making the most of your volunteers

Volunteering………………….

• encourages civic participation and demonstrates active citizenship

• is an expression of the individual's freedom to choose

• is unwaged and benefits from being a reciprocal gift relationship that meets the needs of organisations and volunteers

• promotes inclusion and should be open to all

• enables people and communities to influence and contribute to social change

• works best when it is guided by good practice

key principle number one: the nature of volunteering

• Volunteering involves an active commitment

• Whatever the volunteer’s original motivation, the benefits of their voluntary activity are felt beyond the volunteer and his/her immediate family

• There can be no element of compulsion or coercion in volunteering

• Volunteering is essentially unpaid. While reimbursing out-of-pocket expenses is good practice, giving or receiving payment for work creates a different kind of

relationship

key principle number two: volunteering is a two way relationship:

Resources, training, welcome, insurance, support, expertise...

Flexibility, skills, community involvement, ideas, diversity...

Ideas, contacts, enthusiasm, time, skills, experience...

Recognition, friendship, fun, skills, experience...

key principle number three: volunteers have a unique contribution to make

• Recruiting volunteers is a chance to refresh and reinvigorate your organisation

• remember, most people who don't currently volunteer say that they would……if they were asked

questions to ask beforehand:

• (why) does the organisation want to involve volunteers?

• what does the organisation want volunteers to do?

• what qualities/skills does the organisation want the volunteer to have?

• how will the organisation find volunteers?

• how will the organisation select which volunteers they want?

• how will the organisation manage volunteers after selection?

what makes a good work experience?

• Working conditions - a safe, clean physical environment; good facilities (kitchen, crèche etc.)

for staff; a pension scheme; opportunities for relevant training.

• The work itself - work that is interesting and meaningful; a clearly defined area of

responsibility; work which matches your abilities; being involved in planning and organising your own work.

• Management procedures - a manager who takes time to discuss your work with you; a

process for airing grievances; a clear contract and terms and conditions.

• Relationships with colleagues - a spirit of co-operation among staff; opportunities to

socialise with colleagues; outside pressures and circumstances being acknowledged.

why do volunteers leave?

• induction • ‘settling in period’ and review

• training • code of practice/guidelines

• support and supervision • procedures for dealing with difficult situations

the key headings of good volunteer management

Their niceness will let you recruit a volunteer for the first time,

but only your competence will let you keep them.

McCurley & Lynch

supervise the task………support the person• monitoring work and work performance • evaluating work and work performance • clarifying priorities• identifying training needs• discussing the volunteering task and

responsibilities• providing a framework for agreement on

change• improving confidence and competence

in doing the work• sharing perceptions on how the work is

progressing• recognising and dealing with problems

• focus on the person• set up an environment where volunteers can

express themselves• combat isolation which sometimes accompanies

some volunteer roles• help resolve problems, usually of a personal

nature• help a volunteer feel good about what they are

doing and show that they are valued

• Offering advice - Sharing your ideas on what would be the best course of action for them to take, based on your own experience

• Giving information - Providing volunteers with the information they need in a particular situation (e.g. role description, relevant contacts etc.)

• Direct action - Doing something on behalf of the volunteer and relieving pressure; • Training - Helping someone to acquire knowledge and skills• Changing systems - Working to influence and improve systems which cause difficulty for

volunteers - working on organisational development rather than with individuals• Personal support - Helping volunteers to explore problems and alternative ways

of dealing with them• Facilitating mutual support - Enabling volunteers to support each other (e.g. group support,

buddying)• Supervisory support - Giving feedback on volunteer performance

what can support look like?

Volunteer Centre Liverpool, 151 Dale Street, Liverpool L2 2AH

0151-237 3975

training@volunteercentreliverpool.org.uk

www.volunteercentreliverpool.org.uk