1. Volunteer Management Tools and Tips
VISTA In-Service | Friday, November 4, 2016
Ellie Purdy, Volunteer Outreach Manager
Minnesota Literacy Council

2. VOLUNTEER MOTIVATIONS
Think-Pair-Share
In your experience coordinating volunteers…
…what are some common motivations for volunteers to get involved with your program?

3. VOLUNTEER MOTIVATIONS
Best Practice: (From MAVA’s Volunteer Impact Leadership Training Series)
Successful volunteer programs match
their organization’s needs
with their volunteer’s motivations.

4. VOLUNTEER MOTIVATIONS
Quiz: What’s your primary motivation type?
Based on Motivation Theory by John Atkinson & David McClelland
Quiz taken from MAVA’s Volunteer Impact Leadership Training Series.

5. VOLUNTEER MOTIVATIONS Think-Pair-Share
What’s your primary type(s) of motivation?
Does it resonate with you? Why/why not?
What types of volunteers do your current (or future) volunteer positions seem to attract?
Do your current volunteers’ motivations seem to match up well with their volunteer roles?

6. VOLUNTEER MOTIVATIONS 2 guiding questions:
Ask your volunteers: What are your motivations for getting involved in this volunteer role?
Ask yourself: Will this role allow them to make their desired impact while meeting our program’s needs?

7. POSITION DESCRIPTION Think-Pair-Share
In your experience coordinating volunteers…
…how have volunteer position descriptions helped you in your volunteer management?

8. POSITION DESCRIPTION
Best Practice: (From MAVA’s Volunteer Impact Leadership Training Series)
Volunteer position descriptions create a foundation for a positive relationship by:
Providing clarity
Creating language for recruitment/marketing
Helping you evaluate whether it’s a “fit”
Providing a basis for supervision and feedback
And more!

9. Activity: read and analyze some volunteer position descriptions.
What’s good? What’s not? What’s missing? How do they compare to yours?
What info should I be sure to include on my position descriptions?
Who should give input in the development of my volunteer position descriptions?

10. VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT Crafting strong recruitment messages
Best Practices:
(From MAVA’s Volunteer Impact Leadership Training Series)
Start with your position description.
Recruitment message should include three elements:

11. Best Practices: VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT Where and how to recruit?
(From MAVA’s Volunteer Impact Leadership Training Series)
Develop a team
Keep it consistent
Develop a toolkit
Make a personal ask!

12. VOLUNTEER ONBOARDING Think-Pair-Share
In your experience coordinating volunteers…
…what is (or what will be) one important component of your volunteer onboarding process?
… how has it helped you as a volunteer manager?

13. VOLUNTEER ONBOARDING A complete, consistent
volunteer onboarding process
helps your organization manage risk.
Risk management helps keep
your staff, students and volunteers safe.

14. VOLUNTEER ONBOARDING Activity:
Categorize the volunteer onboarding tasks.

15. VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT TOOLS Browse & take templates

16. Communicating expectations:
VOLUNTEER ONBOARDING
Communicating expectations:
Use your tools: position descriptions, interview questions, code of conduct, etc.
Clarifying expectations:
Questions to clarify THEIR expectations
Statements to clarify YOUR expectations

17. Building a Strong Community of Volunteers
Think-Pair-Share
What does the word “community” mean to you?

18. Four Elements of Community (McMillan and Chavis)
Membership
Integration and Fulfillment of Needs
Shared Emotional Connection
Influence

19. Membership Sense of belonging Personal investment
Identifying with the group
Communication
Common theme
Emotional safety
Sense of belonging- feeling like they are part of the whole
Personal investment-the cause/activity is personally meaningful for the volunteer, they have an investment in success
Identifying with the group-
Communication- checking in with volunteers, telling them pertinent information, greetings
Common theme- how communication flows among volunteers and between volunteers/staff
Emotional safety- Volunteers feel comfortable saying how they feel about their experience

20. Membership Examples: Welcome new members
Regular and ongoing communication (newsletters, in person, s/phone calls)
Nametags, t-shirts
Incorporating symbols and logos
Certificates and materials from orientation or training
Welcoming environment – how initial contact is done, how they are greeted, space and time for socializing, snacks
Communication – quick hellos, check-ins and follow-ups, newsletters, phone calls, postcards
Nametags – a tangible sign that they are part of the group
Using symbols and logos – this shared system could include language and acronyms, as well as actual logos. Making sure everyone understands what they mean. (i.e. ESL, GED, etc)
Certificate and materials from training – more tangible signs that they are part of the group.

21. Influence Members can influence the group and are influenced by it.
A group is cohesive because it has influence over its members
Members of a group are motivated – VOICE
In order to have influence, members need to have trust in the group. Members also need to feel empowered. Here are some ideas we’ve done at the MLC.

22. Influence Examples: Evaluations
Placement based on the volunteer’s interests/skills
Seeing the impact of their work (i.e. learner progress)
Seasoned volunteers mentoring new ones
Experienced volunteers are given additional opportunities or responsibilities
Placement decisions – you decide where you’d like to be placed…you have power/influence over this.
-AmeriCorps experience
Surveys/Evaluations – 3 –month follow up survey. Evaluations after trainings or events
your opinion matters…what you say will have influence
Sharing Successes – announce when someone passes the GED or Citizenship test.
Group Structures – all MLC vols go through training, follow the same steps to becoming a volunteer.
AmeriCorps…orientation…hours…ties us together
Leadership ops – experienced vols take on bigger roles. Mentor and coach other teachers or teach their own class (instead of being a classroom assistant)….they have influence and contribute to the group.

23. Integration and fulfillment of needs
Members are an integral part of the group.
Members feel rewarded and like their motivations for volunteering are fulfilled.
Volunteers are provided with the tools and knowledge required to be effective.
Their motivations (or needs) may be:
- to serve the community
- to be social
- to gain employment skills or experience
- to be recognized
They’re also given the tools/knowledge they need to do the work.

24. Integration and fulfillment of needs
Examples:
Tours and/or introductions
Placement based on their interests and goals
Trainings
Recognition events/awards
Access to resources (e.g. literacy council’s library)

25. Shared emotional connection
Members support each other and have a history of shared experiences or events.

26. Shared emotional connection
Examples:
Make a personal connection with each volunteer
Movie nights, book clubs, monthly potlucks
Require a sustained commitment
Extra training/workshops
Social Networking

27. You’re invited to the ABE Volunteer Management Conference!
Wrap-Up!
Questions / comments
You’re invited to the ABE Volunteer Management Conference!
Informal evaluation
THANK YOU! 