Enhancing the Volunteer Lifecycle. Enhancing. verifiedvolunteers.com / / Option 2

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1 Enhancing the Volunteer Lifecycle 1

2 Introduction Every day, millions of people volunteer. Whether they build houses, distribute food, raise funds, care for animals, tutor students, govern organizations, plant trees, plan events, coach teams, advise on strategy, or provide comfort, volunteers make a difference by sharing their time and talent. How big a difference they make is determined, in large part, by how much thought, effort and support an organization invests in the volunteer s lifecycle. A volunteer s lifecycle is, in fact, a cycle. Some may view the lifecycle of a volunteer as a linear progression from recruitment and training through retention, recognition, and eventually, release or retirement from volunteering. But organizations that recognize that volunteers relationships and roles within an organization can be cyclical are those that are able to measurably increase their impact through volunteer engagement. Such organizations recognize and celebrate that volunteer positions should evolve as organizational needs evolve; that training is not a one-time event, but rather an ongoing endeavor; and that volunteers can shift roles over time, perhaps taking on leadership roles or stepping down from volunteering, but staying connected with an organization as an advocate, a donor or a program participant. While the volunteer lifecycle at these organizations may not be a linear path, the journey is not without direction. Best practices pave the way by enriching the volunteer s experience and increasing the organization s impact. The chapters that follow feature some of these best practices, and include tools and tips to help any organization enhance the volunteer lifecycle. 2

3 Volunteering by the Numbers In 2015: Developing Strategic Roles 62.6 million Americans volunteered Sustaining the Engagement Leadership ladders, shifting to new roles Cultivation Recruitment, information session 24.9% of U.S. adults volunteered 7.8 billion hours were contributed Evaluation and Recognition Tracking impact, thanking volunteers Support Onboarding, holding volunteers accountable, retention Training Initial and ongoing training of volunteers and staff Screening and Placement Application, interview, background checks, matching to the right position 3

4 Table of contents Chapter 1 Creating Roles: What Does it Mean to be Strategic?... 5 Addressing Real Needs... 6 Finding the Strategic Sweet Spot... 7 Defining the Position... 8 Finding the Right Volunteer Takeaway Tips Chapter 2 Screening and Placement: How do you Find the Right Fit? Orientations and Information Sessions Applications Interviews Making an Offer Background Checks When the Shoe Doesn t Fit Takeaway Tips Chapter 3 Training and Retaining Volunteers: How to Support Volunteers for Success Setting up for Success Initial Training Ongoing Professional Development Making Training Accessible Training It s Not Just for Volunteers Assessing Readiness Supporting for Success Retaining When It s Just Not Working Out When Problems Can t be Resolved Takeaway Tips Chapter 4 Evaluation and Recognition: Communicating Volunteer Impact What to Measure The Value of Time Return on Investment From Hours to Outcomes Takeaway Tips

5 Chapter 1 Creating roles: What does it mean to be strategic? The lifecycle of a volunteer at any organization begins well before a volunteer steps foot through the door. A volunteer s lifecycle starts when organizational leaders (staff or volunteers) begin to develop the roles that volunteers will eventually fill. The more strategic and thoughtful these roles are, the more productive and impactful that volunteer s life with the organization will be. Demographics and Interests of Today s Volunteers Strategic Engagement Organizational Needs and Priorities 5

6 Addressing real needs What does it mean to have a strategic volunteer role? Developing strategic volunteer positions means designing roles to address both the needs and priorities of the organization, while also leveraging the interests, motivations and skills of today s volunteers. Volunteers today seek flexible opportunities that use or build their skills, while organizations have needs that directly relate to their ability to provide more or better services, broadcast their message more widely, raise more funds and increase their impact. Finding the overlap between those two arenas is the secret to developing volunteer roles that are strategic. Many organizations succumb to the temptation of developing roles that serve the interests of volunteers, but don t meet real community or organizational needs. One increasingly common example is the desire to create a day-of-service project in response to requests from businesses or service groups. For example, a middle school may identify a classroom to be painted just to provide work to a company that wants to send a team of employees to volunteer on a given Friday. If the painting is really needed, then this is, in fact, strategic work. But, if the project is primarily driven by the need to find something for a team of 20 volunteers to do, then those 20 employees may quickly recognize that the work is not missioncentric. When volunteers view their time as busy work, they are rarely motivated to return to the organization. At the other end of the spectrum, staff members sometimes develop a volunteer position to meet a pressing organizational need, but don t structure the role in a way that fits today s volunteer interests and availability. Envelope-stuffing, of course, is the quintessential example. A theater group may need ticket envelopes stuffed or a human services agency may need someone to answer the phones 30 hours a week, but it is increasingly challenging to find individuals willing to volunteer for this work. When organizations create a role that isn t structured to fit today s volunteers busy schedules or their desire to use their skills, they wonder why no one is responding to the volunteer posting or why volunteers come once and then don t return. The sweet spot is finding the overlap between the organization s needs and the interests of volunteers. 6

7 Finding the strategic sweet spot Thinking back to that example of a day-of-service at the middle school, instead of creating work for a team of 20 corporate employees, the school could assess its true needs and identify activities such as those below to make a measurable difference: Engage the corporate accountant to spend a few hours mentoring the school bookkeeper on new accounting software. Deploy a team of corporate communications staffers to work with teachers to develop a year s worth of newsletter templates so teachers can simply update newsletter templates each month, thereby streamlining and improving their entire parent communications system. Create a more lasting partnership where, once a semester, select middle schoolers spend a morning at the company to learn about potential careers. Taking this approach may mean that fewer employees are engaged on any given Friday, but the impact can be far greater and longer lasting than many done-in-aday projects. Furthermore, these opportunities build more ongoing relationships between the school and the company. They also open the door for future engagements between employees and the school including short term or longer-term engagements, such as mentoring students or providing pro bono services. That is strategic, indeed. 7

8 Defining the position A vital step in developing a volunteer role is the process of writing a position description. All too often, position descriptions focus only on the tasks to be done but position descriptions are much more effective when they focus on key responsibilities, impacts and outcomes and detail the required skills and qualifications. Comprehensive position descriptions include a thoughtful title, key responsibilities, impacts and outcomes, training, support, commitment, qualifications and benefits. Not only does such a position description become the basis of cultivation and setting expectations with new volunteers, but the simple act of writing the position description ensures that the role is, in fact, strategic. For example, if a staff member or volunteer leader is unable to articulate the impact and outcome of a proposed (or existing!) volunteer role, then the position may really fall into the category of busy work rather than meaningful work. 8

9 Title A title can be a motivator or a de-motivator for volunteer recruitment. For example, Committee Chair is not as captivating as Team Captain ; Researcher is not as enticing as CSI Community Service Investigator. Key Responsibilities What is the work the volunteer will be completing? Identify three or four key areas that accurately describe the nature of the work, such as, Convening and leading a team of volunteers to design and implement the annual fundraising walk or Developing and piloting a curriculum for a new outreach program for the museum. Impact and Sustained Outcome What is the immediate difference that this activity/volunteer assignment will make? An example of immediate impact for a volunteer outreach team for a human services agency could be, 250 rural clients will receive referrals to local support services, demonstrating increased access to services. Meanwhile, sustained outcome is the lasting impact on the beneficiaries. Building on the previous example, the sustained outcome is, The quality of life for 250 clients in rural areas will be improved as a result of the agency s counseling services and safety net programs. Training What initial training and ongoing professional development will be provided to ensure that the volunteer will have the skills needed to be successful? For example, All volunteers will receive training and certification in First Aid and CPR. Support What ongoing supervision and resources will the volunteer receive to ensure success? For example, Each team member will meet every other month for two hours for support from the Team Leader. Commitment What is the expected length of time for the assignment and how frequently will volunteers be expected to serve? Skills and Qualifications What existing skills and experience are desired? Benefits What can the volunteer expect to gain as a result of this engagement? For example, Volunteers will be part of a highimpact team, receive specialized training and have access to discounted tickets to organizational events. 9

10 Finding the right volunteer A comprehensive position description includes nearly everything an organization needs to develop a cultivation plan to find just the right candidates for the volunteer position. A cultivation plan differs from a traditional recruitment plan in that cultivation is designed to look not only externally at those who are not yet connected to the organization, but also internally at existing volunteers to identify any volunteers who are ready to move into a new role. Cultivation Plan Consider these questions when developing a cultivation plan: Who has the skills and interest to do this work? Where will you find them? (What professions? Schools? Organizations?) Who knows them? (Consider your current staff members, volunteers, board members, donors, program participants and others.) The power of the Ask For most organizations, the number one way that individuals first learn about the opportunity to volunteer is because someone asked. Who are your potential recruiters for this position and how will you train them to do recruitment? What information will the prospective volunteer need to make an informed decision? How will you track the efficacy of recruitment? 10

11 Takeaway tips Conduct a needs assessment internally with staff members to identify real organizational needs. Become familiar with volunteer trends, understanding the interests and desires of potential volunteers in your community or networks. Ensure that every volunteer position at your organization is strategic addressing real needs while also leveraging today s volunteer interests. Complete a comprehensive position description for every volunteer position. Develop a cultivation plan that identifies the right target audiences for your available volunteer position. Are you Reaching Across the Generations? In 2015, Gen Xers led the nation in terms of volunteer rates volunteering at a rate of 28.9%. Baby Boomers at 25.7% and Millennials at 21.9% followed and over 55 and over 65 and over Source: VolunteeringInAmerica.gov 11

12 Chapter 2 Screening and placement: How do you find the right fit? While a volunteer s lifecycle begins with the development of a strategic volunteer role, the success and impact of the relationship depends on finding the right individual to fill the role or creating the right role for that potential volunteer. This is where screening comes in. Interviews are a vital step in this process, but not the only step. The screening process can include orientations or information sessions, application, interviews and background checks, as well as trial periods, mentorships (pairing new volunteers with experienced volunteers), and required training or certifications. Not all steps are needed for every position, but most positions should include at least an orientation and some form of an interview. The design and formality of each of these steps depends on the size of the organization, the number of volunteer positions available and, of course, the specific nature of the volunteer work. For example, volunteers who will be mentoring youth should have background checks as part of the screening process, while a group coming for a day to help sort donations in a food pantry may not need a full criminal background check. To determine the most appropriate elements of the screening process, it helps to understand the unique purpose and value of each of these possible steps. 12

13 Orientations and information sessions Orientations or information sessions should be designed to provide potential volunteers with enough information to help them decide whether or not to apply to volunteer there. An orientation features information on the organization, its mission and core work and the roles that volunteers can play. Increasingly, organizations are including more interactive elements into orientations, so that potential volunteers try their hand at some of the tasks involved in the available volunteer roles. For example, a museum may ask potential volunteers to bring an object from home, and then be prepared to talk about what it means to them or their family history as a way to demonstrate their ability to interpret objects and see if becoming a docent or interpreter is the right fit for them. Applications Only after an orientation should volunteers be invited to apply for a position if they are interested. An application should include basic contact information, of course, plus information about the individuals experience, interests and skills. Asking individuals to list what skills they have to share (or providing a list from which they can select) becomes especially valuable if the organization is seeking skills-based volunteers to help with marketing, graphics or photography, for example. Through the application, individuals should also be asked to indicate which position or positions they are interested in pursuing, but it should still be the organization s decision whether the individual is the best fit for the position. Fit is determined through interviews. 13

14 Interviews Interviewing potential volunteers is very important for both the organization and volunteer candidates. An interview is an opportunity for an organization to learn whether the individual has the motivation and skills, and is an overall fit for the position in question. It s a chance to set (or reinforce) expectations for what it means to volunteer with the agency. The candidate also has goals for the interview. Through well-run interviews, volunteer candidates should be able to learn whether they have the required skills to do the work or can be trained to do so, if the schedule fits their availability and, ultimately, if they can envision themselves being successful as a volunteer there. While day-of-service projects rarely require interviews, being placed in any project-based volunteer roles or ongoing volunteer positions should include an interview. Although interviewing takes time, the investment early on in the screening process pays off with better placements and fewer problems down the road. Group interviews are especially useful when an organization needs to place a large volume of volunteers in a short period of time. Recruiting and placing volunteers for a large, multi-day experience such as a sports festival or a big cultural event may require interviewing hundreds of volunteers. Having volunteer placement counselors meeting with groups of volunteer candidates saves time and has other benefits. When volunteer roles involve working in teams, interviewing candidates in groups allows the interviewer to see how the individuals function in a group or team atmosphere. Does the candidate take over the conversation or fade into the background? These observations may be useful in finding the right role for individuals or turning them away if the fit is just not there. Many strategies can save time and build staff s capacity to interview, including engaging experienced volunteers as interviewers and conducting group interviews. Developing a placement team of volunteers to conduct interviews provides leadership opportunities for experienced volunteers, while also demonstrating to all volunteer candidates how much the organization values and trusts volunteers. 14

15 Making an offer Background checks No matter how positive the rapport is during an interview, it s best to refrain from making any offers during the interview. Waiting a few days to follow up provides an important period of time for volunteers to think it over and be sure they are still interested in making the commitment. It is amazing what questions and new information arise during a follow up call a few days after an interview. If both the organization and the individual are still interested after the follow up call, an offer can be made. Once it is accepted, it is the right time to communicate next steps, which could involve a meeting to set up a schedule, passing additional background checks or completing initial training. Running background checks on new volunteers is vital, especially but not only when those volunteers will be working with vulnerable populations or your financial assets. With no screening program in place, organizations endanger staff and clients, leave themselves open to the risk of theft and may face litigation, negative publicity, a downturn in donations, damaged morale and a crisis in recruitment and retention. Most important to keep in mind is that not all background checks are created equal. Some organizations are required to run fingerprint checks, but the notion that they are the most reliable way to conduct criminal record checks is a fallacy. Fingerprint checks query the FBI s National Crime Information Center, which is based on voluntary submission of records by each state. The records are often flawed, inaccurate and missing critical information. Similarly, a nationwide database locator search sounds all-encompassing, but in actuality includes outdated and incomplete information. For these reasons, it s essential that multiple searches are run: a nationwide database search and additional searches such as address history and alias name searches conducted at the county or state level. These searches should always be supplemented with a comprehensive sex offender search (the Dru Sjodin 50 State Department of Justice Sex Offender Registry [NSOPW], which is 15

16 the only real-time, up-to-date sex offender search at this time). Rescreening volunteers on a regular basis is key to maintaining the safety and security of your organization and its constituents, as a volunteer can commit a crime at any time after an initial background check has been run. Why do Organizations Screen Volunteers? Verified Volunteers surveyed 350 organizations on their background screening practices, challenges, and concerns. Top reasons for screening volunteers: Safety Protect constituents and vulnerable populations Protect reputation Improve quality of volunteers Improve compliance 88% 85% 78% 39% 29% 13% Background Checks by the Numbers 9 out of 10 organizations conduct at least one type of criminal record check 87% of organizations conduct a sex offender search Increase retention 57.4% of organizations conduct background checks on all volunteers before they are brought on board Source: Verified Volunteers Volunteer Screening Trends & Best Practices Report:

17 When the shoe doesn t fit Takeaway tips Sometimes, potential volunteers opt out before being offered the position. When that happens, it is a mark of a successful screening process. Providing individuals with enough information to determine that they are simply not right or it is not the right time for this volunteer opportunity saves time and energy later, by avoiding having a volunteer who is unable to fulfill the duties or who is placed but quits shortly thereafter. When designing an interview, include many different types of questions. Below are examples of four different types of questions that can reveal useful information about potential volunteers: Problem-Solving Please take a look at this brochure about our programs and tell us how you would improve it. If the individual doesn t opt out, but rather the organization recognizes that the individual is not the best candidate, then an organization can consider referring the individual to another agency or the local volunteer center, while also confirming the information in writing. Situational Your volunteer assignment is to develop a new curriculum for our outreach education programs. Whom would you engage to help you and why? Experiential Describe a paid or volunteer experience in which you were the leader of other people. What went well? What would you do differently next time? Skills What are the skills at which you are most proficient? 17

18 Chapter 3 Training and retaining volunteers: How to support volunteers for success Placing an individual as a volunteer is a big step, but it does not mean that the organization can now switch to autopilot. Rather, ensuring that volunteers are successful and that both the organization and volunteers mutually benefit from the engagement takes ongoing attention and investment through training, support and accountability. 18

19 Setting up for success Initial training Organizations that are strategic in their volunteer engagement recognize that training is not only for volunteers. They actively train both volunteers and staff members in skills and competencies to fulfill their responsibilities, engage and lead others and hold others accountable for the work they agree to do. Training includes both initial training, which prepares individuals to do their jobs, as well as ongoing professional development, which keeps their skills sharp and promotes continued improvement. To determine the content of training and the best method to deliver it, organizations should consider first the core information that every volunteer needs to know, including the mission and vision, history, basic policies and procedures and safety. Core information for all volunteers is best delivered in general volunteer trainings required of all new volunteers for example, wayfinding information at a large museum or safety procedures and CPR for volunteers at a recreation center. Learning New Skills is Valued 2/3 of college-educated people aged are open to training and education to advance their transition to encore roles, which includes volunteering. The next question to consider is what additional information and skills do volunteers need to have in order to be successful in a specific volunteer position? What gaps in knowledge or skill would impede the volunteers success or safety in each role? The answers to these questions become the basis for position-specific training or specialized training, such as customer service training for museum greeters, animal handling training for dog walkers at a humane society or basketball rules for youth league referees. Source: Back to School for Encore Talent Encore.org 2014 Encore Career Survey. 19

20 Ongoing professional development Finally, once volunteers have been onboarded and initially trained, what additional levels of skill would be beneficial to maintain or enhance proficiency while also inspiring current volunteers to stay engaged? These skills can be delivered through ongoing professional development and higher level certifications, for example, advanced animal handling that allows experienced volunteers to work with additional breeds of animals at a shelter, new scientific information so that a docent can conduct additional tours or leadership skills so an experienced hospice volunteer can mentor newer volunteers. Making training accessible Given how busy many of today s volunteers are, making training as flexible as possible helps to make volunteering accessible to more people. If portions of training are online, volunteers can participate on their own schedule and from the convenience of their homes or offices. For organizations that have not yet offered online trainings, engaging a skilled volunteer to help adapt existing training into online modules is a great way to build capacity beyond what staff alone can achieve. Volunteers can be equally helpful with in-person trainings, as they can help develop training modules, lead portions of the training or both. Hybrid Training Hits a High Note 48% of college-educated adults seeking encore opportunities prefer classes that include both in-person and online components. Source: Back to School for Encore Talent Encore.org 2014 Encore Career Survey. 20

21 Training it s not just for volunteers Training staff is equally as important as training volunteers, yet many organizations do not invest the time and effort in ensuring that staff members other than the volunteer coordinators or directors have the skills and competencies to effectively work with volunteers. Expecting every staff member to automatically know how to engage volunteers and do it well is a recipe for frustration and disappointment on everyone s part. When designing training for staff members, organizations should consider: Is volunteer engagement incorporated into staff position descriptions where appropriate? Are those staff members held accountable for working with volunteers? When new staff members are onboarded, are the volunteer engagement expectations and philosophy addressed in the new employee orientation? Do staff members who work with volunteers receive training and coaching on how to effectively partner with volunteers? Do all staff members know where to go if they encounter challenges, have ideas about volunteer engagement or want to learn more? Just as with volunteers, ensuring that staff members are able to confidently and effectively engage volunteers depends on both initial training and ongoing professional development to continually hone and expand their ability to lead and support volunteers. This can be achieved through formal training sessions or less formal coaching by the volunteer coordinators or directors whose jobs should include coaching colleagues on best practices in volunteer engagement. 21

22 Assessing readiness Supporting for success Whether staff or volunteers, training alone is not sufficient. Assessing whether the individuals have, in fact, learned the necessary knowledge and are proficient at the needed skills is also important. Tests are one means to assess knowledge and, in some cases, tests may be appropriate but there are also many other ways to assess readiness. A museum seeking to certify volunteers to work directly with paleontology specimens may require volunteers to pass an exam to demonstrate their understanding of fossil identification, preparation and care. Meanwhile, a faith-based agency training volunteers as parachaplains may instead require mentorship with a more experienced para-chaplain where the new volunteer shadows and then is supported for a period of time by the mentor before being certified to work independently. Equally important as training is creating a culture of mutual support. In a culture of support, staff members ensure that volunteers have all that they need to be successful, which can include sufficient training, space, technology and other tools to do their job and do it well. Support goes both ways. Volunteers work in support of staff, helping to build staff s capacity to do their jobs and increase the impact of the organization. Organizations that nurture a culture of support ensure that: Expectations are clearly set at the outset of all staff-volunteer partnerships. Expectations are written in the position descriptions, reviewed in initial meetings and revisited occasionally throughout the volunteer s engagement. Staff members and volunteer leaders are clear on what is expected of them in terms of engaging volunteers. Everyone is provided with training to be successful in his/her roles. Volunteers check in regularly with staff or volunteer team leaders to monitor progress, ask questions or troubleshoot problems and collaborate. Feedback and coaching are provided regularly both positive and negative. The impact of the volunteers involvement is tracked and shared regularly. When organizations develop processes for these steps and embed them in their procedures, the volunteer-staff partnership is more productive and, in fact, volunteers stay longer with the organization. 22

23 Retaining For decades, retention has been measured by how many years volunteers stay with an organization. Today, as people move, change careers and face increased demands on their time, volunteers seek to have shorter term, project-based roles as volunteers. In that case, retention should be measured by whether or not an individual completes the role for which they signed up. If a volunteer develops and manages a new fundraising activity for a hospital and completes the event on time and on budget, is it really a retention failure if the individual then steps away from actively volunteering for a few months if his career revs up? Not in the least! This individual completed the job as scoped. Organizations should think about retention in new ways by honoring those who complete their commitments, and developing ways to stay connected with those individuals so that they know they will be welcomed back when their schedules allow them to re-engage. setting the stage for success Thorough screening Thoughtful placement Clear expectations Sufficient training Checking progress Ongoing feedback 23

24 When it s just not working out Even in a perfect world when staff and volunteer leaders take all the proper steps to set themselves up for success, problems arise every once in a while. Yet, for those who are familiar with the warning signs, problems are rarely a surprise. A volunteer who is frequently tardy or absent or who does not respond to communications is giving warning signs of possible problems. Similarly, it s a red flag when a volunteer s quality of work goes down. These warning signs indicate that it s time to check in with the volunteer. Heeding the warning signs means taking the time to address problems as they arise. Yet, it is easy to succumb to the common myth that ignoring a problem will make it go away. When volunteer engagement professionals ignore problem signs, little problems become big problems. And, big problems are harder to address and usually take more time. During a check-in meeting, the staff or volunteer leader should share observations about the problem behaviors and ask if there is something getting in the way of the volunteer s performance. Has the volunteer s schedule or availability changed? Does he need more or different training? Is she interested in moving to a different position or in ending her volunteer role, at least for now? If the volunteer is interested in continuing in the position, then it is vital to reiterate expectations for behavior and performance and establish a timeline for complying. Then, a follow-up meeting should be scheduled to review progress and ensure that agreements are met. For this reason (among others), documenting the discussion in writing is especially important, as the agreements should be reviewed at the next meeting. Making Difficult Conversations a Little Easier Set up a meeting and be prepared Take the emotion out of it Start with observations Relate to expectations Clarify ongoing expectations and offer tools to improve Set timeline and check-ins Document, document, document Reward improvement 24

25 When problems can t be resolved If a volunteer is not working out and cannot be retrained, re-assigned or referred, it may be time to release the individual. Every organization should have a comprehensive volunteer policy manual that explains expectations around conduct, confidentiality and performance, as well as outlines the grounds for release from the organization, and make these policies available to all volunteers as part of their onboarding. When problems arise, the organization should be sure to investigate and determine whether the situation warrants dismissal from the volunteer corps. If so, a meeting should be held in private with the volunteer to explain the reasoning, collect any organizational ID cards or the like and follow up in writing. Takeaway tips It is inevitable that some challenges may arise between staff and volunteers or between volunteers, but these challenges can be minimized by: Conducting thorough screening Making thoughtful placements Clarifying expectations early and often Providing sufficient training Checking progress every step of the way Providing feedback 25

26 Chapter 4 Evaluation and recognition: Communicating volunteer impact Volunteers today are motivated by the chance to do meaningful work work that makes a difference. When volunteers don t believe their time and talent are well used, then they are likely to take their time and talents and go elsewhere to volunteer. Therefore, it s incumbent upon an organization to measure and communicate the impact that volunteers have. Promoting volunteer impact is a powerful way to attract new volunteers. Assessing whether the work of current volunteers aligns with the mission as intended is a necessary part of holding volunteers accountable. Acknowledging the difference that volunteers make is a motivating form of recognition. In other words, evaluating volunteer impact is vital throughout the entire lifecycle of volunteers. Of course, measuring volunteer impact is not only valuable for volunteers. Understanding the impact of volunteer involvement can help improve programs, build staff buy-in for their engagement efforts and communicate to funders, donors and the larger community how the organization is stewarding its resources overall. 26

27 What to measure The value of time When volunteers are strategically engaged, their work directly aligns with mission. That means that every aspect of a volunteer s activity can be mapped to an outcome that supports the mission. Nevertheless, most organizations continue to measure volunteer contributions simply by counting the number of hours volunteers engage. While it can be enlightening to acknowledge the dedication and commitment of volunteers, counting hours is limiting, at best, and misleading, at worst. More hours does not necessarily translate to more impact, nor does it promote efficiency. More is not necessarily better. Hours may need to be tracked for certain grant reporting requirements, but there is value in getting beyond hours alone. Value of a Volunteer Hour $23.56 per hour Estimated value of volunteer time for 2015 according to the independent sector Valued in Billions $184 Billion of service contributed in 2015 by more than 62 million American volunteers Source: One step to getting beyond counting hours is to translate those hours into dollar values based on meaningful and relevant financial values. The Independent Sector provides annual estimates of the value of volunteer time nationally and by state. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Labor Statistics provides hourly rates of pay for a large database of occupations and industries. By using this valuable resource to find comparable hourly values for different volunteer positions, an organization can calculate an even more accurate value of volunteer time. For example, an organization that runs a resale store as a primary source of revenue may engage a pro bono technology consultant to refine the store s inventory and sales software. That consultant provides 25 hours of consulting over a month, making recommendations and refinements to this system that result in saved staff time, better efficiency and more accurate reporting on clothing and housewares donations and sales. The estimated hourly wages for Software Developers and Programmers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is more than $47 per hour. On the other hand, the estimated hourly wage for a retail cashier is $10.10 per hour. Both the cashiers and the pro bono consultant provide valuable services and should be recognized for it. But it is also important to recognize the relative value of each, as paying an individual to do each job would cost very different amounts on the open market. 27

28 Return on investment New methods to assess and value volunteer contributions take into consideration not only the value of the volunteer talent but also the amount of time and money that the organization invests in recruiting, training, supporting, supervising and recognizing volunteers. The Return on Volunteer Investment (ROVI) measure was developed by Points of Light and Reimagining Service as part of the Service Enterprise movement. Research now shows that organizations that truly embrace volunteer engagement as a core strategy have higher Return on Volunteer Investment values than those that don t. The return on volunteer investment value is a powerful tool to share with funders or potential funders when seeking resources to support volunteer engagement. Being able to demonstrate how much a donor s investment will reap in return can lead to increased donations. This certainly is another compelling reason to measure volunteer impact! For example, a botanic garden may have a full time volunteer coordinator and a corps of 40 volunteers who assist with the grounds for six months of the year. The return on volunteer investment is about $1.35 for every dollar invested in volunteer engagement. On the other hand, an animal shelter may have a volunteer coordinator and 40 volunteers who serve in multiple roles, including supervising other volunteers, serving as adoption counselors, doing data entry and helping out as marketing consultants, along with walking dogs and doing laundry. For this shelter, the return on investment is more than $6 for every dollar invested. 28

29 From hours to outcomes Of course, hours and dollars are not the only way to measure impact. Ultimately, engaging volunteers strategically should be about increasing outcomes for the organization and its beneficiaries. Outcomes-based evaluation focuses on tracking and measuring the difference that volunteers make in such terms as people reached, trees planted, books distributed, improved school performance by students being tutored, health screenings conducted, legislation passed and more. Measuring outcomes in these terms really tells the story of the vital roles that volunteers play in an organization and in the community. also helping dozens of athletes stay safe and healthy. Volunteer health educators from a hospital provide valuable information to hundreds of community members on how to manage chronic illnesses, thereby raising awareness of the hospital in outlying areas, saving staff time, and, most importantly, helping community members live healthier lives. City gardens volunteers who spend a spring afternoon laying down mulch around trees in the city s park enable the city to reduce its park watering by thousands of gallons of water each summer. Examples of outcomes-based measurements include: A volunteer project manager who plans and implements an outreach event for a library increases the number of students exposed to the library resources by personally reaching an additional 125 students. A team leader at an aquarium who welcomes the entire shift of volunteers and supervises them is responsible for leading 18 other volunteers. A volunteer who provides safety training for coaches in a youth sports league is building skills of the 10 coaches while Tracking the impact of volunteer contributions in terms of outcomes is, for many, the most powerful means of recognition. Given that volunteers are motivated by the opportunity to make a tangible difference, what better way to thank volunteers than by acknowledging the difference they have, in fact, made? More and more, volunteers are seeking more personal forms of recognition for their work rather than one-size-fits-all approaches, such as giving everyone a mug or other memento. A personal and sincere thank you goes a long way to inspire volunteers. Acknowledging the impact of volunteers work goes even further. 29

30 Takeaway tips Innovative ideas for volunteer recognition Opportunities to share the impact of their work: o Have the volunteer make a presentation to the board o Invite the volunteer to write an article on the project for the newsletter o Ask the volunteer to represent the organization at community meetings Opportunities to gain or develop new skills: o Send the volunteer to a conference o Send the volunteer to a lecture or program by an expert in a field related to his/her volunteer work Small but meaningful tokens of appreciation: o Donate a book to a library in the volunteer s name o Create a survival kit and distribute before an event, including things that will help the volunteers thrive even under stressful conditions, such as an energy bar, a water bottle and a throat lozenge 30

31 Special thanks to our guest author, Beth Steinhorn, President, JFFixler Group About JFFixler Group As leading national consultants who work across the US and Canada, JFFixler Group believes that organizations can increase and sustain their impact by embracing volunteer engagement as a core business strategy. By tapping into volunteers skills and networks strategically, organizations can address vital needs in the world while stewarding their resources more wisely, revitalizing staff and leaders, and spreading their messages more widely. JFFixler Group helps organizations achieve this vision through planning, coaching, training and resources. About Verified Volunteers Verified Volunteers helps nonprofit organizations gain confidence in the volunteers working with those they serve by delivering thorough, compliant background checks. By enabling volunteers to order, manage and share their background checks via a secure online platform, we create a community of vetted volunteers and help nonprofit organizations save time and money. Our extensive expertise in screening and compliance best practices help clients recruit the best volunteers in order to maintain a safe environment and positive reputation. Verified Volunteers is backed by Sterling Talent Solutions, one of the world s largest background screening companies and partnered with Points of Light, the world s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service. Want More? In addition to this ebook, Verified Volunteers regularly publishes research and insights on the latest trends in volunteer screening and volunteer program management. For more information, contact us at: info@verifiedvolunteers.com Option 2 verifiedvolunteers.com