Page

1

Making Volunteer Engagement

Everyone’s Job

Jennifer Bennett @JenBennettCVA

CVA, Senior Manager, Education & Training

Matt Wallace @ItsMattWallace

Senior Associate, Nonprofit Relations

2

Making Volunteer Engagement Everyone’s

Job

Jennifer Bennett, CVA, Senior Manager, Education & Training

To hear the presentation

by phone call:

(415) 655-0056

Access Code: 690-784-930

Jennifer Bennett @JenBennettCVA CVA, Senior Manager, Education & Training

Matt Wallace @ItsMattWallace Senior Associate, Nonprofit Relations

Follow this webinar on Twitter to

join the conversation!

Hash tag: #VMlearn

3

Agenda

• Discuss how to move your volunteer engagement

program from where it is to where you want it to go.

• Address identifying and communicating with

stakeholders.

• Communication plan for stakeholders.

• Action plan for evolving your program.

• Investigate opportunities to engage volunteers in the

process.

4

Outcomes At the end of this presentation you will be able to

• Evaluate where your volunteer engagement program is

and where you want it to go.

• Identify stakeholders in your organization and create an

communication plan for each stakeholder

• Create an action plan to accomplish your volunteer

engagement goals

• Identify how and where you can involve volunteers in this

process

5

Where do you want to go? Depending on where you start you may have further to go –

What is your vision for volunteer engagement?

• Strategic planning – where do you want your program to

be in 5 years?

• Nurture and foster vision to your organization

• May not be adopted by all levels in the organization

• Consider what’s possible around expansion of impact

6

Identify Stakeholders Who plays a role in your organization? How do they feel

about engaging volunteers in new ways?

• Stakeholders could be organization leadership, staff, volunteers, or donors.

• Assess where each stakeholder is on the engagement

continuum

– “I’m evaluating our volunteer engagement program. I’d love to

get your ideas”

– One on one conversations

– Opportunity for you to learn – don’t defend or attempt to change

minds

• Group stakeholders into champions, those seeking more information, and those opposed to expanding volunteer engagement.

7

Create a Communication Plan Based on your volunteer engagement continuum create a plan

for each group or each individual stakeholder.

• What type of information should be included?

– Quantitative – volunteer hours, number of clients served

– Qualitative – quotes or feedback from clients

– Opportunity for volunteer engagement

• Internal communication and external communication

– Different audiences need different styles and tones – overarching

message should be the same.

• Formal and informal communication channels

– Newsletter – formal, external facing. Who is included on the mailing list?

– Email/social media – less formal, internal and external

– Daily conversations/communication – informal

8

Starting an Action Plan

First, assess your stakeholder continuum.

• Identify your champions

• Assess the barriers

– Attitudes

– Staff, money and other resources

– Where can you make progress, and where are the big walls?

• Is there an natural starting point or path for action?

– Remember where you want to go – 5 year strategic plan

9

Create Benchmarks

Working from your starting point identify the milestones or

benchmarks that will help you achieve your plan.

• Engagement goals

– New volunteer opportunities, new programs/departments using

volunteers

• Communication goals

– Internal communication strategies, external communication

strategies

• Volunteer program goals

– Leadership opportunities within volunteer program

10

Create a Timeline

When can you complete your benchmarks? Be realistic –

you still have to accomplish the rest of your job.

• Engage volunteers to help you

– You remove the barriers, volunteers build the program

• Leadership volunteers can help build the plan

– New roles for volunteers

– New opportunities for volunteers to use skills

– Model the volunteer engagement you want to see

11

Opportunities for Engagement Finally, after all the pieces are in place, you want to start

working with your champions to create new

opportunities.

• What are the organization/program needs?

• Engage supervising staff in position description and

screening

– Skills, experience needed, who would be successful at this?,

what training and supervision is needed?

– Engage volunteers to write the actual position, supervising staff

reviews position

12

Make your Plan a Reality!

Remember the strategies for success.

• Start small and work with your champions

• Refer back to your strategic plan and goals.

– It’s okay to reevaluate where you’re going as the program starts

to evolved.

• Don’t get discouraged

– Tout your successes and evaluate and learn from your mistakes.

13

Resources

Learning Center

Find upcoming webinar dates, how-to videos and more

http://learn.volunteermatch.org

VolunteerMatch Community

Ask and answer questions after the webinar – use keywords Skilled Volunteers

http://community.volunteermatch.org/volunteer

Related Webinar Topics:

•Creating a Comprehensive and Engaging Volunteer Training Program

•Where Do I Go From Here? Evolving your Volunteer Program for More Involvement

•Walking the Walk: Engage Volunteers in your Volunteer Engagement Program

14

Thanks for attending! Join us online:

Like us on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/VolunteerMatch

Follow us on Twitter: @VolunteerMatch

Visit Engaging Volunteers, our nonprofit blog: blogs.volunteermatch.org/engagingvolunteers/

For any questions contact:

Jennifer Bennett

(415) 321-3639

@JenBennettCVA

jbennett@volunteermatch.org