There are many reasons to write policies on voluntary action in nonprofit organizations. Such policies can be used to establish continuity, to ensure fairness and equity, to clarify values and beliefs, to communicate expectations, to specify standards, and to state rules. There is no more compelling reason for immediate policy development, however, than fear of the consequences of not doing so. Check out these three general functions policies serve in volunteer programs:
1. Policies as risk management
With this function, the volunteer manager look around the volunteer program, walk around the volunteer work site, observe hazards, and play the “What If?” game. These all fall under the first step in the risk management process called disaster imaging. This allows for the manager to determine where policies might prevent accidents and injuries, and to minimize the harm should an accident happen. Make it a proactive to think in detail about policy development whenever a serious incident report arrives on your desk.
2. Policies as Values and Belief Statements
What do we hold as important? What do we value that volunteers need to know about? What is our philosophy about volunteers, about the work we do, about how we do business around here?Policy statements are a mechanism for both articulating and communicating values, beliefs, and positions. The technique to identify policies of this sort involves thinking through the values, beliefs, and positions held by the organization. Ask these questions:
- What positions has the agency taken on issues, questions, or problems?
- What does the organization believe regarding good and bad, right and wrong, proper and improper, ethical and unethical?
Finally, the organization must engage in a values sort, a process whereby values are prioritized, with those that emerge on top serving as the basis for policy development.
3. Policies as Rules
Policies can be employed as rules to specify expectations, regulations, and guides to action. A policy written to eliminate or reduce a specific risk might sound like a rule. However, a policy written because a rule is needed to guide a particular action may serve to reduce a specific hazard. To determine required policies of this sort, the manager might review existing rules, both written and unwritten. Also, think about advisements or directives issued verbally to volunteers that have never been written down anywhere, but reflect “how we do things around here.”
Effectively evaluating your volunteer program is important to ensuring the completion of your organization’s service goals. Evaluations can be done as often as necessary, but they should be a part of your volunteer program.
evaluation, whether or not the program is supporting the organization’s goals.
What makes people volunteer? This question often runs across the minds of nonprofit organizations when trying to recruit volunteers for service projects. It is important to understand these motivating factors to recruit more dedicated volunteers to your cause. When individuals have a strong tie to your organization, they are more likely to return for service again. They feel that their needs and feelings are being respected when they are included in project planning.
otherwise. This type of reasoning includes “I can make new contacts that might help my business or career “or “Volunteer work will look good on my resume.” It is important for your organization to include the personal benefits to volunteering, as well as the overall community benefits from volunteer work.
limited to identifying the current quality and quantity of service by episodic volunteer in the last three to five years and surveys identifying areas in which episodic volunteers may be helpful.
contact is the third recruiting technique. The fourth method of volunteer recruitment is the mass appeal. This includes such things as flyers, print and media ads, billboards, brochures, window displays, or want ads.
Employee volunteer programs are a great way to not only benefit your community, but also your workplace environment and employees. It is easy to begin one of these programs within your office environment. By serving your community as an organization, the community will get to know your business and their employees. Establishing a personal connection with the community will improve the overall attitude that your community has toward your business.
and the people with which it operates.
they feel the issues they care about are also important to their company.
As a volunteer manager, it is important to keep your volunteers up-to-date and in the loop with important information regarding your organization. Communication is also a key step to project management and it should be an essential step in every service project planning steps. What is the best communication strategy for your organization?
market itself at a low cost, which will help your organization attract a new audience.
is essential to the success of your project. Make sure that you make this step a priority within your organization. As you can see there are many different communication tools that your organization can use that do not cost a great deal of money. It is important for your organization to choose a communication tool that will fit your organization’s style.
Recruiting volunteers is the first step to a successful volunteer program within your organization. Training your volunteers to be an effective part of your organization is equally important.
and weaknesses.
According to a 2011 
program is to identify which business objectives can be achieved through the actual program efforts. These priorities can be identified in a mission statement. Let employees and outsiders know that volunteering is an important aspect of the overall business of your company or organization. You can better tailor your volunteer interests by studying your current mission statement and matching it to a philanthropic mission.
Developing an employee volunteer program will not only benefit your community, but it will also generate a more positive workplace for all involved. Get your employee volunteer program started today to see the many benefits that will come!
Yikes! It’s hot outside. We are expecting record high temperatures this summer. Who wants to go outside into the heat and humidity when there is an air conditioner on the inside?
These are both great ways to volunteer without leaving the air conditioner because you not only get some cleaning done, but you can also largely help your community.
