Recruit, Reward and Retain: Three Rs of Volunteer Management
Dear Friends of mine,
Most nonprofit organizations rely heavily on
volunteers in their quest to support their missions.
The contributions of volunteers help your
organization's resources ? both financial and human ?
go further. Volunteers can also be groomed to become
your organization's future leaders and donors. So how
can you maximize the impact of your volunteer program?
By understanding what motivates people, you are bound
to do a better job at recruiting, rewarding and
retaining them.
Let's examine four major reasons why
people volunteer and see how you can strengthen your
organization's appeal to each group.
Altruism ? Most people feel a basic need to give of
themselves. Fortunately for the nonprofit community,
many believe in a cause so strongly they feel
compelled to contribute their time and resources.
Recruiting the altruistic is simple because they are
already sympathetic to your mission and feel the
innate urge to help. All you need to do is keep your
volunteers need in the public eye through media
campaigns, public-speaking engagements and literature.
Emphasize the difference a volunteer can make to your
mission, and ask a satisfied volunteer to write or
record how the experience fulfilled them. Altruistic
volunteers are also among the easiest to motivate,
only requiring the feeling they are making a
difference. Beware putting these individuals in roles
that don't have measurable results or are bogged down
by red tape, however. They are likely to be among the
most resentful if resources are diluted from the
mission.
Desire for status ? Some volunteers desire power and
prestige and look for a popular cause to help them
achieve it. These types often volunteer for board or
high-profile positions. These volunteers can be
motivated if status must be earned or is bestowed as a
reward for service. Status seekers often make great
solicitors or event coordinators ? especially if this
year's numbers are going to be publicly compared to
last year's. These volunteers respond well to tangible
indications of their contribution to the organization.
These rewards can be simple a announcing their name at
your annual banquet or awarding a certificate of
appreciation: It is important status seekers not be
allowed to serve in name only, however, or you risk
alienating those volunteers who are working hard
without caring about the limelight.
Desire to build personal relationships ? Many
potential volunteers look at organizations as a great
way to meet friends and contacts who share similar
interests. These volunteers are often recruited by
word of mouth ? a friend tells another how terrific it
is to be a part of your organization. Encourage this
kind of atmosphere by making your organization a fun,
satisfying place to volunteer, by making volunteers to
the positions they are best suited for and equipping
them with the technology, knowledge, resources they
need. Ask volunteers to brig along friends when they
need people for a short-term event such as a
walk-a-thon or a fundraiser. Publicize the chance to
make friends "while you help" when you advertise for
volunteers for these events. Just be careful
volunteers fill roles that can best help the
organization and are not distracting each other for
the mission.
Desire to develop skills and expertise ? Look for
these types of volunteers through community and
university (student) volunteer centers. Your community
library and city Web site may also distribute listings
to local individuals looking to gain work experience
in a meaningful setting. These motivated individuals
make great volunteers, unless their lack of skills is
allowed to drain your precious resources. I your are
not equipped to offer a training program for
volunteers, be certain the person who is going to be
responsible for keeping these volunteers busy is aware
of their lower experience level and is able to help
them up the learning curve without sacrificing their
own productivity.
The common factor among all these volunteer types is
simple and admirable. Each of these groups wants to
make a difference. Enable them to in a way that
benefits them and your organization by being a good
steward of human resources. Write a job description
for every type of volunteer you enjoy, and make sure
volunteers understand their responsibilities to the
mission they serve. Correct errors, and congratulate
success. Treat volunteers with the same respect you
offer your paid staff, and you will pave the way for
them to support your mission for many years to come.
I think this could be useful for everyone who work
with volunteer management.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon
Mahmud
=====
_______________________
Mahmud Ruzmetov
Executive director
Center of Youth Support "NIXOL"
47 Mustakillik street
741400 Khiva town
Khorezm region
Uzbekistan
Tel: (998 62) 375 87 28
Fax: (998 62) 375 69 28
E-mail: letsfun@mail.ru
khivauz@yahoo.com
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