A Successful Volunteer Placement Begins with an Idea
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by Chris Wolff
A successful volunteer placement relies so heavily on good, targeted recruitment. Of course we all could use the help of a volunteer, and having that extra set of hands is so important to help initiatives move forward. But sometimes our eagerness to get a person in place can make us forget that there are so many things that need to happen before we are able to fully utilize a volunteer resource.
Recruitment of volunteers begins with a need. This varies widely from organization to organization, and could be something as simple as having an extra set of hands for one day/month to assist with clothes sorting or a mailing to something as complex as help with the drafting of a comprehensive plan or legal language for the formation of a non-profit. Whatever the need may be, it is important to think through the project.
Drafting a solid position description is the first step toward successfully recruiting the right person to volunteer with your organization. The position description should be as detailed as possible and include the following information:
• Organization Mission, Goals and Objectives: The position description should provide a brief description of the organization, including the mission statement so the volunteer can understand the bigger picture of the organization and how their project may help achieve overall organizational goals
• Project Description: This is probably the most important part of the position description because it provides the information about what the volunteer will be working on during his/her term of service. It helps to set clear expectations during the recruitment phase. As much as possible, the position description should include a role description within each project area.
• Timeline for the Project: Is this a one-time volunteer opportunity or an ongoing long-term need? It’s important to provide a rough outline of a timeline for the volunteer so they will know if they are successfully working toward expected goals, and for them to feel a sense of achievement.
• Nature of the Work: Can the project be completed in person, or can the project be completed remotely via computer or phone
• Supervision: Someone will need to take on the role of volunteer supervisor. It is important to ensure that one person will serve as the person who will provide guidance and support for the volunteer. The supervisor will need to be available to meet on a regular basis with the volunteer. The position description should address communication strategies between the supervisor and the volunteer. In some cases, it may be helpful to create a “social advisor/supervisor” who will help orient the volunteer to the community- to make sure they meet other people outside of the organization in order to feel connected to their new community, and to make sure the volunteer gets invited to dinners and is aware of community events that may be of interest.
• Orientation Plan: how will the volunteer be oriented to the organization, co-workers, touring the facility, learning about the community?
• Recruitment Criteria: Depending on the volunteer need, you may be looking for someone with a sophisticated skill set (planning or legal experience, teaching experience, computer skills, etc.), or just someone who is physically fit enough to help out with trail construction or a beach clean-up. Whatever the need, it is important to think about the skills the volunteer should have coming into the position, and what skills may be able to be trained during the volunteer service. If you are looking for a gregarious, extroverted person to help develop fun activities for nursing home residents, you probably don’t want to recruit someone who is most comfortable sitting behind a computer or working in a research lab. You can’t train someone to extroverted.
Once a solid position description has been created, then it is time to think about recruitment. Some organizations decide to do targeted recruiting depending on the need. For example, if you are looking for someone to help with the archiving of historical or library resources, you may want to look for volunteers through universities or schools who have museum or library science degrees. Whatever the recruitment strategy, it is important to provide as much detail from your position descriptions so the potential volunteers are well-informed with the projects and their role within the projects. You don’t have to include all details, and perhaps you can link back to your website for further details. However, this is the first chance to “sell” your volunteer opportunity, and to attract the candidates that are the best fit for your opportunity.
Once you’ve received applications for your position and have picked the candidates you would like to follow-up with, it is important to decide how you will interview the candidates. If it’s important to get a feel for their personality, sense of humor, and overall fit into your organization, it may be important to think of ways you can conduct an interview that isn’t intimidating- perhaps, meeting over coffee, or starting with a tour of your organization or meeting different people. Sometimes, sitting at a conference table with 5 board members can be very intimidating, and you may not get a good impression of your candidate. Think of ways to make the interview relaxed and comfortable.
You also may want to provide contact information for past volunteers so the candidates can get the “real scoop” about the challenges and rewards of the position and the organization. It is so important to try to provide as much information about the organization, expectations, culture, and challenges up front before the volunteer commits to accepting your position. There are always going to be unforeseen challenges that arise, but volunteers will appreciate the honesty and respect demonstrated by being candid and clear about expectations before they make a long-term commitment.
Laying the groundwork of a solid position description, and communicating clear expectations during the recruitment and interviewing stage will help to ensure a solid volunteer placement. The volunteer will feel that they have a strong sense of purpose and will understand where their role fits into the overall mission and goals of the organization.
Chris Wolff is Community Development Director at the Island Institute.