OneTime Volunteers

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One-Time Volunteers

• Jennifer Kress
• FirstCall 2-1-1
• 970-407-7066

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How is one-time or short term volunteering
valuable?

• Capability to provide services or complete
  projects that staff would not have had time for.
• Increased public support and awareness for
  programs.
• Use individual job skills and experience from
  volunteers.
• Encouraged and renewed volunteers to give back ,
  even it its only once a year.
• Not all volunteers who provide one-time service
  disappear at the end of their jobs.

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Whats the benefit to the volunteer?

• Group projects allow people to give back to the
  community as a team.
• New friendships.
• Typical population boundaries are broken.
• Efforts are combined to see tangible change.
• Improved self-esteem and renewed excitement when
  they see that their values and concerns are
  shared by others.

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• After MDD, do you now know more about the
  organization?
• 90.5 said yes
• Have you supported this agency in the past? only
  37 said yes
• Would you volunteer for this agency again? 98
  said yes
• Would you now consider supporting this agency
  with financial or material donations? almost 76
  said yes
• Would you volunteer for MDD again?
• 99.4 said yes

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One-Time Volunteers

• Step One Set Goals
• Step Two Select a project
• Step Three Recruit Volunteers
• Step Four Risk Management
• Step Five The Big Day
• Step Six Sustaining the volunteer / follow-up
• Step Seven Troubleshooting

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Step One Set Goals

• Good service projects match real community
  needs with the interests and skills of both
  volunteers and staff.
• What exactly do you want/need to see
  accomplished?
• How do you want to raise awareness of an issue?
• How much time and energy do you have to put into
  the planning?
• If you're planning a fundraiser, what is the
  ultimate goal ()?

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Step Two Select your project

• Things to consider when selecting
• The mission of your organization.
• How could you expand existing services to create
  a one-day project?
• Is your project duplicating an existing project,
  or are you trying to raise funds through a
  fundraiser that's stale?

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Step Three Recruit Volunteers

• Community officials
• Families
• Members of civic and fraternal organizations,
  such as fire or police depts..
• Faith community
• Community providers, advocacy groups and
  nonprofits
• Neighborhood association members
• New Americans and minority backgrounds
• People with disabilities
• Business professionals / networking groups
• Retired adults and senior citizen centers
• Students
• Homebound, unemployed or veterans
• Youth

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The Art of the Ask

• Recruitment is as much about marketing your
  organization as it is about finding volunteers.
• Practice your 90 second elevator speech!
• What is your recruitment message?
• Dont beg!!!! Focus on your offer.

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Hints of Recruiting

• Decide how many volunteers to recruit and
  increase that number by 20 to cover your
• "no-show" volunteers. Be sure to recruit enough
  volunteers to do all of the major tasks and get
  firm commitments from them in advance.
• Walk-in volunteers should be asked to fill
  smaller on-the-spot tasks.
• Use the internet. According to Giving and
  Volunteering in the United States 2001
  (Washington D.C.), 10 of people with internet
  access it to search for volunteer opportunities,
  learn about volunteer organizations or engage in
  other similar activities.
• Request meetings with local businesses to
  encourage their employees to volunteer.

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Use your best resource

• The best recruiters available to you are
  satisfied volunteers who tell others about their
  work, encouraging participation and commitment.
• Sue Vineyard

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Step Four Risk Management

• Risk Management gives you the tools to protect
  your volunteers and gives them the confidence to
  perform their assignments. Risk management is
  not just looking for trouble, it's looking for
  solutions that make your organization more
  effective.

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Step Five The Big Day

• Registration
• Have a friendly person there early.
• Distribute nametags and point out team leaders
  (who should be easily identifiable).
• Refreshments, water, and restrooms. Distribute
  maps (if needed).
• Orientation/Training
• History of your organization and a tour of your
  facility.
• Project goals
• Volunteer job description (handout) and a
  schedule of the day.
• If off-site, provide them with a first-aid kit
  and emergency numbers.
• Read the risk management plan, and have
  volunteers sign the release and waiver of
  liability form.

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Step Five The Big Day

• Food and Refreshment Breaks
• Take advantage of the chance for staff to express
  individual gratification! Often times it is
  during the lunch-hour or break that you can make
  individual connections to future volunteers for
  an on-going basis, or find a potential donor that
  wants to support financially. Take the time to
  personally meet people your volunteers - you
  couldn't do it without them!

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Step Five The Big Day

• Reflection and Evaluation
• Reflection gives time to ask Now What?
• Allows volunteers the chance to process their
  work, and think about how they made a difference
  (and how they might make a difference in the
  future).
• Evaluations are crucial to this reflection time.
  When creating an evaluation form, ask questions
  that you can tally easily, and be sure leave room
  for comments.
• Clean-Up
• Often times, staff are the ones to clean up. If
  you have enough volunteers, try and schedule
  specific ones to strictly help with clean-up, or
  ask volunteers ahead of time.

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Step Six Sustaining the Volunteer / Follow-up

• Send a personalized thank-you card to the
  volunteer.
• If you have a volunteer recognition event, be
  sure to invite the volunteer.
• Nominate a volunteer for FirstCall's volunteer of
  the month, or for the Daily Points of Light
  Award.
• Write a letter to the editor (or a Thumbs Up) to
  the local newspaper.
• Add volunteers to your newsletters and annual
  reports, highlighting ongoing volunteer
  opportunities to encourage them to volunteer
  again.
• Use your event evaluations. How can you make
  next year's event better? Are their any
  volunteers that might want to help in more
  details for future planning?

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Personal Thank You Ideas

• Send email greetings
• Write a letter to the volunteers employer
• Hersheys kisses A big hug from me for all you
  do
• Tea Bag Enjoy a cuppa on us for all you do
• Helium balloons that say Great job!
• Candy hearts We love everything you do for us

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Step Seven Troubleshooting

• A Low Turn-Out of Volunteers
• Make contingency plans.
• Can't Complete the Project
• Be realistic.
• Make sure all necessary equipment is available
  and delivered to the site early.
• In the volunteer job description, be sure to let
  him/her know exactly what needs to be done, and
  in what order.

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Step Seven Troubleshooting

• Bad Weather
• Decide on a rain site well in advance
• Develop a communication plan with staff in the
  event you need to contact the volunteers on
  short-notice.
• Volunteers are Late
• In all communications, express the need for
  volunteers to be on time. Clarify the time the
  project will begin and end.
• Model appropriate behavior by being on time
  yourself!

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Step Seven Troubleshooting

• Volunteer Expectations
• Client interaction
• Impress upon volunteer how meaningful their
  assignment is and how this project is helping to
  change lives through your mission.
• Provide information on additional volunteer
  services.
• Volunteers are Unhappy with Assignments
• Be sure to collect information and opinions when
  they register.
• Prefer individual or group?
• Access talents and abilities, including supplies
  
• Assign team leaders throughout the day to monitor
  volunteer attitudes and re-direct volunteers if
  necessary.

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Final Thoughts Questions

• Everyone needs help from everyone.
• Bertolt Brecht
• If you decide to go for it, do it with
  spirit. Sometimes success is due less to ability
  than to zeal.
• Charles Buxton
• When you have the ability to help your
  fellowman, that ability ceases to be merely an
  ability and becomes a responsibility.
• Adelle Davis