Encouraging Volunteer Involvement'

1
Encouraging Volunteer Involvement.

• Canadian Ski Patrol System
• National Conference 2006
• Edmonton, AB
• Wendy MacDonald
• Voluntary Sector Management Program
• Grant MacEwan College

2
Understanding the Trends

• Canadians are as committed to volunteerism as
  ever before, but are involved in new diverse
  ways
• Understanding trends, motivators, demographics,
  barriers and alternate approaches can help you
  enhance volunteer engagement, involvement
  retention

3
Why Most Canadians Volunteer

• Help cause they believe in (96)
• Use skills experience (78)
• Personal link to the activity/issue (67)
• Explore own strengths/challenge (54)
• Fulfill faith/ religious beliefs (29)
• Because friends family volunteer (25)
• Improve paid career development (22)

4
Use Time Talent Wisely

• Lack of time unwillingness to make a
  year-round commitment are greatest barriers to
  volunteering
• People are looking for shorter, more flexible ,
  well-defined roles with a beginning end
• Volume of involvement similar, but in smaller
  packages

5
Volunteers Seek Meaning Impact

• Looking for roles that add value to their lives
  those of others
• Relevance must be related to their motivational
  needs
• Exchange/ mutual benefit important
• Cost/benefit of involvement usually impacts
  retention

6
Know Support the Cause

• Most volunteers are motivated primarily by the
  focus/cause/issue organizations represent
• Dont assume they know who you are what you do
• Raise awareness of purpose, impact, how they can
  make a difference how to get involved. Tell
  your story widely.

7
Put Skills Experience to Use

• People put a high priority on using their skills
  interests appropriately
• Highly skilled volunteers are often over or under
  utilized
• Individuals seldom want to exclusively do as
  volunteers what they get paid for in other parts
  of their life
• Give people opportunities to offer their best

8
Not InvitingWelcoming Inclusiveness

• Do prospective volunteers understand you need
  them? That they have unique value?
• Is your organization/ role seen as exclusive?
• Is there space for new volunteers?
• Does control discourage new involvement?
• How do you develop, nurture steward volunteer
  relationships?

9
Diverse Opportunities

• Are you involving varied ages of members to your
  advantage (i.e. youth, older adults?)
• Does your group reflect the changing profile of
  your community?
• Are you developing varied roles opportunities
  to contribute? Everyone doesnt want to play the
  same roles usually not multiple roles.

10
Barriers to Volunteer InvolvementSummary

• Not being asked (fact or their perception)
• Unaware of need, issue or cause
• Not enough time/ flexibility for long commitments
  OR overload
• Exclusiveness/ unwelcoming organizations that do
  not honestly share opportunities
• Frustration with poorly run organizations
• Limited resources (, time, skill etc.)

11
Recruitment is the Third Step

• Why do you want to increase volunteer
  involvement?
• Are you ready? Is the organization ready?
• Goals roles
• Welcoming space/ attitudes
• Is everyone on the same page?
• Then think about recruitment

12
Adding Appeal to Volunteer Roles

• Continuous/ ongoing vs short term/one time
• Things one person, pairs, shares groups could
  do
• Work done onsite offsitedoes place matter?
  Does method matter?
• Assignments that focus on people, ideas, data
  thingswe are all different

13
Same RolesNew Approach

• Redesign roles to
• Be more or less challenging
• Require more or less skill
• Take more or less time
• Be more or less people oriented
• Require more or less support/ supervision
• Provide fairer balance between volunteer
  organization needs

14
People Are Looking For

• Meaningful roles, time well spent, doing things
  that make a difference to them
• Choice flexibility with clear goals.
• Diverse ways to get involved
• Opportunities for input, decision-making
  sometimes leadership
• An invitation to use their unique qualities in
  support of something they believe in

15
Expanding Involvement

• Re-assessing current situation changing
• Sending a new or stronger message
• Increasing efforts to be inclusive
• Collaboration with other groups
• Considering group, employee, family student
  volunteerism
• Think beyond geographic communities

16
Recruitment Approaches

• Targeted (focused) vs scattered
• Connection to the causewho cares?
• Geographic proximitywho lives/ plays/ works
  nearby?
• Personal approach vs neutral / broad messages
• The power of opportunity vs obligation

17
Retention Issues

• Recognitionacknowledge reward group
  individual effort achievement in timely
  meaningful ways
• Supportprovide the necessary structure,
  leadership resources
• Role clarityleading, enabling, supporting with
  clear outcomes
• Opportunities for change growth

18
Group Discussion

• Choose 2 issues from the presentation that you
  believe CSPS does well to encourage volunteer
  involvement. Why?
• Choose 2 volunteerism issues that could be
  enhanced describe several concrete actions that
  CSPS locally or nationally might consider
  integrating

19
Volunteer Gifts

• __________________
• __________________
• __________________
• __________________

Things I gladly contribute to my volunteer
role(s)
Skills, interests, activities, resources,
contacts etc
20
Quests

• __________________
• __________________
• __________________
• __________________

Things Id like to try, new experiences, what
Id like to accomplish
21
No Thanks!

• __________________
• __________________
• __________________
• __________________

Things that I dont wish to be involved in or
that weigh me down
22
Keeping My Volunteer Involvement Positive
Meaningful

• Things I really like about my volunteer
  involvement
• Challenges in my volunteer role(s)

• Things I Could Consider Changing

23
Opportunities to Share

• Share Your Vision how will individuals your
  community be different because of your
  organization?
• Share Your Legacy what have you already
  accomplished?
• Share Your Dreams what could you accomplish
  with more members volunteers?
• Share the Opportunity to be involved!

24
Resources

• Resource Centre for Voluntary Organizations
  www.rcvo.org Alberta (877) - 897-5616
• Volunteer Canada www.volunteer.ca
• NSGVP www.givingandvolunteering.ca