Managing volunteers

A quick reference guide to managing your volunteers better

Coordination

Appoint a volunteer coordinator to your organisation; someone who is responsible for recruiting managing and recognising your volunteers. Someone who is a point of contact for volunteers.

Planning

Develop a volunteer management plan. This plan should address:

• number of volunteers required and the roles they are required for
• identification of skills already in the organisation (for example conduct a skills audit of existing members and volunteers)
• recruitment strategies
• roles and responsibilities of volunteers
• roles and responsibilities of the organisation
• training that can be offered to volunteers
• ongoing day-to-day support that can be provided
• recognition strategies.

Job descriptions

• develop job descriptions outlining volunteers' duties
• job descriptions enable potential volunteers to understand what is expected of them before taking on the position.

Orientation

Provide new volunteers with an orientation, including:

• a welcome to the organisation 
• details of their position
• information on the day-to-day operations of the organisation
• support that will be provided to them
• introductions to key people in the organisation.

Training

• identify the training requirements of your volunteers
• keep up to date with the training that is available for various positions in the organisation
• include an allocation for volunteer training in the organisation's budget.

Support

• provide volunteers with a central point of contact for example volunteer coordinator
• ensure open channels of communication are available to volunteers. Provide them with the opportunity to ask questions, discuss problems, raise issues, put forward complaints
• make sure that volunteers are not out of pocket; where possible cover their expenses
• ensure that the roles and responsibilities of the volunteers and the organisation are clearly defined and communicated
• keep volunteers regularly informed about what is happening in the organisation
• ensure that recognition of volunteers is ongoing.