Your Volunteers are important

Volunteers are the most important part of the success of your organization. They are the heart and soul.  Now could be the very best time to take a look at your volunteer program and spiff it up so that your volunteers will want to come and stay.
 But volunteerism has changed and volunteer expectations have evolved. Here are a few things today's volunteer has a right to expect from you - master these and you will have happy volunteers.

1. They want you to be prepared for them.
 A common experience is to arrive ready to work only to find that you are unprepared. So they sit around trying to look busy when really, they are twiddling their thumbs. Don't let this happen to
 your volunteers. A paid worker, after all, needs the money and will likely put up with this, but your volunteers will see you as disorganized and inconsiderate. Don't bring a volunteer in until you have everything worked out, from the job description to a place to work with proper equipment, to something to do immediately.

2. They want to feel welcomed.
 Act as though your volunteer is a guest in your home. Show them around. Introduce them to your staff and other volunteers, have your top people drop by and say hello and thanks. Don't let your volunteer feel uncomfortable for a minute. Show that your organization is warm, friendly, helpful, and happy to see your volunteer.


3. They want good training.
 Even if the task assigned is a simple one, take the time to explain it, demonstrate it, and mentor the volunteer through the first few hours. Provide a another volunteer who is experienced, to help the new one. When training a group of volunteers, be sure to use adult learning techniques such as group involvement. Volunteers don't want to be lectured to. They want to participate in the training. Include in your training clear expectations for your volunteers. Let them know what the job entails and the quality measures that you will use to evaluate their work.

4. They want to do interesting work.
 Most volunteers are willing to roll their sleeves up and do physical labor as long as it is meaningful. But grunt work is out. Do not use volunteers to do the tasks you don’t want to do. Provide leadership opportunities to those volunteers who are willing and have the time to shoulder more responsibility.

5. They want to know up front how much time the job will take.
 Everyone is busier than ever, and many volunteers may only have time for short term assignments.  Decide how much time your job will need and include that when you publicize your volunteer position. Will it take 6 hours a week that can be done over three days? Does it need to be done on a weekend? Do you need your volunteer for the summer, for a season? Does the volunteer need to be available from 2 to 4 p.m. during the week? Provide lots of options so that you can appeal to a busy archery mom as well as the retiree who has more time. Think about offering "alternative" opportunities, such as project-based family volunteering and even micro-volunteering or virtual opportunities .

6. They want to be appreciated.
 Tell your volunteers frequently that they are doing a good job. 


7. They want you to communicate with them well and often.
 Regular communication is motivating for volunteers, while the lack of it is one of the chief reasons volunteers become dissatisfied. Volunteers like to have a single point of contact who looks after them. If your organization does not have a volunteer coordinator, be sure to assign someone to be the point person for your volunteers. Be ready to listen to volunteers and respond to concerns immediately. 


8. They want to know that they are helping to make your organization a better place.
 Let your volunteers know how they are making a difference. Keep them up-to-date on progress toward your organization's goals. 


9. They want to be socially connected.
 Volunteering is a great way for many people to socialize, so provide the opportunity to do so. Become a matchmaker for friend making. Provide some time for coffee or lunch. Invite them to your events and follow up to encourage them to attend or even provide help in getting there. Invite a volunteer to become an informal social director who might provide outside opportunities for volunteers to get together.


10. They want to learn something new.
 Anyone who is willing to volunteer for an organization is likely to have a healthy curiosity and willingness to try new things. Indeed, many volunteers get involved with causes so just so they can learn new skills or about interesting topics and issues. Provide that opportunity. Turning your volunteer job into a mini-educational experience will be highly valued by potential volunteers