Volunteer programs are quite a common phenomenon. Almost every other company organizes a volunteer program; however, only a few provide both parties, i.e., the company and the volunteer, their desired outcomes. There’s a paucity of relevant and effective volunteer programs in every industry, making it all the more difficult for newcomers to learn and organize one by themselves. A volunteer program is quite crucial to a company’s success, as it is one of the most acclaimed ways to connect with the community and customer base. It involves others in the process, which makes the achievement of the desired objectives easier. Different types of volunteering options can also lead to a plethora of possibilities. They can work as an advertising project or a hiring opportunity; most importantly, they can function as a bridge between an organization and its followers.
But how should one curate a volunteer program? The nature of a volunteer program and its specificities are heavily dependent on the nuances and niches of your objectives; however, there are a few pointers that can indeed guide you through and prove to be effective regardless of the nature of your goals.
One should keep in mind that on top of all these pointers, perhaps the most important one is maintaining a positive and pleasant environment. Your volunteers should remember their partaking as a delightful experience; they shouldn’t regret volunteering for you. Rather, they should be eager for another opportunity. With that attitude, you’ll be able to implement the following pointers in a manner that suits your organization.
Designing and Executing Successful Volunteer Programs
1. Define Clear Objectives
The foundation of any successful volunteer program is the definition of clear-cut objectives. To do that, you’ll need to assess your requirements. When you have a clear view of your goal, you are well-equipped to communicate your intentions to your volunteers. Consider what tasks or services you need help with. Is the nature of the task administrative, or is it fundraising, or is it advocacy? Answers to these questions will firstly help you select better volunteers and help with activities such as volunteer onboarding, and at the same time, your volunteers won’t have to feel lost and confused figuring out their duties.
2. Identify Your Target Audience
You should spend time building a profile of your ideal volunteer. Creating an effective volunteer program starts with putting the right person up to the right task. To do that, you’ll have to know where to look for the right people. You should consider your required skills and demographics. Do you want people who have specific specialized expertise in one particular domain, or do you want people who lack specific expertise but can be put to a variety of tasks? You should also appeal to the volunteer’s motivations. Some volunteers may enroll to gather experience and upgrade their skills or to help the community. Identifying your volunteer’s intentions and aligning them with your objectives is the key to a successful volunteer program.
3. Create a Structured Volunteer Program
The structure is paramount. Your volunteers should know exactly who to report to, work with, ask, and direct. As these people are new to your organization, they don’t know about your work culture, so help them out. Have clear-cut roles and responsibilities and state the hierarchy beforehand. You should also consider providing proper training and resources to your volunteers before assigning them tasks. They need to know how to do work effectively. Make sure to establish communication channels; your volunteers should always have someone to reach out to. Make it easy for them to ask for help and provide an explanation of things.
4. Recruit Volunteers Effectively
If you want to get it right from the get-go, you cannot skip this step. You should make sure that your volunteer program doesn’t undergo a mismatch crisis. This happens when your objectives and goals are vastly different or do not overlap with the skill set of the volunteers you’ve chosen. To avoid such an unfortunate happenstance, make sure you utilize multiple channels for recruitment so that you can get the perfect fit for your roles. You should also host volunteer information sessions to provide information about your program and get them excited about your cause. Make sure to highlight the benefits of enrolling in your program; this will attract the right kind of volunteers for you.
5. Set Clear Measurable Goals
Volunteers contribute their time and efforts to the cause for nothing in return. To make volunteering more memorable and fun, you can set measurable targets and reward them for achieving the same. These rewards need not be huge, just something that expresses your gratitude. These also work to motivate the volunteers and encourage them to work harder for your cause. You could set rewards for things such as teamwork to encourage your volunteers to work together more cooperatively.
End Note
Building a memorable and successful volunteer program takes time and effort; most importantly, careful planning. Planned activities keep your volunteers informed and involved. When your volunteers have their work cut out, know who to contact and report to, and are well-equipped to handle their tasks, they won’t feel out of place and will enjoy volunteering for you. This will lead to the development of a positive and pleasant work environment that in turn strengthens the work ethic of everyone involved.
