How to weigh up the benefits of starting a volunteers’ program
Most people have experience as volunteers - in social action groups, on school committees, with environment protection agencies, or emergency services groups, or community arts associations, or in major events such as the Olympic Games. With such personal experience, people often assume that all volunteer programs are successful and easy to manage and should feature more prominently in community and organisational life. Although many volunteer programs have impressive records, others are less successful. Before embarking on this potentially demanding management strategy, consider these points...
1. Dispel the myths about volunteering.
Be aware that there are certain beliefs about volunteers’ programs and management which no longer apply:
- Volunteer management is a soft option when compared to the management of paid staff. Wrong. The ‘charity model’, out of which many such programs developed, is no longer appropriate. Even the term ‘volunteer’ is less in vogue as a suitable descriptor of this particular group (one writer prefers the term ‘Third Sector’).
- Volunteers save you money. Not necessarily. The infrastructure - office space, furniture, technology - and the management time required can be quite expensive. If you view volunteers as a source of free or cheap labour, think again.
- Volunteers adopt the three wise monkeys’ approach - they see, hear, and speak no evil. Wrong. Volunteers are aware of everyday life events in the organisation. Be aware that the volunteers’ grapevine thrives as a means of informal (and sometimes inaccurate) communication. So keep them informed. Go public as early as possible about issues that are likely to affect them.
- Volunteers don’t want to be involved in decisions. No. Ownership of decisions is just as important to them as it is to paid staff.
- Volunteers are easy-going individuals. Not necessarily. Some volunteers, particularly those with long work histories, can have entrenched views and resist change.
2. Consider the pitfalls.
Initiating a volunteer program may not be for you. In fact, some volunteer programs have been described as being more trouble than they’re worth. Some of the most common reasons for this judgement are:
- Sustaining the work for volunteers requires considerable effort. Preparation is required and processes need to be in place to ensure timely and effective completion of tasks.
- The costs of providing appropriate infrastructure can be substantial. If you’re not prepared to spend on such essentials as office space, furniture, and communication media, reconsider your decision to begin a volunteer program.
- Volunteers come from all walks of life. Making best use of their varied expertise is a challenge. If volunteers consider that their particular skills are not being utilised, they’ll probably leave.
- Training is time-consuming, costly, and vital, for volunteers will be ambassadors of your organisation. Their word-of-mouth recommendations are likely to attract other volunteers.
- Turnover is likely to be high as some volunteers move to employment, or are dissatisfied with aspects of the program, or want to devote more time to travel and leisure.
- Volunteers can bring their own ‘baggage’ - family matters, ill-health, a need for companionship - that can be time consuming and a drain on already limited resources.
- A culture clash can occur. Routines can be disrupted, sometimes creating tensions between staff and volunteers. If your people have not worked with volunteers before, some preliminary educating might be required.
3. Prepare to engage volunteers.
Volunteer management is rarely a straightforward, hassle-free process. Preparation is required in three areas.
In relationship-building, foster a healthy working relationship between staff and volunteers by:
- ensuring permanent staffs’ job descriptions include the need to work with volunteers
- promote the volunteer program to existing staff using all media
- ensuring occupational health and safety, equal employment opportunities, and sexual harassment policies are up to date and adhered to
- implementing an induction program, appropriate training, and other support.
Essential facilities will include providing volunteers with suitable working accommodation with access to facilities such as telephone, copier, coffee-making facilities, secure storage for belongings, and in-trays for internal communication.
Assuring quality need not mean IS9000 certification, but many of the elements of that process can be utilised. Examples include developing procedures, reporting and acting on areas of non-conformance, and document control.
