March 2009 E-bulletin

FEATURE ARTICLE
The Importance of Volunteer Recognition
RELATED RESOURCES
Volunteer Recognition Ideas and Resources
TIPS & TOOLS
Rewarding Your Volunteers
SPECIAL EVENTS
Survey Design and Analysis Workshop
VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION
Highlighting a Few 2008 Award Winners - continued
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Ticket Order Forms Available for Awards Dinner
Green Team Applications Now Available
Engaging New Canadians Workshop in Winkler
New website launched to help plug gaps in Canada’s disaster response capacity
Introducing Janet Buduhan-Wiens

FEATURE ARTICLE

The Importance of Volunteer Recognition
Written by Erik Butenschon, Community Outreach Coordinator

Once volunteers have been recruited, the most efficient management approach must include every effort to retain them. With the high cost of recruiting and training replacements, plus the break in service continuity that inevitably comes with recruitment as opposed to delivery of service, managers of volunteer programs cannot afford high levels of turnover. This can result in a reduction in quality of service, or even lengthy breaks in service, as energy and resources are diverted elsewhere. This reflects on the importance of proper volunteer recognition, which might be easier than you thought. Appropriate and adequate recognition is perhaps the simplest and most efficient way of encouraging volunteers to remain with your organization.

Those who organize and administer volunteers should be aware that one volunteer may regard one type of recognition as valuable, while another volunteer might feel it is of little worth. Recognition to be effective should be consistent, strong, and ongoing. Volunteers will quickly lose interest and motivation if they feel their contributions are not valued.

Volunteer managers should be aware that recognition should be customized to the individual, and is not “one size fits all”. Managers should also not assume that their volunteers would value the same types of recognition as they themselves would. This is because one volunteer may find one type of recognition valuable while another volunteer may feel it is inadequate.

A great way to adequately reward and recognize volunteers is to understand what the volunteer’s motivation for volunteering is. Knowing what any persons motivation is in doing anything, makes it much easier to show appreciation. If a volunteer manager is conscious of the volunteer's incentive in providing his or her time to the organisation the best form of recognition becomes clear. For example, if one volunteer’s motivation for volunteering was networking, publishing their name and contact information in the organizations newsletter would be a great form of recognition.

One example of an ongoing, strong, and consistent form of volunteer recognition has been Volunteer Manitoba’s Annual Awards Dinner. To be nominated for an award at an event like this, or simply to attend in order to see how valued and respected voluntarism is in Manitoba communities, will make for a night that most volunteers would never forget.

The deadline for volunteer award nominations has passed, but for more information on our awards dinner, and to download dinner ticket order forms, go to: http://www.volunteermanitoba.ca/newsite/awards_dinner.htm

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RELATED RESOURCES

Volunteer Recognition Ideas and Resources

Resources from Volunteer Manitoba's Resource Library: (to borrow any of these resources contact our Resource Coordinator, (204) 477-5180, vmresource@mts.net)

Volunteer Manitoba has a list of websites, books, and volunteer recognition ideas on our website for anyone to access:

- For a list of ideas to help you recognize your volunteers during National Volunteer Week in April, or anytime, click: http://www.volunteermanitoba.ca/newsite/recognition_ideas.htm

- For a list of books available to borrow from our resource library, plus other websites, click: http://www.volunteermanitoba.ca/newsite/recognition_resources.htm

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TIPS & TOOLS

Recognizing Your Volunteers
Excerpt from “The Salvation Army Volunteer Manual”, available in Volunteer Manitoba’s Resource Library

When to Recognize Volunteers
• At the time they sign up to volunteer
• Send a letter of welcome
• Issue I.D. Card, name tags, uniforms, etc.
• Provide an orientation program
• Provide a parking space, lunch, coffee, and/or mileage
• Provide good job descriptions, training and supervision
• Publish name of new volunteer in employee newsletter and/or volunteer newsletter.

Daily or Weekly
• SMILE!
• Informal thank-yous by staff and volunteer coordinator
• Document time for evaluation
• On the job praise

Monthly
• Volunteer of the month
• Articles in newsletters

Annually
• Special events where awards are given, such as a dinner, luncheons, receptions ,coffees
• Certificates, plaques and other awards for time spent volunteering
• Gift of photo of volunteer at work or receiving award
• Volunteer Appreciation Day – Use facilities free of charge
• “Turn-about” lunch – staff serve volunteers
• Holiday parties
• Pizza party for Teen Volunteers

At the Completion of a Special Project
• Say thank you
• Send letter of thanks to volunteer or their boss or school or staff supervisor
• Take out to lunch or for a coffee break
• Promote to another job/give more responsibility

At Meetings With Staff or Groups
• Tell about volunteer projects and individual volunteer accomplishments
• Have a slide show or film showing volunteers at work
• Invite volunteers to staff meetings

This book is available in our resource library. To borrow any of our resources, contact our Resource Coordinator at 477-5180 ext. 223, or Toll-free at 1-888-922-4545 ext. 223, or via e-mail vmresource@mts.net .

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SPECIAL EVENTS

Survey Design and Analysis Workshop

Volunteer Manitoba, together with Health In Common, will be holding a “Survey Design and Analysis” workshop in mid April. The goal of this workshop will be to increase community organizations capacity to conduct evaluations. The workshop will be facilitated by David Patton of the Manitoba Chapter of the Canadian Evaluation Society. Attend this workshop to:
- Increase knowledge of survey design principles;
- Increase knowledge and comfort with available survey design tools;
- Increase capacity to conduct simple quantitative statistical analysis;
- Increase opportunities for collaboration and partnership, and much more.
The workshop will take place over two days, April 14th and 16th, with the 14th, being at the Volunteer Manitoba training room, and the 16th taking place at the Millenium Library Computer Training Lab.

To register, please download our flyer: click here

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VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION

Some Highlights of the 2008 Awards Recipients

PPREMIER'S VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD: Gladys Yeung

A truly exceptional student, Gladys Yeung is described as a young woman who demonstrates excellence in all of her endeavors. This is best exemplified through her work as the Council President at Vincent Massey Collegiate. As a youth leader, Gladys takes her role on council very seriously and demonstrates integrity, commitment and reliability. During her time in office, Gladys has dedicated countless hours working both in the school and as a school representative in the community. Over the past three years, Gladys has worked on the school’s Sustainable Development Committee to develop a wind turbine which will be up and running this fall. Gladys has also helped to create a Peer Helper program which collected books and supplies for a Northern school that burned down. In addition, Gladys has also led a number of fundraising events including a Red Ribbon Campaign to raise awareness for AIDS and a talent show in memory of a former student to raise money for the creation of a memorial fountain. As a peer leader and volunteer, Gladys remarkable contributions demonstrate the true spirit of volunteerism.

MAYOR'S VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD: Sodexho

Everyone knows the importance and benefits of eating healthy and nutritious meals each and every day. But unfortunately not everyone in Winnipeg can afford that basic necessity. But during the summer of 2007, Kathy Jocelyn and Sodexho made sure that basic necessity wasn’t just a luxury for those who could afford it with the introduction of the Feeding our Future program. Whether rain or shine, Kathy and her team of volunteers gathered each and every morning to assemble 150 healthy lunches. Those lunches were then picked up by Winnipeg Harvest and delivered to five community children’s summer programs in Winnipeg’s inner city. Kathy’s dedication to providing those in need with the basic necessities in life was further exemplified when she won a $3,000 cash award for her efforts and donated it to Winnipeg Harvest. Through her hard work, time, passion and energy, Kathy and Sodexho has helped hundreds of children fight hunger and continues to do so through the Feeding our Future program.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S AWARD: Abe Goertzen

Since retiring from the teaching profession 20 years ago, Abe Goertzen has spent most of his retirement time volunteering his time to improve Niverville’s senior community.
A member of Niverville’s Service for Seniors board, Abe was integral to establishing an Adult Daycare program for the community. He has also organized the local Meals on Wheels program and coordinated transportation for seniors to appointments, often providing transportation by Abe himself.
Abe is truly a selfless volunteer and this is especially exemplified through the countless hours he has spent visiting nearly 20 shut-ins in the Niverville area on a monthly, bi-monthly or bi-weekly basis.
In addition to his work with the senior’s community, Abe also volunteers with the Niverville Health Foundation where he has served as the boards chairman for the past 14 years, raising funds to improve the health of the community and help individuals with special needs and costly medical expenses.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ticket Order Forms Available for Awards Dinner

Help us celebrate and show our support for Manitoba’s volunteers in by buying a Dinner Ticket for the 26th Annual Volunteer Awards Dinner on Wednesday, April 22nd at the Convention Centre in Winnipeg. The deadline for purchasing Dinner Tickets is April 10th, and the price is $45.00 per person. Reception begins at 5:00pm, with the dinner and awards presentation at 6:00pm.

for more information on our awards dinner, and to download dinner ticket order forms, go to: http://www.volunteermanitoba.ca/newsite/awards_dinner.htm

Green Team Applications Now Available

The Manitoba Government has announced that not-for-profit organizations and municipal governments across the province can begin submitting applications for 2009 Green Team and Hometown program funding.  Through the Hometown and Green Team program students, learn valuable skills by working on community development projects that may range from youth recreation programs to housing rehabilitation and neighborhood safety.  This program also supports job creation for high-school and post-secondary students who rely on summer employment to pay some of their education costs.  The Urban Green Team program is available to not-for-profit groups in Winnipeg.  Organizations can hire up to four youth between May 4th and August 21st.

Engaging New Canadians Workshop in Winkler

Learn how to recruit and support newcomer immigrant volunteers at this workshop in Winkler. Here you will learn and share ideas on how to adapt your program and resources, explore the concepts of volunteering in other cultures, and hear real life stories. The workshop is free, and takes place on March 25th, from 9:00am – 12:00pm at the Winkler Library. It is facilitated by Lavonne Kroeker of Manitoba Agriculture Food and Rural Initiatives.

New website launched to help plug gaps in Canada’s disaster response capacity

In response to dire predictions of more natural disasters and research showing gaps in Canada’s disaster response capacity, a group of concerned voluntary sector and emergency management organizations have launched a website to help boost the levels of disaster preparedness across Canada. The Ready For Crisis website offers practical tools to help communities and voluntary sector organizations disaster proof their services and their resources. The site features an on-line tutorial for service continuity planning, a readiness survey and a community resiliency handbook containing activities for organizations to understand risk factors in their communities and to help take inventory of vital resources that could be used in a disaster. For more information visit www.readyforcrisis.ca, and www.redcross.ca

Introducing Janet Buduhan-Wiens, our new Resource Coordinator

Please join us all in welcoming the newest member to the Volunteer Manitoba team, Janet Buduhan-Wiens. Janet began early March as our Library Technician in the Resource Centre. If you are seeking advice on resources on non-profit topics, you may contact Janet at (204) 477-5180 ext 223 or by email at vmresource@mts.net.

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