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Secrets of sustainable volunteer programs A framework to evaluate your program and make it stronger Presented by Lauren Serpa & Barbara Thorsen CalSERVES Volunteer Programs Training Series
Secrets of sustainable volunteer programs
A framework to evaluate your program and make it stronger
Presented by Lauren Serpa & Barbara Thorsen
CalSERVES Volunteer Programs Training Series
SPEAKERS
Lauren Serpa
Program Coordinator
@CalSERVES VIP
Barbara Thorsen
Program Manager
@CalSERVES VIP
WHO WE ARE:
Napa County Office of
Education (NCOE)runs
CalSERVES
AmeriCorps programs throughout California
WHO WE ARE:
The Volunteer
Infrastructure Project
(VIP)is a
CalSERVES AmeriCorps
program
AmeriCorps VIPCalSERVES
SINCE 1998 CALSERVES HAS…
ENGAGED OVER 3,000 AMERICORPS MEMBERS
PROVIDED VOLUNTEER INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDING SERVICES TO OVER 300
CALIFORNIA AGENCIES
ENGAGED OVER 150,000 VOLUNTEERS
PROVIDED OVER $10,000,000 IN EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS TO
AMERICORPS MEMBERS
WORKSHOP GOALS
• Define “volunteer infrastructure”
• Define (or revisit) your volunteer program
needs and purpose
• Evaluate your agency’s volunteer program
using the CalSERVES Volunteer Capacity
Assessment
• Identify individual next steps in building
your agency’s volunteer program
HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THIS WORKSHOP
• Get ready to participate! You’ll have
the opportunity to listen, talk/share,
and reflect/plan individually
• Keep your eye on the activity timer
Let’s break the iceForm a group of 3 -4 people , introduce yoursel f , then share your answers to
these quest ions:
How long have
you been
working in
volunteer
engagement?
1
Which emoji below best
describes your feelings on
volunteer management?
2
VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT & “INFRASTRUCTURE”
VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT CYCLE
Identify needs and purpose of volunteer effort
Planning: policies, procedures,
logistics, roles
Recruitment and Selection
Place, support, and supervise
volunteers
Evaluation and recognition of
volunteers
Program evaluation and
assessment
Adapted from the University of Texas
Volunteer Management Program
Cycle, ©Rehnborg
Water:
Time and talent of
community members
Waterwheel:
Volunteer
management system
Mill:
Service provided to
meet needs
VOLUNTEER INFRASTRUCTURE
≠ DAY-TO-DAY PROGRAM
MANAGEMENT
VOLUNTEER INFRASTRUCTURE
IS THE SECRETOF
SUSTAINABILITY
VOLUNTEER INFRASTRUCTURE =
systems, structures, policies, and plans that provide the structure
needed to run a high quality volunteer program long-term
THE PILLARS OF VOLUNTEER INFRASTRUCTURE:
1. The organizational structure supports volunteer involvement.2. Allocated resources appropriately support the volunteer program.3. Community/Outside partnerships regularly support volunteer efforts.4. Recruitment & outreach strategy effectively fills identified volunteer needs.5. Volunteer program policies utilize best-practices to address volunteer
performance, behavior, risk, and other human resource-related topics.6. Fully developed volunteer roles meet real service needs and needs of
volunteers. 7. Volunteer screening processes ensure volunteers are matched with
appropriate roles.8. Complete volunteer training plan gives volunteers tools needed to serve
effectively.9. Staff and volunteer leaders are given clear roles in volunteer supervision and
are provided with appropriate training in volunteer management.10. Effective team relationships are developed between volunteers & staff.11. Recognition and retention strategies keep volunteers engaged over time.12. A system is developed to receive, analyze, and incorporate volunteer
feedback.13. Accurate tracking and recording systems provide up to date records of
volunteer involvement.
THE META-PILLAR
Every organization with strong volunteer
infrastructure has a strong system of
recording and enforcing the volunteer
structures that have been developed.
NEEDS AND PURPOSE:DEFINING OUR “MILL”
VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT CYCLE
Identify needs and purpose of volunteer effort
Planning: policies, procedures,
logistics, roles
Recruitment and Selection
Place, support, and supervise
volunteers
Evaluation and recognition of
volunteers
Program evaluation and
assessment
Adapted from the University of Texas
Volunteer Management Program
Cycle, ©Rehnborg
GROUNDWORK FOR A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
• Start with the NEED
• Why does the organization want
volunteers?
• What are the needs of the community or
clients? Can they be addressed with
volunteers?
• Why are volunteers important to the
mission and vision of the organization?
GROUNDWORK FOR A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
• Use your needs to create GOALS
• Write a purpose statement and/or vision
for the volunteer program
• What do you need volunteers to
accomplish?
• How will the clients benefit? The
organization? The community? The
volunteers themselves?
GROUNDWORK FOR A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
• Work from your goals to design your
program INPUTS
• What will volunteers do? What tasks will
they perform, what positions will they
hold?
• What types of volunteers will you need to
meet the goals?
GROUNDWORK FOR A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
• From your anticipated inputs, determine
what successful OUTPUTS will be
• Based on what volunteers will do, what
will they ACCOMPLISH?
• eg, if a volunteer will be mentoring a
child, their output could be the number
of hours they spend with the child
GROUNDWORK FOR A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
• Looking at the outputs, what will be the
OUTCOME?
• Based on what volunteers accomplish,
what RESULT or CHANGE will be seen?
• eg, if a volunteer will be mentoring a
child, their output could be the number
of hours they spend with the child, and
the outcome could be the child’s raised
grades in classes or higher test scores.
ACTIVITY:NEEDS AND PURPOSE
WORKSHEET
Consider the community need
you are addressing through
volunteer effort, and fill in the
needs assessment for volunteer
involvement.
ACTIVE BREAK TIME!
Grab a
Volunteer
Capacity
Assessment
Handout
The VCA measures the presence of structures in an agency that point to volunteer program
capacity
Developed by CalSERVES
AmeriCorps @ Napa County Office of
Education
CalSERVES AmeriCorps programs have placed over
850 AmeriCorps members in more than 300
California nonprofits, schools, and government
programs to build volunteer programs
a broad survey of Volunteer Management research and
best practices (mainly from the US, Canada, Australia, and the
UK), including existing assessment tools in the field
AND
our experience building volunteer programs in over 300
California service agencies from 2009-2015
The VCA was inspired by:
Who the VCA is for:
• Nonprofits
• Government agencies
• Schools and educational organizations***
** With a grain of salt
THE VCA DOES MEASURE:
Are you set up for success in mobilizing
volunteer efforts to make an impact?
Do volunteers and volunteer management
staff have the support and tools they need
to be successful?
THE VCA DOES NOT MEASURE:
Whether your volunteers make an
impact
The success of your volunteer program
How to complete the VCA:
**Instructions are on Page 1 of the VCA handout**
• Be thoughtful and honest
• For each indicator, note whether the structures
are in place “yes/somewhat/no”
• Use the “baseline” column so that later you can
compare mid- and post- comparisons
How you can use the completed VCA:
• Identify structures your agency lacks
• Prioritize indicators to develop
• Make an action plan to develop
missing indicators
Complete one page of the Volunteer Capacity Assessment for your
organization
ACTIVITY:VOLUNTEER CAPACITY
ASSESSMENT
What page of the VCA should I start with?
If your volunteer program sounds like
this…
…then consider
starting here:
New or unstructured volunteer program Level 1
Seasoned volunteer program with lots of
room to growLevel 2
Strong volunteer program that’s well
integrated into the agencyLevel 3
ACTIVITY:
COMPLETE ONE PAGE (OR MORE) OF THE VOLUNTEER
CAPACITY ASSESSMENT FOR YOUR AGENCY
Small Group DiscussionFORM A GROUP OF 3-4 PEOPLE, THEN DISCUSS
THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
Did you learn
anything about
your agency
through the
assessment?
1 2
What strengths or
weaknesses of
your volunteer
program did you
notice?
• Identify 2 or more priority areas
of improvement from your VCA
• Complete the action plan
template for your improvement
areas
**You’ll have the opportunity to share
one of your action steps with a partner,
or the whole group**
ACTIVITY:COMPLETE AN ACTION PLAN
Partner Discussion
Find a partner, then:
Share one area of improvement, and
how you’ll address it through your
action plan
(Now is a good time to brainstorm with
or ask for advice from your partner!)
Wrap Up
Your 30-second story:
Tell us one action step you
identified, and the area of
improvement it will address.
Wrap Up
Volunteer infrastructure provides:
• A strategy for sustainability of day-to-day volunteer effort
• A structure to enhance or expand programs
AMERICORPS VIP MAY BE ABLE TO HELP YOUR AGENCY
Have big
infrastructure
projects to tackle?
CALSERVES RUNS AMERICORPS PROGRAMS
CalSERVES
AmeriCorps programs are funded by
AmeriCorpsvia our state commission
California Volunteers
VIP AIMS TO HELP YOU DO MORE.
We build and strengthen volunteer
programs within nonprofit and
educational organizations that improve
the lives of children and families.
OUR GOALS FOR PARTNER AGENCIES:
•Achieve new standards in effective
volunteer programming
•Recruit short-term and High Value
volunteers
•Raise funds and build partnerships with
businesses to promote volunteer program
sustainability
THE AMERICORPS TERM OF SERVICE
CalSERVES VIP Fellows are
AmeriCorps members
who complete
1,700 hours of service
at assigned Partner Sites
WHAT OUR AMERICORPS MEMBERS DO:
45% OF THEIR SERVICE:
BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE and systems at the Partner Site to effectively engage
volunteers and increase capacity to serve clients through volunteer programs.
35% OF THEIR SERVICE:
RECRUITING, screening, training, or placing one-time and skilled volunteers.
10% OF THEIR SERVICE:
FUNDRAISING, or garnering new resources to increase and complement the Partner
Site’s service efforts through fundraising and the building of business partnerships.
10% OF THEIR SERVICE:
Participating in TRAINING opportunities, including live and online trainings, team
meetings, and coaching meetings with supervisors and team leaders.
INTERESTED IN HOSTING A VIP FELLOW?
Contact us to see if the program is available in your community:
Barbara:
Lauren:
