Queen’s Volunteer Engagement Certificate (QVEC)

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success - Orientation & Training

Presenters: • Maryanne Wainman, Alumni Officer, Volunteer

Relations • Kathryn Vilela, Alumni Officer, Reunions

• Sarah Indewey, Manager, Volunteer Relations &

Reunions -- @Sindewey

Join the QVEC Facebook group – facebook.com/groups/QVECforum

Introductions & Reflections:

• Any new faces?

• Learning Journal

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Elements of a Successful Volunteer Orientation Program

Case Study: Combining online & in-person orientation

Training as an Opportunity for Stewardship

Strategies for Engaging Adult Learners

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Elements of a Successful Volunteer Orientation Program:

“[Orientation] explains the relationship between volunteers and the organization and helps volunteers to understand the workings of the department, program, activity and/or event with which they will be associated.”

- Linda L. Graff (Best of All)

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Elements of a Successful Volunteer Orientation Program:

Social Orientation

Position Orientation

System Orientation

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Elements of a Successful Volunteer Orientation Program:

Social Orientation: Help volunteers feel comfortable, known, safe and respected in their new role as quickly as possible.

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Elements of a Successful Volunteer Orientation Program:

Tips for Social Orientation:

Introduce volunteers to their new community

Involve employees and / or current

volunteers in the welcoming process

Clearly outline culture / etiquette

Dress code

Workplace logistics (washrooms, kitchen etc)

Main contacts / how to reach them

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Elements of a Successful Volunteer Orientation Program:

Position Orientation: Help volunteers understand specific expectations for their role, and how they will contribute to the “big picture”.

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Elements of a Successful Volunteer Orientation Program:

Tips for Position Orientation:

Clearly define expectations (individual & collective)

Outline significance of volunteer contributions

to your group’s mission / vision

Outline role-specific details

Eg: Expected results, performance

standards, deadlines, evaluation methods,

boundaries, supervision / support

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Elements of a Successful Volunteer Orientation Program:

System Orientation: Help volunteers understand the organization’s working structure / programs and how everything fits together.

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Elements of a Successful Volunteer Orientation Program:

Tips for System Orientation:

Explain your group’s structure & programs

Provide a copy of your organizational

staff chart

Outline policies / procedures relevant to the

volunteer’s role (Eg: health & safety)

Outline record-keeping requirements,

and collect necessary forms / waivers

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Elements of a Successful Volunteer Orientation Program

Case Study: Combining online & in-person orientation

Training as an Opportunity for Stewardship

Strategies for Engaging Adult Learners

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Case Study: Combining online & in-person orientation

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Case Study: Combining online & in-person orientation

The challenge: Providing consistent orientation for volunteers in a wide variety of roles, in a wide variety of geographic locations.

Our solution: Creating a standardized,

online volunteer orientation package to

compliment in-person orientation

conversations.

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Case Study: Combining online & in-person orientation

Key Considerations for our Orientation Package:

Developed in partnership with staff and volunteers

Friendly, personal & professional tone

Includes Accessibility and Diversity

considerations

Survey format allows for interactivity and

completion tracking

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Case Study: Combining online & in-person orientation

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Case Study: Combining online & in-person orientation

A Year-Round Approach to Board Orientation:

Monthly board calls

Bi-annual board retreats

EVP Volunteer Recruitment & Recognition

Leadership development planning

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Elements of a Successful Volunteer Orientation Program

Case Study: Combining online & in-person orientation

Training as an Opportunity for Stewardship

Strategies for Engaging Adult Learners

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Training as an Opportunity for Stewardship:

“A good training program does more than just train. It’s also a stewardship opportunity, your chance to motivate, evaluate, and recognize the volunteers.

Training gives volunteers the direction and focus

they need to carry out the tasks you’ve asked

them to perform.”

- John A. Feudo (Herding Cats)

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Training as an Opportunity for Stewardship: Training should be: Specific to the requirements of the role

Geared to the volunteer’s skill level

Ongoing

Specific to the needs identified by the volunteer & their

supervisor(s) Periodically evaluated to ensure quality

- US Department of Heath and Human Services Volunteer Handbook

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Training as an Opportunity for Stewardship:

“…60 to 90 % of learning that takes place during training is not applied to the task.” - Maria Gelfusa (Canadian

Journal of Volunteer Resources Management, Volume 19.1)

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Training as an Opportunity for Stewardship:

Tips for ongoing training:

Use a combination of formal & informal learning

Help volunteers recognize informal learning

Encourage peer-to-peer mentoring

and team learning

Provide access to professional development

opportunities that are meaningful, relevant

and applicable to the volunteer’s role

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Training as an Opportunity for Stewardship:

Alumni Volunteer Summit – April 7 – 8, 2017

http://queensu.ca/alumni/AVS

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Training as an Opportunity for Stewardship:

Alumni Volunteer Summit – April 7 – 8, 2017

2017 Theme: Change Management: Creating Opportunities for Innovation While Honouring Tradition

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Elements of a Successful Volunteer Orientation Program

Case Study: Combining online & in-person orientation

Training as an Opportunity for Stewardship

Strategies for Engaging Adult Learners

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Strategies for Engaging Adult Learners:

Encourage peer-to-peer interaction, questions & idea sharing

Recognize & celebrate contributions

Set clear objectives, and help facilitate goal setting

Provide practical examples and real-world

techniques

Appeal to different learning styles

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Elements of a Successful Volunteer Orientation Program

Case Study: Combining online & in-person orientation

Training as an Opportunity for Stewardship

Strategies for Engaging Adult Learners

Case Study

o Work at your table

o Read the case study (absolutely made up, not based on any real scenario)

o Discuss as a group

o Someone take notes & report back to the

full group

o 10 minutes tops!

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training

Module #3: Setting Volunteers up for Success – Orientation & Training