Cutting Edge Strategies For Engaging Volunteers to Meet Mission

Transcription

1 Cutting Edge Strategies For Engaging Volunteers to Meet Mission Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration (MAVA) 2013

2 Action Plan How are volunteers currently contributing to your mission and/or strategic plan? How could they contribute more?

3 Learning Objectives 1. Understand importance of aligning volunteer roles with the organization s strategic plan and mission 2. Know the most current strategies for engaging volunteers in this changing environment 3. Identify which of these strategies are most important to advance organization s engagement of volunteers to meet mission 4. Leave with a work plan for next steps

4 Share with a neighbor What changes are you seeing in who is volunteering and what they are seeking?

5 What does the research say? Changes in who is volunteering 45% More inquires from students and interns 31 % More inquires from Boomers 31% More inquires from young adults 31% More inquires from retirees 24% More inquires from job seekers The Status of Minnesota s Volunteer Programs in a Shifting Environment 2014 Changes in what volunteers are seeking 55% Increased interest in short term volunteering 37% Increased interest in developing or using workplace skills 32% Increased interest in volunteering on evenings and weekends Volunteers in new roles 66% Involved volunteers in new roles and positions 45% Involved volunteers in leadership positions or managing projects

6 Increased reliance on volunteers 43% of programs reported increasing their reliance on volunteers to meet mission 53% predicted that their organization will continue to increase their reliance on volunteers in the future The Status of Minnesota s Volunteer Programs in a Shifting Environment 2014

7 Fundamental Strategies Essential for the new volunteer workforce

8 STRATEGY 1 Design volunteer roles to involve volunteers in a wide variety of roles, including higher responsibility roles and shorter term assignments. Closely align volunteer roles with organization s mission. WHY: Because of changes in who is volunteering and what they are seeking.

9 Design broader range of volunteer roles DO: 1. Offer a wide range of choices of volunteer positions 2. Include skills based volunteer opportunities 3. Include positions that impact the heart of the organization s mission 4. Offer some positions that are short term 5. Offer volunteers projects where you agree on outcomes and they take charge of it from there Handouts 1 and 2

10 STRATEGY 2 Assess volunteer recruitment needs and activate recruitment efforts as needed. WHY: Because the pool of who is available to volunteer is changing.

11 Handout 3 Assess and update recruitment DO: 1. Assess: Is current volunteer recruitment bringing the volume and type of volunteers you need? Do you involve volunteers from a range of ages and cultural backgrounds? 2. Target volunteer recruitment to who you need 3. Place volunteer recruitment prominently on website with images of the volunteers you seek and use online volunteer recruitment sites like VolunteerMatch

12 STRATEGY 3 Update recognition for today s volunteers. WHY: Because today s volunteer workforce is changing in how they like to be recognized.

13 Handout 4 Update volunteer recognition DO: Create a culture of staff thanking volunteers Don t count on a party as your only means of recognition Send handwritten thank you notes Offer professional development as a form of recognition Tell volunteers the impact of their work as a form of recognition

14 Emerging Strategies Critical ways to get ahead of the changes

15 STRATEGY 4 Standardize the volunteer program. WHY: To improve efficiency.

16 Standardize the volunteer program DO: Develop a volunteer handbook and consistent policies for volunteers Standardize volunteer recruitment and orientation Involve volunteers in volunteer recruitment and orientation

17 STRATEGY 5 Maximize use of technology in the volunteer program. WHY: To save time.

18 Use technology to save time DO: Streamline orientation/training Example: Streamlined orientation to include an online portion the volunteer can do on their own time, at home prior to attending orientation session. Streamline communication Example: ed parent volunteers with information about upcoming events instead of sending a paper copy home. Streamline volunteer tracking Example: Implementing the use of the Volgistics database system for tracking and communicating with volunteers.

19 STRATEGY 6 Measure impact through volunteers. WHY: Volunteers want to know they are making a difference and funders and stakeholders expect you to demonstrate impact.

20 Measure impact through volunteers Handout 5 DO: Understand the impact your volunteers are having the changes they are making in people s lives and the community. Think about the so what that volunteers accomplish. Attend a MAVA workshop on volunteer program evaluation See resources on program evaluation in Handout 5

21 Maximization Strategies Lessons learned from organizations that meet most of their mission through volunteers Handout 6

22 STRATEGY 7 Act on volunteers ideas and put volunteers in positions to identify needs and solutions. WHY: Increases volunteers engagement and brings good ideas to the organization.

23 Act on volunteers ideas DO: Set up advisory committee of volunteers for the volunteer program When recruiting Board members, include volunteers Include volunteers in strategic planning Create an openness and be ready to act on ideas that will move the organization forward

24 STRATEGY 8 Define the role of staff to support volunteers and put in place a good organizational structure with well defined roles for volunteers. WHY: Good communication is key to effectiveness.

25 Define the role of staff to support volunteers and develop well defined roles for volunteers DO: Realize that this is more than just recruiting more volunteers and involves restructuring staff roles to support volunteers Develop clear roles, expectations and position descriptions for volunteers to be well organized and avoid stress for staff and volunteers New way of thinking: Volunteers lead, staff support

26 STRATEGY 9 Develop a positive organizational culture focused on impact through volunteers. WHY: Create trust in volunteers and be positioned to maximize their contributions.

27 Prioritize on action plan Which three to five of these strategies are most critical to advance volunteer engagement in your organization now?

28 3 Groups Brainstorm Activity Come up with new volunteer positions for: More closely aligning volunteers with mission Involving volunteers in higher responsibility roles Involving short term volunteers Identify tips for recruiting from each of these groups: Interns/students/young adults Boomers Job seekers Decide how you can use technology to streamline: Data tracking Communication Recruitment Recognition

29 Obtain Organizational Buy In

30 Handout 7 Steps for Organizational Buy-In #1 - Listen and learn Ask questions Identify potential obstacles

31 Steps for Organizational Buy-In #2 - Identify your champions On action plan: Who are your current champions? Who would be strategic champions you could develop into that role?

32 Steps for Organizational Buy-In # 3 Develop your case statement On action plan: Who needs to know what? Breakdown of a Case Statement What is the situation Why is the situation occurring What evidence do you have How will you address the situation

33 Steps for Organizational Buy-In #4 Strategize how to build momentum for the change #4b If not successful the first time, regroup and try again If you did not get the results you wanted, evaluate changes in messages and who to involve and TRY AGAIN

34 Wrap Up On Action Plan: List two items to do this week List three items to do in next three months

35 Thank You This initiative was funded by Otto Bremer Foundation and Bush Foundation and supported by the MAVA Strategic Directions Committee, MAVA staff, and MAVA volunteers Katie Bottiger, Lee George and Terry Straub We ll present on our updated trends research at the MAVA Conference in June and the report will be available on the MAVA website by the end of July Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration (MAVA) 2013