Achieving an 'A' in Communication for Your Volunteer Program by Dale Rees-Bevan

"I would rather die than stand up and speak in public," is the faltering battle cry with which we represent our organisations. Most of us go through life with the view that you either can or you can't. Speak in public, that is. It's high time we changed that perception and realized that, as with so many things in life, it's a skill that can be learned, worked on, acquired.

The value we bring to an organisation depends on our communication, and more specifically, our public speaking skills. This is particularly true for volunteer program managers, who are often responsible for making presentations in the hope of attracting new volunteers to their program. If we can represent our organisation competently and enthusiastically, we can contribute more powerfully. Achievement depends on getting an A in Communication Skills !

Here are some "A's" in Public Speaking to mull over:

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Your organization is great, right? You serve a worthwhile cause and do many exciting things. So why don't more people want to volunteer with you? Halloween is a great time to ask: Are we scaring away potential volunteers?

Susan J. Ellis, president of Energize, Inc., the internationally-renowned volunteerism training and publishing firm, notes that there are many things organizations do or say that can "haunt" prospective recruits! According to Ellis, author of the best-selling The Volunteer Recruitment Book: "It's hardly surprising that people shy away from desperate pleas for unlimited help in unknown situations."

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Thanking Your Fundraising Volunteers by Deane Brengle

Despite the fact that thanking your fundraising volunteers should be a real no-brainer, many nonprofit groups let this important gesture fall through the cracks.

It's not rocket science folks. If you don't make the time to say thank you each and every time a fundraising volunteer deserves it, you have lost a golden opportunity. And also probably in perceivably damaged your relationship with them too.

Volunteers really don't want much. Just to be recognized for their good deeds. There is a multitude of ways to say thank you. And most of them are really pretty inexpensive compared to the time and effort donated by your fundraising volunteers.

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Eight Ways To Get New Volunteers by the AFRDS

You might need eight days in a week to get that next fundraiser off the ground. And you definitely need eight to eighty warm bodies for your fundraiser to set sail (get sales)! Research suggests there is a strong correlation between the number of volunteers a fundraising organization taps and the amount of money they can expect to raise. Where and how do you get good volunteers committed to your fundraising goal?

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How Would Your CEO Answer These Questions? by Susan J. Ellis of Energize, Inc.

I often ask workshop participants if they feel their top executives are “supportive” of volunteers or not. One of the ways to test the degree of that support is to see how informed administrators are about basic data (who volunteers and for what), the work of the volunteer resources office (how you contribute to the organization), and the attitudes of paid staff (do they actually like volunteers?).

Think about whether or not your executives would be able to answer the following questions correctly. If you don’t know…ask them and see.

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Volunteers by Doug Nash

The two most critical requirements for a successful non-profit organisation are money and people. There is no point in having one without the other. Both require skill in attracting, keeping and fully utilizing. Here we will have a brief look at the people side of the things.

The only thing in abundance in fundraising is work and ideas. The work can only be done by people. Ideas are only as good as the people who try to make them a reality. The common factor and the critical factor is people. People who are properly recruited, motivated and engaged.

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Volunteers from the Business World by Susan J. Ellis of Energize, Inc.

There are two different types of volunteers "from the business world." The first group have been around forever: people who volunteer for you and happen to be employed in business somewhere. In fact, that might describe the majority of current volunteers. Their outside employment status is ancillary to their identity with your organization.

The second group comes through a "corporate employee volunteer program." How is a "corporate employee volunteer" different from any other volunteer? The answer ought to be that here the company itself adds something substantive to the situation. This can be anything from providing a contact person for you within the company to notify when you need volunteers, allowing employees to hold planning meetings during the work day, giving flex or release time to do the community service, or giving tangible support such as supplying transportation, work clothes, or other needed items.

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Volunteers - Tips to Motivating Them - Part I by Heidi Richards

Recruiting volunteers is only half the challenge. You must properly train them so they will work out to be true assets.

As we help volunteers recognize the rewards of their service, we must also acknowledge that there may be a downside. Volunteering takes time away from the family or personal pursuits. Good leaders" tell it like it is," being careful not to understate what is expected. Let your volunteers know up front exactly what is involved in their tasks and what is expected of them, and they will appreciate you for it.

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Volunteers - Tips to Motivating Them - Part 2 by Heidi Richards

Last issue we talked about the importance of recruiting the "right" volunteers and recognizing their efforts. Service to others and a sense of achievement are other key components to motivating volunteers. There is a special satisfaction that goes along with making life a little less difficult for someone else. It makes us feel better about ourselves.

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Making the Holiday Spirit Last by Susan J. Ellis of Energize, Inc.

Every year, as I read and watch countless media reports about holiday projects for the needy, I grow increasingly frustrated. No, I'm not Scrooge and don't want to say “humbug” to the many heartfelt gifts of toys, coats, turkeys, and other nice things. But this sort of charity ultimately is simply a seasonal nod to year-long problems. I wrote about this in a 1997 Hot Topic that is still pertinent today:

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Acknowledging Input by Susan J. Ellis of Energize, Inc.

Ever notice how often you are asked to complete "a brief survey" or give feedback to some company, whether online, on the phone, or in a shopping mall? Whether or not you take time to respond might depend on the whim of the moment and on how rushed you feel. But sometimes you want to tell the company something and actually welcome the chance to give input, positive or negative.

Volunteer program leaders also want input from others. We need a continuous feedback loop to assure that we know what is going on and can correct problems before they fester or can applaud special effort as soon as it occurs.

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Finding the Cash to Reimburse Volunteer Expenses by Susan J. Ellis of Energize, Inc.

Everyone agrees that, in an ideal world, volunteers should be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses incurred while contributing their time (parking, meals, child care, whatever). Yet often organizations cannot seem to find money in the budget to pay for such costs. In the long run, we ought to insist on proper planning to create a line item for what is actually a small expense category, but in the short run it's possible to raise the funds without a lot of effort.

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Virtual Tours by Susan J. Ellis of Energize, Inc.

Is it easy to picture what your setting looks like? Even traditional places like a school or hospital can look very different than what a stranger might imagine. We all know that prospective volunteers are more likely to express interest in joining us if they feel comfortable that they will fit into our organization. So help them with a "virtual tour."

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Industrial Espionage by Susan J. Ellis of Energize, Inc.

Normally, industrial spying is a criminal activity, though there will always be business people trying to learn the secrets of their competitors. On the positive side, it's important to know how other companies are serving their customers or developing updated products. That's a legitimate part of "market research."

How does this relate to volunteer management?

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Dealing with Resistance to Change by Susan J. Ellis of Energize, Inc.

We all know that "the only constant is change," yet inevitably some (if not many) people resist anything new or different. Here are some tips to introduce and guide change in a volunteer program - with applicability to almost any situation:

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Volunteer Spotlight by the AFRDS

Meet Irene. She's the driving force behind your school's most successful fall fundraiser. She's the parent who always steps forward when the class needs a "room mom." She's the first one to arrive on the morning of the fall festival and, she's probably the last one to leave. She's always willing to lend a helping hand. She always has an extra hour in her schedule to spend reading in classrooms. Irene is a workhorse.

There's no way to repay her for all of her efforts. But you can let her and others know how you feel in a way that'll make her - and your organization - feel warm and fuzzy all over.

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Keep Volunteers Motivated by J. Alden Briggs, Jr. and Jana Duffy

Once you have recruited your volunteers, whether drones or die-hards, you need to keep them motivated. Here are some tips gathered from booster club members from all over the country:

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Fundraising Idea of the Month: Are Your Troops Trained by Doug Nash

A little training can go a long way and have a noticeable impact on your bottom line. Volunteers need help and assistance if they are to remain happy, enthusiastic and focused. A great way to do this is to train them or at least offer it to them.

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Fundraising Idea of the Month: Fun is the Word by Doug Nash

People will quickly find reasons for not doing what they don't like doing, so if your fundraising doesn't have a healthy element of fun involved then you will be very lonely and your fundraisers short lived, not very satisfying and not very profitable.

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