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Sustainability
Laying Out the Welcome
Mat
Mid-April 2009 |
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Dear “Welcoming"
Colleague,
If
you’re like most people, inviting guests to dinner
usually prompts a “straightening up” of
the household. Burned out lights are replaced, overflowing
trash cans are emptied, and the front door mat is shaken
out. It’s what a good host does to make a guest
feel welcome and honored.
With the President’s focus on serving community,
volunteers will be knocking at your organization’s
door. This issue of On-the-Go eTA has some tips on how
to lay out the welcome mat before your volunteer guests
arrive. Topics include…
First Impressions Count
Volunteer Job Descriptions
Spell Out Expectations
Guest
Article:
Good Volunteer Management
Keeps Them Coming Back
Do you have questions or ideas about welcoming community
members into your organization? Contact us through OntheGo@CampaignConsultation.com
for more information. You can still access previous
issues of On-the-Go eTA by clicking on the back issues
at the bottom of the page.
First
Impressions Count
Every
visitor who comes through your office door receives a
first impression of your organization. You never get a
second chance to make a first impression, and a first
impression is a lasting impression. Research shows that
it takes only seven seconds to make a first impression.
To attract volunteers and keep them coming back, ensure
that their visits are positive using the following ideas…
- Make certain that signage to your office is clear
and up-to-date.
- Greet volunteers immediately with a smile and hospitable
attitude.
- Once inside, create a warm and welcoming environment
that is comfortable, easy to navigate, neat and clean.
Establish a positive atmosphere that reflects your
organization’s mission and activities.
- Showcase
your achievements and successes with pictures on your
walls.
Click here to read how
telephone communication skills impact the way your organization
is viewed in the community.
Volunteer
Job Descriptions
Spell Out Expectations
A volunteer coming on board to meet community needs through
your organization requires a written review of the need
and ways to meet those needs. A comprehensive description
with a clear outline of responsibilities provides a practical
welcome that assures volunteer confidence and committment.
Here are some points to consider when writing a volunteer
job description
You
should provide a written…
|
Because
volunteers want… |
| Mission
of Organization |
To
know what you stand for. Your words will translate
a share with others.
|
| Description
of project |
Assurance
that the project has clear guidelines and won’t
grow to consume their lives.
|
| Position
Title |
Credible
recognition that their time is meaningful and directed
toward a specific goal.
|
| Location
|
To
know where they will be working, especially if different
from the main site location.
|
| Time
Commitment Required |
Estimated
information as to number of hours, days, weeks,
etc. needed, description of what flexibility in
the schedule is possible, and a project completion
date.
|
| Skills
and qualifications needed |
To
make use of their talents and abilities to be effective
in the position.
|
| Training/orientation
provided |
Confidence
that they can do their job safely and effectively
and information about when and where that training
will occur.
|
| Benefits
provided |
Something
for their time even if they don’t express
it outright. This could include free parking, lunch,
coffee, mileage reimbursement, use of space or equipment
at the site, etc. Let them know how they will be
recognized for their service.
|
| Supervision
and support |
A
name and contact information for the person who
will oversee them and respond to their requests
or questions.
|
Click
here to link to a volunteer job description provided
by the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum.
Guest
Article:
Good Volunteer Management Keeps Them Coming Back
Special
thanks to Becky Hare, RSVP Program Director, Knoxville
County Community Action Committee, Knoxville, Tennessee
for providing this article on good volunteer management.
“It’s wonderful to see and hear all the attention
the media has given in the past several weeks to recognize
the value of volunteering. The many acts of kindness are
real stories featuring extreme needs that are resolved
by volunteers giving back to their communities through
non-profit agencies.
An agency that has the skill to attract the media to tell
the story is often an agency that utilizes good volunteer
management tools. There are, however, additional components
of responsibility that influence volunteer management.
Some of the characteristics agencies should consider in
order to implement or improve successful volunteer management
include:
- Maintaining a good reputation in the community
- A clearly stated mission and reasonable goals
- Enthusiastic leadership skills for staff and professional
peers
- Participation in community partnerships to enhance
services
- Sound financial position
In the early 1990’s social service agencies experienced
a surfeit of volunteer services, generated in part by
the common staff position of Volunteer Coordinator. With
declining donations, forced budget reductions have eliminated
or combined some staff responsibilities. If retained at
all, the coordinator’s job description often is
rolled into other positions such as the marketing or development
officer.
Today, the position is often non-existent which sets up
the agency for this common scenario: The executive director
is in awe of the tremendous response from a volunteer
recruitment announcement in the daily newspaper. Out of
desperation all of the applicants are accepted as volunteers,
given their assignments, and they report as scheduled.
Each week the tasks decline, and, no one routinely checks
on their volunteers or even thanks them for helping. Finally
the volunteers stop reporting to the agency.
Volunteers can be a valuable resource to establish a stimulus
plan: bring back the role of the volunteer coordinator
– with perks. With the current and unprecedented
national publicity for volunteers, Baby Boomers are seeking
meaningful opportunities and retired professionals want
to share their skills and interest to help solve community
problems. BUT, the caveat is good volunteer management
in an agency that values them not only as volunteers,
but also as highly trained and qualified professionals.
Seize the credentialed applicant to organize the next
fund raiser, take on a signature project or conduct the
exhausting program evaluation.
As an RSVP director, I cannot afford to place great volunteers
with agencies that do not incorporate good volunteer management
principles. In 2004 the RSVP staff and advisory council
sponsored a free, community-wide workshop for volunteer
coordinators and leaders. By reputation and request, it
has continued as an annual signature training event led
by local professionals in direct or related fields of
management. The outcomes have been successful and exciting
from both sectors – private and non-profit.
Conducting volunteer management workshops provides many
benefits, including:
- Better
understanding of leadership for volunteer service
- Positive
benefits of volunteer staff from paid staff
- Recruiting,
screening, sustaining and training education
- Understanding
applicable risk management issues
- Networking
with professional peers”
If you have questions, or you would like more information,
you may contact Becky at becky.hare@knoxcac.org
From time-to-time, On-the-Go eTA likes to feature
the views and experiences of those in the field. The views
presented in this article do not necessarily reflect those
of the Corporation for National and Public Service.
If you would like to submit a guest feature on sustainability
for review, please contact OntheGo@CampaignConsultation.com
Let
us know
Contact
OntheGo@CampaignConsultation.com
We would be happy to answer questions or to give you
more support.
Thank you for your interest in On-The-Go eTA. We encourage
you to send this and other issues of OTG
eTA
to friends and colleagues who would benefit from the
information. Also, if you’re on information-overload,
you may request email
removal.
Otherwise OTG e-TA will be back soon with another edition.
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First
Impressions Count (cont.)
Telephone
Communications Skills
Good
telephone communications skills will establish that you value
people. To practice good phone communications:
- Have
a live person answer the phone in a cordial professional
manner as often as possible, instead of relying on voice
mail.
- Answer
the phone by the third ring.
- Use
a pleasant voice, state the name of your organization and
your name when you answer the phone.
- Give
your full attention to the caller and do not try to multi-task
during the call.
- Keep
your voice mail message as short and simple as possible
while conveying enough information to assure the caller
that his/her call is important.
- Return
phone messages asap.
Remember
that you may be the first and only contact a member of the community
may have with your program, and that first impression will stay
with the caller or visitor for a long time.
Resources
eOrganizer
eOrganizer is an interactive clearinghouse for the latest
and greatest web instruments of change. This GIZMO shows you
how to maximize free and inexpensive online tools and resources
to mobilize people around issues and within organizations.
Structured around eight categories important to community
organizing, it offers descriptions and provides access to
many of the most current web arenas and strategies for bringing
groups together to create community change.
http://www.campaignconsultation.com/GIZMOs/eorganizer/index.html
The National ASK (Awareness, Skills, Knowledge) to Sustain
Institute, sponsored by Corporation for National and
Community Service, provided by Campaign Consultation, Inc.
1998, 2002.
The CNCS Resources Now! National Institute, sponsored
by Corporation for National and Community Service, provided
by Campaign Consultation, Inc. 2005-07.
Learning
Products and Services
Sustainability:
OntheGo@CampaignConsultation.com is designed to give
information fast on building capacity. Use this online support
for advice from a fundraising professional.
Contact OntheGo@CampaignConsultation.com
VISTA
Campus:
VISTA Campus is an online learning environment for
the VISTA community. The aim is to support you in your development
throughout and beyond your VISTA service. The Campus includes
self-paced tutorials and courses, reference materials, discussion
boards, a campus bookstore and more to help improve your
skills and connect with other VISTAs. To access the site,
go to http://vistacampus.org
and select the “VISTAs” option. You will need
to create an account to access the content and discussion
boards.
GIZMOs:
(Giving Information for Zooming Mission Objectives)
GIZMOS are resource and fund development tools for you and
your volunteers. They are tangible products in packets,
pocket brochures, CD-ROMs, games, etc. They feature a myriad
of fundraising topics such as The Case for Support, an interactive
online resource. View and use our newest GIZMOs at www.CampaignConsultation.com/gizmosplash
The
Chronicle of Philanthropy:
Everyone who comes to a Resources Now! National Institute
gets a free subscription to the Chronicle for a year. Participants
in CNCS Campaign Consultation workshops receive the latest
issue free of charge plus a $20 discount on one year’s
subscription.
Workshops/Clinics:
The Corporation for National and Community
Service (CNCS), through its T/TA service provider Campaign
Consultation, Inc., offers a three-hour workshops and clinics
for those interested.
WebWizard:
CNCS sponsors this new service that
Campaign Consultation provides to assist programs and projects
in maximizing their websites for program, client, volunteer
and fundraising needs.
Online
Courses/Webinars:
Web course delivery of topics pertinent to resource
development such as — Build Fundraising Volunteer
Champions and Cause Related Marketing and
Corporate Partnerships.
Available
through the Resource Center at http://www.nationalserviceresources.org
Read
Back Issues of OTG e-TA
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