Volunteer manual creation

To accomplish this, consider including the following information in your volunteer training manual:. Training leaders should refer to the manual throughout the volunteer training process. The manual is most effective when easily accessible to all volunteers; so we recommend organizations store a volunteer training manual PDF version online for easy sharing.

Create digital materials—like videos and interactive quizzes—and post online for volunteers to access at home. Check out this virtual volunteering guide for more ideas on engaging volunteers virtually during all phases of the volunteer management process.

An outline will help you stay on track and shape your training sessions. Provide your volunteers with the outline so they too can follow along. Training requires volunteers to take more time out of their busy schedules. While your volunteer training program should be comprehensive enough for trainees to perform their tasks well and safely, it should also be respectful of their time.

Technology has changed the way a lot of organizations manage and engage volunteers. Introducing technology into your training program will not only help volunteers get acquainted with the systems you use, it will also keep them engaged in the material. You may also choose to take advantage of the benefits of blended learning. Blended learning involves online and in-person teaching methods. One of the best ways to support new volunteers and build trust is by providing them with a volunteer mentorship program.

The volunteer mentor may be a member of staff, or a seasoned volunteer. Hold a mentor meet and greet so that volunteers can get to know their new mentors in a relaxed setting. Mentors can assist with on-the-job training and evaluation.

Goal-setting helps to motivate trainees while creating a criteria for evaluation. Work with your volunteers to set learning objectives at the beginning of your training session. The goals should address this question: What task should the volunteer perform in a specific time-frame, given the conditions?

For example, a learning objective may be:. Learning objectives should be relevant to your training activities, measurable, and attainable within a given time-frame. Thank your volunteers for their time, and celebrate their successes, no matter how small. Successful volunteer engagement is an ongoing practice. Within a week or two of a completed training, send a follow-up email thanking your volunteers for their participation.

Then, prompt them to sign up for opportunities with a call-to-action. Provide opportunity recommendations based on their skills and interests to maintain the momentum gathered during volunteer training. Continuous volunteer development should become a pillar of your volunteer engagement strategy.

It is best to offer choices in your research questions; volunteers typically are not involved in organization management and it may not occur to them to ask for:. If a proposed activity does not support the key goals of an organization in some way, then why are resources being assigned?

In some cases, the volunteer activity has merit and it is the goals that have to be reframed; not most cases. Some policy boards expect volunteers to draft positions and policies and leave the implementation to staff, while other organizations expect volunteers to do the work of the committees and deliver the programs.

Your volunteer handbook should clarify the roles of volunteers and staff and be explicit on what requires approval beyond volunteers deciding to move forward. Of course, your research will give you your own long list of things volunteers need and want to know. Here you set the stage by describing the value your organization places on its volunteers.

You can describe the history of volunteerism in your organization, what your volunteers have experienced testimonials are great , what is expected from volunteers and current issues of concern to your membership. You may even choose to address the barrier that most organizations face: lack of time. By stating upfront that you invite volunteers to contribute as much or as little time as they can commit to, you create a safe place for volunteers with a limited amount of time to contribute.

You can also present templates for preparing agendas, minutes, critical paths, etc. Whether you are recruiting volunteers for a festival, sporting event, conference, or a Nonprofit program, they will all have the same basic questions and training requirements. All volunteers will want to know where to park, what to wear, and how to contact you.

That's where a volunteer handbook comes in handy. Rather than exchanging hundreds of emails answering the same basic questions, try creating a single document to do the work. A volunteer handbook is basically a sign of relief for your volunteer team; it gives them all the information they need to show up and work. Think of a volunteer handbook as both, your FAQ and your policy and training document; its goal is to inform and support your volunteers.

So now that you understand how valuable a volunteer handbook is to both you and your volunteer team and time to start thinking about what you need to have in it. Every event and organization will have there own unique requirements for a volunteer handbook, but we have put together a helpful list to get you started. This your chance to welcome and thank your volunteers while explaining the purpose of the volunteer handbook.

Take this opportunity to inspire excitement in your volunteer team, share some quotes of past volunteers and their experience. Make sure to show your appreciation and explain the positive impact volunteers make for your program, event, or initiative.

This section of your volunteer handbook for introducing your new volunteers to your organization and your mission. First, they force you to evaluate your entire volunteer-development program, identifying gaps in your recruitment, training, recognition and dismissal policies, and procedures.

Secondly, they are great tools for keeping volunteers informed and engaged with your mission. Donnellan has more than 30 years of experience as a nonprofit CEO, motivational speaker, consultant, trainer, mentor and writer. She is the author of more than 60 books, guides and webinars on nonprofit management, which are in use in more than a dozen countries. She has an M.

She can be contacted at mldonnellanauthor gmail. Continue to your page in 15 seconds or skip this ad. Research Resource Guide Advertise. August 2, Donnellan, MS.