The secret to mobilizing and engaging volunteers to bring about sustainable, positive social change…

…is the development of volunteer leaders.

Volunteer leaders provide vision and they inspire, recruit and lead others.

You can play a role in mentoring, coaching and encouraging potential leaders to build the skills they need to take on leadership roles that drive social change.

First, identify individuals who have consistently demonstrated their ability to collaborate and work well with others in productive, long-term relationships.

Through mentoring, you can help new leaders recognize their own ability to manage a team and make effective decisions that result in progress toward objectives, which will improve the community.

Here are eight ways you can develop leaders from within your volunteer ranks:

1.  Provide opportunities within your organization for emerging volunteer leaders to develop and practice their skills.

2.  Encourage your volunteers to take on challenges that will foster their own growth and development.

3.  Make it safe for them to make mistakes by treating them as learning experiences.

4.  Support initiatives that your volunteers may come up with themselves rather than insisting on your own (to the degreethat you can). Volunteers will be inspired to pursue efforts and topics that are of particular interest to them rather than what you feel is best.

5.  Recognize individuals frequently for their contributions. Recognition that is low-key, frequent and personal is generally more meaningful to people than a big, annual event (although doing both is even better).

6.  Send volunteers with leadership potential to a training or take them to conferences.

7.  Remind yourself that a progressive increase in responsibility coupled with improved skills helps build leaders.

8.  Believe in everyone’s ability to reach higher and achieve more.

Related articles

• 5 Ways to Support Staff Volunteerism (handsonblog.org)
• Tips for Connecting With Your Volunteers (handsonblog.org)
• Five Tips for Making Your Volunteer Program a Part of Your Brand (handsonblog.org)