October 2008 E-bulletin
FEATURE
ARTICLE
Volunteer Retention - Stop The Revolving Door
RELATED
RESOURCES
Volunteer Retention
TIPS
& TOOLS
Assisting a Burnt-Out Volunteer
SPECIAL
EVENTS
Understanding Board Liability - seminar
Non-profit Staff Supervision Training - Needs Assessment
ANNOUNCEMENTS
New Books in Volunteer Manitoba Library
Resources to Complete the T1030A
FEATURE
ARTICLE
Volunteer Retention - Stop The Revolving Door
By Tracy Douglass, Community Outreach Coordinator
Volunteer Recruitment is often cited by non-profit organizations as the number one concern facing their volunteer program. However, studies are showing that paying attention to volunteer retention may be a better strategy. Stop the revolving door. Instead of trying to get enough volunteers to enter your door through recruitment, perhaps it's time to pay attention to volunteer retention and prevent people from leaving.
MYTHS of Volunteer Management
1. Volunteers are free labour - The process of recruiting, orienting, and training new volunteers is expensive. It can be $100 or more per volunteer just to get them ready to do their job. Also, if you have high turnover, how does that affect your clients who must adjust to a new person? How is the quality of your service or program affected when you have volunteers who are always at the stage of learning their job?
These tangible and intangible costs must be considered.
2. Volunteer turnover only affects a small part of program delivery - true, but it also affects your ability to fundraise. Studies show that people who volunteer for longer periods for an organization are more likely to donate larger amounts than those who are new to the organization. Volunteer turnover adds to your expenses but it also decreases your ability to raise money to pay for these expenses.
3. Volunteers leave because they don't have time, not because of what I do - Since volunteers are using their spare time, they have the choice of how to spend it. Studies show that people join organizations as volunteers to make a contribution. The #1 reason for leaving is they don't have the time to volunteer. The question is, do they not have time or do they not have time to volunteer the way we want them to? Are your volunteers spending their time making the contribution they expected to? Is their time being well used? Are they contributing the skills they want to? These questions must be asked to fully understand why volunteers are deciding to leave.
ACTIONS to improve retention:
1. Get organized and use your volunteers' time wisely. Have processes in place to do timely and relevant orientation and training so you can get your volunteer contributing as soon as possible.
2. Get everybody on board - all your staff should be involved in improving volunteer retention. Make sure they have the skills to properly manage and motivate volunteers.
3. Regularly check with your volunteers to find out their perceptions of their job, the organization and working relationships. Ensure two-way communication occurs to help the volunteer have a positive, meaningful experience.
Volunteer Management is a vital part of any successful organization that relies on volunteers. As Steve McCurley writes in his book Keeping Volunteers, "Organizations must start to realize that operating a revolving door volunteer program is highly ineffective."
Related Workshops:
Maximizing Retention Through Orientation, Oct 23, 9am - 12pm - click here…
Volunteer Management Introduction, Nov 25 - 27 - click here…
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RELATED
RESOURCES
Volunteer Retention
Resources from Volunteer Manitoba's
Resource Library:
(to borrow any of these resources contact our Resource Coordinator, 477-5180, vmresource@mts.net)
Keeping Volunteers: A guide to retention (Steve McCurley, Rick Lynch) – A comprehensive overview of why volunteers become dissatisfied and presents tried and tested methods that can help to improve volunteer commitment and make volunteering more fulfilling.
A Matter of Design (Volunteer Canada) –This workbook challenges organizations to fundamentally re-think the involvement of volunteers to address the changing needs and interests of today's volunteers.
Volunteer Motivation Primer (Stevenson Consultants) – Quick, practical tools, charts, forms, and techniques to maximize volunteer involvement and productivity.
Websites:
Volunteer Management Audit - Organizations can use this Audit Tool (based on the Canadian Code for Volunteer Involvement) to analyze their volunteer program and to identify and prioritize areas for development.
Volunteer Motivation Study - This study creates an inventory of volunteer motivations. Also included is a smaller study on 'the reasons why people do not volunteer'.
How to Generate Conflict Between Staff and Volunteers - A fun list of ways to ensure your volunteers and staff don't get along.
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TIPS
& TOOLS
Assisting a Burnt-Out Volunteer
Excerpts from "Keeping Volunteers" by Steve McCurley and Rick Lynch
Causes of Volunteer Burnout and Suggested Strategies
1. Burnout occurs when what they are doing is no longer interesting - By Keeping the volunteer focused on the ultimate goal members of staff invest the position with meaning.
2. Burnout occurs when their expectations do not match their reality - Adjust the volunteers expectations early in the volunteer experience to match more closely a reasonable and realistic expectation of accomplishments to avoid frustration or feelings of failure.
3. Burnout occurs when they feel they are facing an overwhelming burden - Help the volunteer break an overwhelming task into a series of "bite-sized" pieces or series of small steps. Alternatively, you can assign a second volunteer to help.
4. Burnout occurs when they do not feel supported - Each volunteer needs to have a clearly identified supervisor who makes regular contact with the volunteer. This is especially important when volunteer work alone and in isolation and there are not many natural opportunities for staff to say thank you.
5. Burnout occurs when their tasks feel repetitive - Sometimes volunteers need a change in environment or job so they can use other skills. Or, give the volunteer a temporary leave of absence and the opportunity of relief from the stresses which are fostering burnout.
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SPECIAL
EVENTS
Understanding Board Liability
Thursday,
October 28, 2008
Volunteer Manitoba Training Room
12:00pm - 1pm
Many people who volunteer have concerns about possible liability for their cts if they become directors or officers. Learn what liabilities and risks Board members face while fulfilling their responsibilities and the potential legal protections available.
To download the registration form - click
here.
Non-Profit Staff Supervision Training - Needs Assessment
Volunteer Manitoba is creating a new course covering basic non-profit staff supervision. If you are a new or aspiring manager please tell us what you think this course should cover by completing this quick, 6 question survey:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=EjvbnC7eRucxabbvaODxPw_3d_3d
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
New Books in Volunteer Manitoba Library
Volunteer Manitoba has a large resource library of books and videos on topics relevant to the not-for-profit sector. We’ve just purchased 12 new books on various topics that you can borrow. A 12 month organizational membership is only $15 and anyone across the province can borrow the books. To view the latest acquisitions click here... http://www.volunteermanitoba.ca/newsite/recent_acquisitions.htm
Resources to Complete the T1030A's for Revenue Canada
The purpose of The Charities File is to increase the awareness and capacity of registered charities to file complete and accurate T3010As (Registered Charities Information Returns) on time. Last year, more than 2500 charities had their charitable status revoked as they did not file their returns. Many charities also filed returns that contained errors that would not reflect well on the charity’s public image. To view the resources available to help your organization complete the T3010A click here... http://thecharitiesfile.ca/
Heads Up! Maintain Your Brain Seminar
Guy Pilch, Canada’s first mental fitness consultant from Victoria B.C., will give an inspiring presentation that will enhance your mental functioning and improve your overall personal success and well-being. Held on Tuesday, October 21st from 7-9 p.m. at Grant Memorial Church, 877 Wilkes Avenue. To register call 943-6622 or email headsupwpg@alzheimer.mb.ca or register online at: https://www.alzsecure.com/januaryForum/private/home.php
Work Force Coaching Certificate
Earn your Coaching Certificate by participating in 3 training modules developed and offered by the Life Coaching Centre. Each module is offered either as a full-day session or over 3 sessions in the evening. Discount available for non-profit organization staff. To learn more click here… http://www.lifecoachctre.ca/services-coursess.htm
HR Council Releases Non-Profit Labour Force Studies
“With the results of these national surveys, we are building tangible evidence of the realities of paid employment in our sector,” says HR Council Executive Director Lynne Toupin. “The data collected in these national surveys will help lay the foundation for the development of strategies and plans to respond to those realities." To read the studies click here… http://www.hrcouncil.ca/projects/council-projects-sector.cfm
2008 Annual CD/CED Gathering
Start the day with LITE’s 12th annual Wild Blueberry Pancake Breakfast, Nov 28, 7am – 10am. Then join us at the CD/CED Gathering from 9am – 4:30pm. The Gathering is a full day of networking, learning, sharing, and planning at R.B.High School in Winnipeg's North End. Online registration for the Gathering, and the more than 30 workshops, will be available soon.
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