In Part 1 of this post, we noted that volunteer program assessments are a great way to get candid volunteer feedback and boost leadership at the same time. We also noted some of the benefits of involving volunteers in an audit of your operations and identified three preliminary steps to setting up your volunteer team [...]
Volunteer program assessments are a great way to get candid volunteer feedback and boost leadership at the same time. Unfortunately, most organizations don’t take time out to reflect on their current practices in a purposeful, comprehensive way. But, if volunteers are truly essential to your mission, doesn’t it make sense to maximize their environment so [...]
New volunteers arrive at nonprofits with expectations and feelings. They negotiate conflicting emotions – surprise, anticipation, joy, fear, ambiguity, etc. – as they acclimate to their new surroundings. During this critical time in the volunteer’s lifecycle, these emotions are important to address but are often ignored, as organizations focus on communicating organizational requirements, policies and procedures versus prioritizing [...]
One of the most researched and validated theories of volunteer motivation is that functional motives drive the volunteers willingness to join and continue the volunteer activity. Scholars argue that certain pre-exiting needs must be met in order for volunteers to start and stay. This theory represents a major finding in the field that has been validated over [...]
In his book Cognitive Surplus, internet expert Clay Shirkey shares an inspired view of the digital age, where our online connections make it even easier to pool energy and talent for the greater good. This could include pro bono volunteers. But, has this dream come to fruition? Have connections been made between professionals with specialized [...]
