Volunteers — Attracting Them To Your Cause
What is the most important component of a volunteer program? The most important component is the plan that determines how well the program is being run.
In many cases, an organization will send out the call for volunteers without understanding why volunteers are needed or planning carefully to use them well. Every volunteer program should begin with an understanding of what volunteers can do and how they mesh into all of the organization’s operations. This means that all volunteer opportunities should be designed, not just desired.
Volunteers like to be challenged to do work that expands their skills and experiences. They want to be successful, but often need to be motivated to achieve what the organization desires. All of that takes management.
A Study conducted recently found that 80% of non-profits rely on volunteers to provide services and activities, but admit that they simply are not managing them as they should or even could. The Study found that the best prepared and most effective volunteer programs are those with paid staff members who devote substantial time to managing that valuable resource. And when staff spent more time, the organization adopted better volunteer management practices.
The lesson here? A good volunteer program begins with a good plan—decisions made about how to manage volunteers, job development and design, coordination and motivation and the measurement of results and accountability for producing results. In other words, the organization must designate someone to be in charge of volunteer program development. When that happens, volunteers will know what is expected of them, will know when they have succeeded, will be excited about taking on new projects, and will become prime prospects for gifts of their treasure as well as their time.
In recent years, more than half of Americans have become involved in volunteer activity in any given year. That amounts to some 19 billion hours of time devoted annually to non-profits ranging from the arts, education, and the environment to government, health, religion, and more. Virtually anyone can be looked at as a prospective volunteer. While that is a huge potential resource, don’t be fooled into thinking that volunteers will just fall into your lap.
Beyond good volunteer management, the typical volunteer increasingly prefers short time commitments and great flexibility in scheduling. Also important are peer relationships; volunteers desire to have a friend or a group with which to work. And don’t overlook training—how can they be more effective and do the job right? The more you can meet the unique needs and desires of a volunteer, the greater the likelihood you’ll have a committed, excited, and productive ally.
What’s in it for the volunteers? What do they get out of it? Let me suggest several things:
The reward of helping others. People enjoy helping people, pets, plants; you name it. There is an altruistic satisfaction that comes from lending a helping hand. The more you can enhance that feeling, the more attractive your volunteer program will be.
Service to “the cause.” No matter what the cause, individuals will rally around it. From religion to education to homelessness, service seems to be an innate attribute of the American social consciousness. Help your volunteers recognize the value and depth of their service.
Learn and develop new skills. Most people who seek new avenues of service or expression are excited by the potential for new discoveries. Encourage and enhance that potential.
Sense of community. A century or more ago, barn-raising was a prime example of community. Now it may be building a Habitat for Humanity House or creating a hiking or biking trail. Working together for community betterment and for people of the community still is a strong motivator for volunteers. Help them feel it.
Create new friendships. As social creatures, we all appreciate someone who offers a smile, a hug, a hearty handshake, who listens and does not condemn. Like-minded people often gravitate to the same activities, making volunteering a perfect way to meet new people. Provide a framework in your volunteer program for building friendships.
Put a few of these ideas to work to help your organization become more attractive. One pundit has said, “If all else fails, do it correctly.” Create an excellent volunteer management program and you’ll have all the help you’ll need.