RETAIN YOUR BEST VOLUNTEER WORKFORCE

BLAKE BRYANT

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Our Presenter

BLAKE BRYANTTeam Lead, Customer

SuccessVendini

hello@vendini.com

@Vendini

AGENDA

RECRUIT

RETAIN

RECOGNIZE

REMEMBER

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We make a living

by what we get,

but we make a life

by what we give.

- Winston Churchill

DEFINING A VOLUNTEER

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WHAT A VOLUNTEER IS…• An advocate for your organization

• Driven by your mission

• Crucial to the foundation of your organization

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WHO MAKES UP VOLUNTEERS?

• Patrons

• Friends and Family

• Skilled tradespeople

• Those looking to be

connected with your

organization

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WHY DO PEOPLE VOLUNTEER?• To be a part of something they

believe in

• To get connected to community

• As a social outlet

• To make a difference

• To bolster their resumes

• Volunteer requirements (school

program, company incentives)

RECRUIT

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PREPARE

This isn’t preparing the volunteers

for work, but it’s about YOU

preparing yourself for your

volunteers.

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THE BIG ASK: “WOULD YOU LIKE TO HELP US?”• Place Volunteer Button on

your website

• Use Patron Tags to manage lists

• Use email marketing to communicate

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WHERE ELSE?• Online Resources

• Community Resources

• Ask Your Current Volunteers!

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LEVERAGE SOCIAL MEDIA• Facebook

• Twitter

• Instagram

• LinkedIn

• NextDoor

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CHOOSING VOLUNTEERS• It’s okay to be picky

• Be specific about what you’re looking for

• It’s okay to ask for short term volunteers

RETAIN

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TRAINING

• Clarity• Empowering legacy

volunteers• Refreshing and updating

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MANAGING VOLUNTEERS

• volunteer coordinator

• Keep track of time contributions

• Create Volunteer Handbook

• Clearly defined roles and expectations

• Avoid burnout

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STEPS FOR SUCCESS• Keep lines of

communication open

• Share your own goals

• Lead by example

• Stay organized and energized!

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DURING YOUR EVENT• Volunteer HQ

• Identify Volunteers

• Dress, name badge

• Be aware of H.A.L.T.

• Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired

RECOGNIZE

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THE IDEAL VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE• Self empowering

• Motivating

• Generates excitement about the next time

• Provides sense of community

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AFTER THEY VOLUNTEER• Publicly recognize their work

• Newsletters, “Thank You” dinners

• Incentivize volunteers to come back

• Solicit feedback

• Letters of reference and certificates

• People use these on resumes

REMEMBER

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KNOW THEIR RIGHTS• Workers perform services typically associated with volunteer work

• Services don’t displace any regular employees

• Volunteer works less than full time

• Services are truly voluntary

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Some Do’s and Don’ts to Consider

• Do hold high standards • Don’t Just make Up a Job• Do walk the talk

• Don’t forget to stick to your timeline

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RESPECT

• Respect their time

• Respect their role

• Respect their willingness

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THE VOLUNTEER CULTURE

• Make it fun for them!

• Give them a sense of pride

• Provide a collaborative environment

• Facilitate team building

• Create a community across all constituents

• Be thankful!

STEPS FOR SUCCESS

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STEPS FOR SUCCESS

• Think of your volunteer program as cyclical• Support everyone who supports you

• Evaluate

• Adapt

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QUESTIONS?

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Share your success stories with us!

Email us at hello@vendini.com

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RESOURCES• Free volunteer management websites

• www.signupgenius.com

• www.volunteersignup.org

• www.signmeup.com

• Free scheduling tools• www.meetingwizard.com

• www.needtomeet.com

• www.calendly.com

• www.doodle.com

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RESOURCES

• “The Seven Deadly Sins of Recruiting Volunteers,” by Thomas W. McKee

• http://www.volunteerpower.com/articles/7sins.asp

• The New Breed: Understanding and Equipping the 21st Century Volunteer

• http://www.volunteerpower.com/

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RESOURCES

• Independent Contractor: Self-employed or Employee• https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-

employed/independent-contractor-self-employed-or-employee

• Appreciating Volunteers• http://www.forpurposelaw.com/appreciating-volunteers/

• Legal Issues Related to Volunteering• http://www.ifrc.org/docs/IDRL/Volunteers/Legal%20issues%20relate

d%20to%20volunteering%20-%20Toolkit%20for%20National%20Societies%20-%20En.pdf