“Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.”
—Martin Luther King, Jr.
Today marks the 25th Anniversary of the Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday. Across the country, Americans will answer Dr. King’s call to action: “What are you doing for others?” by joining in volunteer efforts to serve their neighbors and communities.
Thanks in part to President Obama’s national call to service volunteerism is surging. However, nonprofits that rely heavily on volunteers, often don’t utilize them to their fullest. In homage to “Overheard in New York,” here’s a few things I’ve overheard at area nonprofits that make me shudder. The solutions may seem obvious, but all too often nonprofits are guilty of flaws that lead to an unsatisfying volunteering experience.
Overheard: “Oh, she’s just my volunteer.”
Solution: Have a structure in place. People should be volunteering for the organization, not just for individual staff members. Do you have a volunteer policy? What about procedures for working with volunteers? A volunteer handbook? Most important, do you have someone to manage them? Volunteers need to know who they report to and how they fit into the organization’s structure.
Overheard: “Don’t you have anything for me to do?”
Solution: Be prepared before accepting volunteers. Schedule your volunteers, know when they’re coming, and have something ready for them to do for the entire time that they’re there. If you don’t have tasks ready, reschedule for another time. It’s better than having a volunteer show up only to feel like they’re not needed. Don’t waste their time or yours.
Overheard: “Sorry, I didn’t know you were a volunteer.”
Solution: Treat them like a new employee. Show them around the office. Take the time to explain how the organization operates, and how things get done. Make sure that they are comfortable and don’t leave them to do a task without checking in on them. Introduce them to other volunteers and staff. Schedule their time on a calendar that all staff can see, so that everyone knows when volunteers are in the office and who they are.
Overheard: “Well, I could have done that.”
Solution: Teach ‘em to fish. Volunteers are often more capable than we think. All too often organizations mitigate boring, administrative tasks to volunteers for fear that they might screw up more involved projects. If you have a competent volunteer, take the time to train them to do more advanced tasks. It will save you time in the long run.
Overheard: “I would love to have been there, if only I’d known.”
Solution: Keep them in the loop. Don’t just communicate with volunteers when you want something from them, and if you do want something from them, make sure to communicate it. Share success stories. Let them know what’s coming up on the calendar. Tell them what you’re working on. For a dedicated volunteer, your newsletter should recap what they already know, and not be full of surprises.
And of course… Always say thank you. I hate seeing volunteers walk out of an organization without anyone saying goodbye, or more important, “Thanks!” They’re probably not doing it for the recognition, but it never hurts to acknowledge them. Everyone likes to know they’re appreciated.
Charityville 