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.
Once organizational, programming, and volunteer goals have been identified, position descriptions and standards for each program will need to be developed, as well. Think of volunteer program as similar to job training. You do not want an employee who does not meet certain standards for the listed project description. If the volunteer is unable to meet basic standards, reassignment may be necessary.
How can you ensure a successful screening process? Follow our suggestions below to better develop your program needs.
- Application process: When conducting a volunteer interview, every volunteer administrator should identify the necessary education and skills to be successful for the project. The volunteer administrator should be able to identify the volunteer’s skills and nurture them to allow for successful participation in the project. The overall volunteer administration department should be able to identify the desired skills after conducting interviews with various volunteers during the screening process. It is important to identify the volunteer’s employment status, education, skills, past volunteer experience, and availability.
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Interview process: The interview process is just as important as the job description. The organizational representative can find out more about the volunteer’s qualifications by interviewing them for various focus areas. The interview allows the administrator to identify the volunteer’s strengths
and weaknesses.
- Job descriptions: Job descriptions are very important because they identify the assignment expectations for potential volunteers. An ideal job description will include the job title, how it relates to the work of the organization, list of specific requirements and accountability, standards of performance, what education/ experience is necessary for the position, necessary attitudes and values, time commitments, location of the assignment, the supervisor, and a brief description of the supervisory relationship. The job description should also identify the benefits for volunteers.
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Needs analysis: The application and interview processes can help volunteer administrators identify volunteer training needs. Why should you conduct this type of analysis?
- Identify whether or not this volunteer has the qualifications to be competent at this particular position.
- Identify volunteer needs that may be needed as a result of various changes that have taken place.
- Identify the gap between volunteer performance and expectations.
To be successful at needs analysis you must:
a. Define the goals or purpose of the needs analysis process.
b. Determine the necessary methodology.
c. Design the questions.
d. Organize the data.
e. Review the findings.
f. Develop training recommendations.
g. Repeat the process on the same skills and behaviors 6 to 12 months later.
h. Be easy to use and practical to implement. 
i. Create guidelines to develop needs analysis questions.
j. Build the organization’s skill priorities into the questions.
k. Organize questions into job categories and competencies.
l. Build a pool of questions to use for possible surveys.
m. Analyze current volunteer skills and compare them to organizational needs.
n. Identify volunteer strengths and areas that need development.
The screening process is the first step in ensuring the overall health of your organization’s volunteer program. It is important to develop and define a uniform analysis across the organization. We hope that by following these tips you will see a more successful program!
What steps has your organization used to establish a successful volunteer screening process? We would love to hear about it in the comments section below!
July is a month full of fun in the sun, vacation destinations, and backyard barbecues. Any wonder why it is Anti-Boredom Month, we think not!
You can beat your summer boredom through so many different volunteer activities. Volunteering will not only benefit you, but also your community. By giving back, you will not only feel less boredom, but you will also be in a much better mood!
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.
items, just to see if I can catch a deal! In addition to finding great deals, book donations allow for low-income families to secure summer reading! Thanks to the YMCA, the Boys and Girls Club, and the Salvation Army, and several other organizations, you can donate your books or schedule your books to be picked up.
books such as encyclopedias and dictionaries; 1996 or newer publish date medical, nursing, IT, and law books. Books for Africa also accepts school/office supplies including, paper, pencils, pens, wall charts, maps, etc.
HandsOn Network is engaged in a focused field investment strategy called Innovation Hubs (iHubs), designed to dramatically accelerate the growth, effectiveness and impact of our network. Through iHubs we are engaging a cohort of our strongest, most progressive market leaders to formulate innovative approaches and pilot best-in-class initiatives with the intent of scaling the most impactful opportunities to benefit the entire network, and ultimately, the communities we serve.
more than 70,000 nonprofit partners and millions of volunteers.
s between donors, volunteers and causes. Their innovative concept is to develop an integrated service model that brings together groups of investors and creates unified teams to seed, lead, staff and support projects from concept to evaluation.
One of the more provocative iHubs projects comes to us from 
Today marks the start of 
that you are interested in. Make sure you know what organization will be there and who will be representing them. Make a schedule for yourself so that you do not miss anybody that you would like to meet.
break out sessions, people are less likely to approach you because you are giving off the message that you are busy.
Are you a recent graduate looking for a new job? Maybe you are someone who is looking a for a new career path to develop some skills? Volunteering is the best outlet possible to do all of these things!
organization’s board or advisory council, participate in a focus group, or help write a group’s vision.
nteers is an unrealistic goal.
are able to serve again. Keep in touch with them to let them know that you care about their well-being.
mean more because they are not paid to give it.
It is important to provide inclusive projects for both your volunteers and your staff members to guarantee retention. When volunteers feel their work is both meaningful and fulfilling, they are more likely to return.
