a best practice volunteer program – leveraging community ... · a best practice volunteer program...

© Family Life Inc. Friday, May 08, 2009

A Best Practice Volunteer Program –Leveraging Community Goodwill

Track: Operations

Judith Latta – Community Relations Manager

2© Family Life Inc. Friday, May 08, 2009

For further information please visit:www.familylife.com.au

Go to the Volunteers section

The password isneworleans


On the Web:• Recruitment - advertisement for Volunteers• Volunteer training manual• Volunteer brochure• Volunteer coordinator job description• Volunteer policy• Volunteer induction handbook


The Presentation

• What would you like to get out of the session?

• Questions?? • Issues??


…………………..Thriving Children

• Not for profit

• Community owned


Australia – Victoria - Melbourne


Our Sites in Melbourne


Overview of Presentation – 3 key points

• Volunteering needs to be embedded in your organisational culture

• The Volunteer Coordinator – must be good

• Key elements of a best-practice volunteer program


Overview of Presentation – Point 1



Volunteers and Staff

• 80 staff

• 280 Volunteers

• Volunteers valued at $1,040,000 in contributed labour


Whole of Community Model


Founded by Volunteers - 1970


Honouring our Founding Volunteers

•Help staff to understand the role volunteers have played, and continue to play in your organisation


Recruitment of Staff

• Recruit staff who have been a volunteer

• Recruit staff who have worked with Volunteers

• Ask probing questions during the interview


Volunteer Policy

• Develop a volunteer policy • Rights• Responsibilities• Grievance policy• What can be expectedfrom a volunteer

• What your organisation is expected to offer the volunteer

Family Support Volunteers


Fundraising Volunteers – Need Support

Charity Ball Volunteers

• Promote community goodwill• Raise money • Raise profile of organisation• Attracted potential Volunteers and donors

• Need support from paid staff - Especially around issues relating to: • Fundraising Act• Marketing • Managing the event • Brand management• Agency reputation


Engaged Volunteers

• Engaged philanthropists

• Donated $525,000 over 6 years to fund an innovative program for at-risk babies and their families

• Volunteers are likely to donate


Thrift Store Volunteers

•70 Volunteers• Raised $1,200,000

• Service low income families, trade-buyers and other customers


Thrift Store Volunteers

• Mini community - run theirown volunteer recognition awards and systems

• Issues ----

• Keep then enrolled and aligned to the organisation

•Average age 70

• Succession plan


Social Enterprise – Thrift Store

• 60 mentors - volunteers

• 250 participants:•Training• Work experience • Personal support• Help finding a job

• $250,000 per annum in sales


Involve Volunteers

• Keep Volunteers informed

• Allow decision-making –within defined boundaries

• Involve in planning

• Encourage Volunteers to mix around between sites


Costs of Running a Volunteer Program

Costs of running a volunteer program include:• Salary of Coordinator and Management salaries • On-costs – Superannuation, insurance,

training, = equivalent to another salary • IT systems and computers• Insurance and Infrastructure• Our program costs around $200,000 pa• Contributed labour $1,040,000• Return on Investment


Volunteer Coordinator

Job Description• Key Objective:

• To develop community involvement in Family Life, its services and its programs



• Recruit • Interview, assess, screen• Match • Volunteer satisfaction• Occupational Health and Safety• Data Base• Recognise• Reward• Retire



• Get to know all Volunteers

• Good listener

• Good people skills


Volunteer Coordinator – Work Plan

After each event

Report on the attendance of Volunteers at events

Volunteer lunch and cocktail party

Recognise and reward.

Monthly report

Report on the issues or disputes involving Volunteers

All staff understand the benefits of volunteering

Maintain staff focus on benefits of Volunteers.

Retention

Progress Report

TimelineMeasureKPIsTasksProjects

• Goal - To Maintain and Grow Volunteer program


Volunteer Coordinator – Work Plan

Oct 2008 medium age-75 yearsOct 09 medium age aim – 70 years

OngoingLower medium age of Volunteers

10 new inducted Volunteers working in Thrift Shop

Develop advertising campaign

Recruitment

Progress Report

TimelineMeasureKPIsTasksProjects

• Goal - To Maintain and Grow Volunteer program



•Try to employ a volunteer coordinator who lives in the area.


Give Volunteers a Voice….

• Give Volunteers a voice

• Regular meetings

• Document and minute all meetings

• Be clear about boundaries and roles


Organisational Chart – Staff and Volunteers

Board

CEO – Jo Cavanagh

Community Relations Function

Volunteer Sub Board

Social Enterprises Volunteers

EventsVolunteers

Family SupportVolunteers


Recruitment of Volunteers – Needs Analysis

• What skills are needed ?

• Are we ready to engage and utilise the volunteer ? If not – don’t recruit!

• What personality type will fit in ?Be very clear and very specific.


Recruiting the Right Volunteer

• Prepare a detailed job description for all volunteer roles

• Be clear about the reporting structure

• Who will supervise the volunteer?


Board Member and Founding Director

• Recruit Board based on needs-analysis of your organisation

• Succession planning is crucial – for all of your Volunteers


Recruiting the Right Volunteer

Targeted campaign• Word of mouth – “Ask”• School newsletters• Service clubs eg Rotary • Community Service Volunteers – youth• Business Volunteers – targeted –there are considerations


Recruitment - Brochure


Recruitment – Targeted Advertising


Interview Volunteers

• Interview – Personality? Skills? Fit?

• Application form•Screen Volunteers – don’t feel obliged

• Suggest an alternative

• Police check• Working with children check • Confidentiality Agreement• Code of ethics Agreement

• Matching is crucial


Volunteer Induction Process – Flow Chart


Induct Your Volunteers

• Induction - to all aspects of the organisation• Annual Report• Introduce them to other staff and Volunteers

• Agency culture• What they can expect from the organisation • What is expected from them

• Thrift Store - Code of Ethics for pricing and on-selling etc.


Why do Volunteers, Volunteer?

• Helping others•Satisfaction from

giving• Friendship• Give back to

community


Why do Volunteers, Volunteer?

• Belong to a community

• Professional development

• Work experience• Compulsion


Develop a Volunteer Engagement Strategy

• Create a community of Volunteers

• Create opportunities for Volunteers to come together

• Create an environment where Volunteers feel comfortable and willing to socialise and share their experiences


Celebrate and Socialise

• Celebrate successes

• Socialise

• Use social opportunities to provide feedback on:

salesprogram outcomeswhat the organisation is doing


Volunteer Celebration – Annual Lunch

• Celebrate National Volunteer’s Week

• Approximately two hours• Held midyear• CEO or Board Member Speech

• Honour each volunteer group • Reconnection to the

organisation• Guest speaker


Volunteer Celebration – End of Year Cocktail Party

• End of year • Celebrate the contribution made by Volunteers

• Volunteers’ report card• How money was used• Success stories• The future - plans• Volunteer retirements


Communicate with Volunteers

Keep Volunteers enrolled and engaged• Annual Report

• Newsletter

• E newsletter

• Attend some of their meetings

• Take the time to talk to them when they come in

• Annual General Meeting


Provide a Safe Working Environment

• Meetings

• Occupational Health and Safety

• Reporting structure for safety issues


Feedback Mechanisms

• Provide Volunteers with feedback mechanisms

• Annual Survey of Volunteers

• Meetings

• Sub Board

• Board


Review of Volunteer Management Systems

Continuous Improvement

•Three-year forward plan

• Relationship Management System data base

• Government audits


Volunteer – Professional Development

•Training • induction• safety, security and OH&S• working with clients• working with vulnerable babies• mental health issues• drug and alcohol issues• computer training


Volunteer – Professional Development

•Training • sales and up-selling• communication skills• bullying – what is it in the workplace?


Volunteer Recognition

• Volunteer Morning Teas

• Training sessions and professional development

• Awards for long service

• Awards for contribution

• Cocktail party

• On the web site

•Thank you – thank you – letters, and lots of feedback


The Difficult Volunteer – Warning Signs

If you ignore the difficult volunteer – they won’t go away !

Your community reputation is at stake

• Spending more time than is required in the job description

• Coming in every day - too often

• Creating a clique• ‘Branch’ separation of power• Not wanting to attend training• Bullying• Controlling• Not following organisation policy


The Difficult Volunteer - Strategies

• Prevent !!!!!• Policies and processes • Communicate• Understand what is going on• Develop relationships• Document and record minutes of meetings

• Address the problem


The Difficult Volunteer - Strategies

•Can you turn problem into a positive outcome?• Will targeted training help?• Talk openly and honestly with the

other Volunteers• Circuit breakers…………………..• Invite them in for a chat – table

the issues• Move the volunteer • Change the dynamics of the

team • (Ask them to leave…..)


When Volunteers Rally – During a Disaster

•The power of the volunteer to achieve

• Ignore government regulations and protocols??

• Need to be thanked • Need to be managed • Need to de-centralise• Breeching normal protocols • Sept 11• Hurricane Katrina


Managing Volunteers in a Crisis

•Communicate –(over communicate)

• Give Volunteers a focus –a role that you can manage

•Try to ensure normal protocols and policies are observed


Advocacy – Recognition of, and Funding for Volunteers

• Volunteers offer an excellent return on investment

• Volunteers add value and enable innovation

• Sustainability and continuity of programs

• Equivalent to 15 staff = $1,040,000

• Recognition of Volunteers – funding is needed for organisations to run best-practice Volunteer programs


Summary





Questions ??

For further information please visit:www.familylife.com.au

Go to the Volunteers section

The password isneworleans


On the Web:• Recruitment - advertisement for Volunteers• Volunteer training manual• Volunteer brochure• Volunteer coordinator job description• Volunteer policy• Volunteer induction handbook


Questions and Comments…….

Thank you for your time………………

Judy LattaFamily Life197 Bluff Road, Sandringham, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3191

Phone: +61 3 8599 5433Email: [email protected]

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