The Evolution of an Auxiliary… from ‘member’ to ‘volunteer’
Karen Quinn, Volunteer Services Manager Sister Abby Newton, OP, Vice President, Mission Integration Joy Clem, Volunteer Leader
CAHHS Volunteer Leadership Conference February 19, 2014
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• Who are we? Are we the same or different from you?
• 3 key strategies to successful transition
– Timing
– Teamwork
– Executive Leadership Support
Introductory Remarks
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Joy Clem
The Time Was Right
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If you wait for the perfect conditions, you will never get
anything done.
The Time Was Right
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All great changes are created by chaos. Deepak Chopra
• Member interest in leadership waning
• Volunteer Services Department responsibility grows
• Changing healthcare environment; managing volunteers increasingly complex
• Auxiliary Gift Shop transitioning to hospital department.
Four Reasons the Time was Right
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• 1957 – A service, fundraising, social organization with traditional Board of Directors and members who were “hand selected”
• Last President in 2000. What to do?
• Auxiliary Leadership Council formed – run by group consensus
• Departmental volunteers emerged
• 2012 – Who can I pass this baton to?
Interest in Leadership Waning
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• Interest in leadership roles declines; managing volunteers complicated
• Volunteer Services staff assuming more responsibility for Auxiliary maintenance
• Departmental volunteers growing
• Managing two volunteer tracks separately
• Concern about staff overload – how can we help?
Staff Responsibility Grows
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• 370 Volunteers annually – 90 Auxiliary; 280 Departmental
• Environment required additional
– Compliance and accountability
– Documentation
– Efficiency, integration, and standardization of processes
Rapid Change in Healthcare/Managing Volunteers Complex
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• 85% of the fundraising dollars
• Auxiliary under Medical Center’s 501(c)3 nonprofit status, not independent
• Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Controller
– IRS Compliance concerns including annual donation
• Required Gift Shop to be incorporated into Medical Center as department
• No longer could funds be “donated” to Foundation
• Annual donation disappeared
Auxiliary Gift Shop Transition
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We have one common goal. . . to serve.
Addie Campbell, Founding Member
• Aware of the big picture, behind the scenes view
• Long term Council Member
– New Member Representative and Service Chair
– Served on several Medical Center committees
• Saw need for change, to let go, was necessary
• Focus on service, not fundraising or by-laws
• Equality among all volunteers!
My role
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• Council presentation
• Council reaction
• Pros/Cons – like a jury
• The “Aha” moment
• Jim’s story
• Ssssshhhhhh -- keep it confidential until roll out!
The Time Was Right – Maybe not PERFECT, but RIGHT
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YOU’LL SERVE THE SAME WAY TOMORROW AS YOU DID TODAY.
My favorite words became. . .
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Karen Quinn
Teamwork
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Gentlemen, we must all hang together, or assuredly we will all hang separately. Attributed to Benjamin Franklin upon the signing of the Declaration of Independence
TEAM WORK
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• Volunteer Services Staff
• Foundation Director
• VP, Mission Integration
• Marketing Director
• Auxiliary Leaders – Council
Our Team
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No one ever said this was going to be easy.
Bill Murray, Groundhog Day
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• Is time right?
• Research/interview others (why recreate the wheel?)
– Develop key ideas, phrases, words
• Proposal and Rationale to Hospital Administration – What? - the specifics
– Why? – Background and history
– What & When? – Recommendations and Outcomes
Steps in our year long process
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• Build your team
• Select a “face” for the transition – a credible spokesperson
– NOT the Volunteer Manager
– A consultant?
– Your VP?
• An intentional, strategic, written communication roll-out plan
– Hello Humankindness: purposeful, respectfully honoring history and PEOPLE
– All communications approved by entire TEAM
– Keep confidential, within TEAM, until announcement made
More Steps. . .
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• Auxiliary Key Stakeholder Meeting
– Identify key stakeholders
– Off campus luncheon meeting in relaxed, pleasant venue
– Purpose: provide “heads up” to key people in conversational style
– Credible Spokesperson leads the meeting
– Use visuals (e.g. poster boards)
– Plan one to one communication with individuals who were absent
Communication Plan Components
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• Informational Letter to ALL MEMBERS with FAQ’s
– Be prepared and mail within 24 hours of Stakeholder meeting
– FAQ’s enclosed with letter – address expected member questions/concerns
– Letter signed by VP and Volunteer Manager; Auxiliary Council Leaders names in margin (indicating TEAM support)
– Be clear; specifically address “dissolution” in the letter.
– Invite to open forum, face to face open discussion, Q&A
More components of our plan
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• Open Forum for all members
– Led by credible spokesperson
– Volunteer staff , Auxiliary council present
– Similar presentation as Key Stakeholder meeting with visuals/poster boards
• Communicate to others:
– Hospital management
– Employees
– Summarize again for Auxiliary in next Newsletter
Final components of our plan
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Sister Abby Newton, OP
Executive Leadership Support
“I don’t want to be the hospital
president that dismantles the
Auxiliary.”
Donald J. Wiley, President and CEO
Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Medical Center
Stockton, CA
Working with Administration
• Need buy-in from senior leadership
• You don’t need to be the spokesperson; but be confident of their support
• Be factual
• Share communication plan and process
• Keep updated
Sister Gabriel may be spinning in her
grave, but she was also an eminently
practical person.
Sister Abby Newton, OP in presentation to key stakeholders
Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Medical Center
Stockton, CA
Other Factors to consider
• Spokesperson to be “public face” of communicating the transition – Relationship with transition team
– Relationship with auxiliary
– Understanding of history and legacy
• Acknowledge and honor the legacy – Foundation of volunteer and fundraising service at institution
– How many hours/years of service
– Acknowledge funds donated—including for what (be concrete)
• Acknowledge feelings – Communicate with genuine respect and dignity
– Of loss (recognize it; give voice to it)
– Of something precious/passing of an era
Other Considerations
• Make the connection between mission/work of the past and how it will continue in the new structure
• Make only changes necessary; seemingly minor things matter
• Link to mission statement of Auxiliary; essence is the same; new chapter but same book
We serve voluntarily by providing a personal touch and
hospitality to people who enter St. Joseph’s.
• No Auxiliary member resigned in the process
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Karen Quinn
Closing the Loop
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• Bottom Line: People Want to Feel Valued
• Maintain the Gain: have a follow-up plan
– Gathering celebrating Auxiliary members and history
– Transfer Auxiliary funds to Foundation; create Volunteer Fund
– Auxiliary Lunch Bunch – monthly socials
– Volunteer Service Leader Team
– Volunteer Recognition Wall – Serving from the Heart, A Legacy of
Volunteer Service
Closing the Loop
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• Is the time right for you?
• Who is your team?
• Executive Leadership Support?
So….
Thank You
