Data Speaks: Recent Research about Our Role and Our Work

Katie Campbell, CVASkye Consulting

Promoting Job Equity for Volunteer Engagement

Professionals

Conducted byMinnesota Association for Volunteer Administration

June 2017

www.MAVAnetwork.org

Your Experience Validated?• Volunteer Engagement Professionals (VEPs) are often

underpaid, undervalued, and their work is misunderstood.

• There truly are equity issues in how volunteer engagement professionals are paid, included and understood in the workplace.

• There is a lack of true understanding about the essential nature of volunteers and those who lead them.

Research MethodologyComparing Similar Jobs:• Volunteer Engagement Professional • Development/Fundraising Professional• Human Resource Professional• Program/Service Director

Process:• Survey of 500 Executive Directors/CEOs• 25 individual phone interviews to probe further

Qualifications for 4 Positions

Skills Needed for the 4 Positions

Job Responsibilities

Inclusion in Strategic Planning

Elimination During Budget Crunch

VEP People Skills Most Highly Valued

Biggest challenge to supporting your organization's volunteer engagement

CEOs Think you are Doing an Excellent job!

Volunteerism Very Valuable!

Can you be a Transformational Leader?• People will follow a leader who inspires them

• A person with vision and passion can achieve great things

• Energy and enthusiasm are the tonics that get things done

Steps to Take Reshape your image to be seen as a strategic leader Position yourself as an expert Discuss with the top decision-maker how the volunteer

engagement voice can be best represented in organizational decision-making & on the executive team Demonstrate that volunteer management is a

professional field Educate staff about volunteer engagement & outcomes Train other staff on best practices

Volunteer Screening Trends & Best Practices

2018

Conducted by Verified Volunteers in partnership with Volunteer Match

Main Topics of Survey

Motivation for conducting volunteer screeningRelated challenges & barriersTypes of background checks being conductedTypes of volunteers screenedConfidence in screening resultsScreening outcomes & perceived valueGeneral challenges faced by organizations

Profile of Responding Organizations77.84% serve a vulnerable populationKey decisions involving vols. made by:

VEP = 47.9% Executive Director = 43.24%

22.32% have more than 1000 vols. (10.71% last year)56% said unpaid vols. make up 75% or more of their staffAreas of responsibility of respondents:

Vol. recruitment = 86 Dev/Fundraising = 47%Vol. program mgmt. = 85% Advocacy = 37% Vol. training = 84% Finance/budgets = 36%PR/Comm. = 56% HR/employee recruiting = 29%

Types of background checks used

Criminal record checks = 92% Sex offender search = 73% ID verification = 41%Motor vehicle checks = 33% Fingerprinting = 33% Verification of references, education and/or employment = 33% Drug & health checks = 16% Social media checks = 12% Credit/financial checks = 5%

Communication with Candidates

86% explain screening program Two-thirds contact candidates to clarify inconsistencies Over half share concerning information 4 out of 10 update candidates when there is a delay due to

screening

**Do you know about the “Adverse Action” process?

Deal-breakers for Volunteer Applicants

• Sexual assault record = 94%• Felony conviction for violent crime = 94%• Misdemeanor conviction for violent crime = 72%• Felony conviction for nonviolent crime = 55%• Driving conviction = 30%• Misdemeanor conviction for nonviolent crime = 17%

Annual Renewal Screening

• 21% rescreen all vols. (up from 20%)

• 25% rescreen those working w/ vulnerable (up from 21%)

• 19% long-term vols. (up very slightly)

• 20% rescreen short-term vols. (up from 10%)

• 17% rescreen admin./back office positions (up from 13%)

*** TREND!

Related Challenges

Bureaucracy and time are bigger challenges than money

11% offer vols. opportunity to help defray cost 9% require candidates to pay entire cost 3% require candidates to pay partial cost

26% want to reduce onboarding time 24% want to improve the vol. screening experience 24% want to improve screening turnaround time

Interesting Facts from Volunteer Match

Over 50% access Volunteer Match via phones

Special projects/opportunities and training are the #1 preferred types of recognition

“Technology” now the top way vols. learn about opportunities (more than “word of mouth”)

The worst performing vol. opportunities all have a spelling error!

More Interesting Facts from Volunteer Match

75% volunteer at more than one organization

78% say understanding impact keeps them engaged

Vols. are yearning for a “civic social network”

New Technology is Here

Ability to recruit pre-vetted volunteers

Portable background checks (“credentials”)

Identity validation

Get the VV 2018 Report!www.VerifiedVolunteers.com

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND