We’ve all extolled the many gifts that volunteers bring to an organization. Time, talent & treasure. I have worked with volunteers in a variety of states, and this timeless celebration of the virtues of volunteers is pretty consistent. I have to say, though, that volunteers in the Midwest – particularly Minnesota – are some of the most passionate, down to earth and devoted volunteers I have ever worked with.
Most of my volunteer experience has been with animal welfare organizations, but I also have the privilege of working with volunteers in academia and in historical museums. The common thread in all of these areas has been the dedication and faithfulness to an organization's mission. Volunteers choose to meld their hearts with an organization’s mission and they take on the organizations role in the community as their personal mission too. Whether they are sharing an institutions message in a passionate testament at an alumni fundraiser event, or taking painstaking steps to comfort a frightened shelter dog who needs reassurance, or tenderly repairing a historical artifact for a new exhibit, volunteers are the lifeblood of your organization.
This is beyond the concept of “Minnesota Nice” that this state has been known for. Minnesota volunteers are Minnesota Committed, Minnesota Faithful, and Minnesota Ready!
Acquisition and retention are 2 of our biggest challenges with volunteers. There are so many wonderful organizations that help to connect non-profits with volunteers here in Minnesota, and it’s important to have an appealing volunteer program to offer them. Many times your volunteers seek YOU out, and its key to have a vibrant web presence and be active in social media – especially if you wish to attract the younger generations. Once you have your volunteers engaged with your mission the next – and ongoing – step is to keep them engaged.
Almost 80% of the volunteers I have worked with have at least 5 years plus on me with an organization. These are the people who loved an organization long before I came along as their volunteer supervisor or coordinator. One of the most creative demands of my position has been ‘how do I inspire the volunteers that inspire me?’ I have found tremendous success with a few simple procedures:
1) LISTEN to your volunteers. Their stories, how long they have been volunteering, why they volunteer, what’s their favorite, what do they need that they aren’t getting
2) COMMUNICATE with your volunteers. Have a regular newsletter, give them weekly email updates, create a Face Book page just for them with photos of them working for you, give them immediate feedback (“wow, Carol you did a great job with that donor that had a question about the mission!”) Create regular meetings – even if it’s just 30 minutes – to share updates, do some wacky awards, acknowledge the long timers with a special award, etc
3) ACKNOWLEDGE your volunteers. Acknowledge them with a “volunteer of the month” award, celebrate their efforts in team meetings with staff and with your board, make the faces of your volunteers known to your whole organization, calculate how much $ volunteers save you by taking the place of a staff position that would cost you $$, make sure you have a volunteer section of your donor newsletter to tell your whole community about the benefits volunteers bring your organization.
4) VALUE their experience and contributions. Ask for their opinions on matters of policy, and if they have a story from their past with your organization, welcome it. Ask them to partake or assist with satisfaction surveys, and other interesting projects.
5) BUILD A BRIDGE between volunteers and staff, between volunteers and your board. Invite outstanding volunteers to attend a board meeting or staff meeting, invite staff and board members to attend volunteer meetings, create opportunities for volunteers to work with staff and board members on a regular basis to share in each other’s talents
Volunteers are givers, and we owe it to our volunteers to give back to them. To make their interactions with our organizations meaningful and thoughtful. A little attention to detail can go a long way towards making sure your volunteers feel valued and needed. Little touches can take only minutes to create and execute,…but their impact is timeless. Volunteers remember. Make sure what they’re remembering is good. Good for you and good for your organization. Love your volunteers. And they will love you even more. To the moon and back. ; )
Shirley De la Torre
Volunteer Coordinator Animal Allies Humane Society Duluth, MN