http://www.volunteermaine.org/blog/if-there%e2%80%99s-one-thing-i-like-it%e2%80%99s-talking-to-people%e2%80%a6-in-person Maine Conversations about Volunteer Management Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:22:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 http://www.volunteermaine.org/blog/if-there%e2%80%99s-one-thing-i-like-it%e2%80%99s-talking-to-people%e2%80%a6-in-person#comment-1570 Meredith Eaton Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:23:17 +0000 http://www.volunteermaine.org/blog/if-there%e2%80%99s-one-thing-i-like-it%e2%80%99s-talking-to-people%e2%80%a6-in-person#comment-1570 Good point, Alice. I think that this post highlights one of the most crucial best practices in volunteer management. Some WILL prefer to be contacted by email. Some, as you said, don't even own a computer and are suspicious of those of us who spend the day in front of one. So, ask your volunteers about their preferences. Take time to get to know them-- it will pay you back a hundred times over! And the same thing can be said for recognizing volunteers. If you understand a volunteer's motivation for getting involved, you will understand the most appropriate way to give that volunteer well-deserved recognition. Good point, Alice. I think that this post highlights one of the most crucial best practices in volunteer management. Some WILL prefer to be contacted by email. Some, as you said, don’t even own a computer and are suspicious of those of us who spend the day in front of one. So, ask your volunteers about their preferences. Take time to get to know them– it will pay you back a hundred times over!
And the same thing can be said for recognizing volunteers. If you understand a volunteer’s motivation for getting involved, you will understand the most appropriate way to give that volunteer well-deserved recognition.

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