professional Motivations Opportunities to learn new skills Meet other professionals Finding a job or making a career change Help people Do something useful – give back to the profession

Chapter Structure Chapter Board Committee Task Force Ad Hoc Project Committee Task Force Committee Task Force Ad Hoc Project

Creating Volunteer Opportunities Time commitment Specific duties Available resources In person or remotely Direct service vs. administrative

Ask! 71% of volunteers serve when asked Only 29% volunteer without being asked Only 50% of adults were asked to volunteer –If the other 50% were asked, as many as 71% may volunteer 58% of AFP leaders volunteered because another board member asked

Chapter Recruitment Efforts Please tell us how you recruit new volunteers:

Matching Skills to Positions Volunteer motivation and interest Your own knowledge of the volunteer Time Skills Comfort level

Volunteer Retention Matching volunteers interests and skills with the appropriate task Providing accurate training and guidance Acknowledgement of contributions

Volunteer Evaluation Don’t wonder if volunteers enjoy what they’re doing – ask! Offer feedback on ways to increase involvement and prominence of positions if desired

Volunteers – The Next Generation Seek knowledge about the organizations for which they volunteer Feel like they have an impact Career advancement and mentoring May be interested in new ways to virtually volunteer

Tomorrow’s Volunteers AFP volunteers are more likely than other association members to volunteer in both face to face and volunteer capacities 2008 Volunteer Activity Anticipated Volunteer Activity

Association Volunteers Association members are highly engaged people Values drive volunteer choices The power of the direct ask A meaningful experience keeps them coming back Involving the younger generation The professional benefits of volunteerism Recognizing the ad hoc volunteer Organizational strategies can support or discourage volunteering

Resources Brudney, Jeffery L. (2005). Designing and Managing Volunteer Programs. In Robert D. Herman & Associates (Eds.), The Jossey-Bass Handbook of Nonprofit Leadership & Management. California: Jossey-Bass. Corporation for National and Community Service, Office of Research and Policy Development. (2007). Volunteering in America: 2007 State Trends and Rankings in Civic Life, Washington, DC Gazley, Beth and Dignam, Monica. The Decision to Volunteer. ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership Washington, DC. Independent Sector and United Nations Volunteers. Measuring Volunteering: A Practical Toolkit. Moore, Cassie. (2004). Volunteers Say Charity Work Helps Then in Their Careers. Chronicle of Philanthropy. Vol. 16 Issue 14, p29 United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Volunteering in the United States,

Open Discussion

Contact Information Alice Ferris, CFRE Partner, GoalBusters Catherine Wemette, CAE Director, Chapter Administration, AFP

Thank you for all you do for AFP!