Tobi's Volunteer Management Blog

VolunteerPro Online Community Launches June 1: Special Summer Offer for Our Readers

When was the last time you invested in yourself?

As a leader of volunteers, you no doubt give your heart and soul to your organization and to your volunteer team. But, when was the last time you invested in yourself?

We each have the option to choose how we sustain ourselves for this challenging work. Many put their own needs on the back burner, thinking this choice can wait. But it can’t. Your work is too important.

To help jump start your self-care, my new online community for volunteer management professionals is now open to new members. Between now and June 15, you can get a special bonus.

Put your mask on before helping others.

It’s an old adage, but how true. It's important that we honor ourselves by investing in our own growth. We also need the support of people who authentically understand and respect our experiences.

Whether you're new to volunteerism or have been doing it for years -- part-time or all of the time -- VolunteerPro webinars, resources, and our lively community of practice will fundamentally change how you approach engaging and supporting volunteers.

You’ll stay up-to-date on emerging research, trends, and issues in our sector and discover breakthrough ideas and innovative solutions to your biggest challenges. And you’ll get support from dedicated people just like you.

As a special thank you ...

My blog readers get three FREE Bonus Months (a $105 value) added to their annual membership. Go to our deal page to sign up this summer. You're also welcome to share this exclusive link with your friends.  Don't miss out on our summer line up of volunteer engagement webinars, two per month and offered exclusively to our members.

VolunteerPro membership can help refresh your practice and keep it vibrant. Then, you can focus on the real deal -- changing the world.

Volunteer Management Predictions and Strategy for the New Year [Free Webinar]

Happy New Year everyone!

In celebration of 2014, I've been invited to present a Nonprofit Insights Webinar with my friends at VolunteerMatch.org. 

I'll be sharing my observations of four key societal trends that I believe will have a big impact on volunteerism,  and may even make our good causes stronger. 

Change for the better, you say?  Indeed!  What could be more exicitng than that?  I invite you take an hour out of your busy day for some big picture thinking and great resources that will help you refresh and renew.

Future Forecast: Four Big Shifts that Will Change Volunteerism…for the Better!

Wednesday, Janaury 8, 11AM Pacific/2PM Eastern (1 hour)

To Register, Clicj Here: (or paste this URL in your browser -- https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/184716657) 

For more info click Here.

PS  If you can't make it, register anyway.  You'll get the slide deck and handouts emailed to you after the event.

Top Volunteer Program Needs: What Our Readers Shared

   Thanks to everyone who responded to our “No Fluff, Just Helpful Stuff” survey and submitted their most pressing volunteer program challenges. 

Congratulations to Jeffrey Isaacson, from Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center who won our book raffle!  (Shout out to the Pacific Northwest! Woot! Woot!)

As I read through the comments, I was impressed with the depth of commitment expressed by our generous volunteer program leaders as they bravely shared their pinch points.  True pros one and all!

This input will have a direct impact on what we produce for you -- and how we choose to share it -- this coming year.  We’ll be on the look out for practical solutions that address the issues outlined below and that make sense on a tight budget.  So, keep an eye on this blog!

And, if some of the needs expressed here align with your program's needs, share it with your boss!

What We Learned

Program Planning and Needs Assessment

• Getting support for the volunteer program remains a time-worn issue.  We heard concerns like the following:
  
  • “How do I convince management that volunteers are not just dolls on a windowsill that you take down and use to fill a job, but are individuals with hopes and needs and want to be considered a part of a team?”
  • “Time, interest and commitment at all levels within the organization.”
  • “Getting staff on-board with new volunteer intake procedures."

Volunteer Recruitment

• Not just recruiting enough volunteers, but getting the right volunteers onboard is a challenge.  We heard concerns like the following:
  
  • “Attracting volunteers with leadership, development and technology skills.”
  • “Finding the right volunteer for the volunteer opportunity you need to fill; reaching these individuals through various media on a dirt cheap budget.”
  • “Targeted recruitment - getting the best volunteers, not just bodies.”

Volunteer Screening and Placement

• Matching volunteers’ interests with currently available openings can be tricky.  We heard concerns like the following:
  
  • “Interviewing volunteers who are great but there really is not a place in the organization for them. Primarily due to their schedule versus our openings.”
  • “Increase acceptance of volunteers in the organization and creative ideas on how to utilize them to help lessen workaday on paid staff while providing meaningful and impactful volunteer experiences.”
  • “Time and having the right volunteer position available when a person asks about volunteering.”

Volunteer Orientation and Training

• Many programs struggle with how much time to devote to training and for which types of volunteers.  We heard concerns like the following:
  
  • “Is it necessary for one time volunteers, will it discourage them from volunteering?”
  • “Having to condense to much information into a short period of time.”
  • “Ensuring that staff members spend adequate time going over our new Volunteer Orientation Prezi and welcoming volunteers.”

Volunteer Supervision and Support

• The ratio of staff to volunteers is a management nut that still needs cracking.  We heard concerns like the following:
  
  • “We have only one volunteer coordinator and 100 volunteers. How can I ever meet all their needs?"
  • “Not enough time in a day to provide adequate and timely support and supervision.”
  • “Making sure the volunteers are doing what they are supposed to do when there aren't any staff members overseeing hundreds of volunteers."

Volunteer Recognition

• Finding the right volunteer recognition strategy is harder than you’d think.  We heard concerns like the following:
  
  • “We don't do as much as we could! Everyone wants to be recognized differently.”
  • “From ‘please do not give me anything’ to ‘I have worked 12 hours 4 minutes what are you giving me’ and everyone in between - does recognition ever truly have a way of keeping most volunteers happy?”
  • “There are so many ways to recognize our volunteers but with social media etc, are we really giving them what they want?”

Program Evaluation and Assessment

• Most people aren’t doing it or aren’t aware of it being done at their organization.  We heard concerns like the following:
  
  • “I wish - no time.”
  • “Practices haven't been standard quite long enough to measure them.”
  • “At branch level I am not privy to program evaluation or assessment.”

Top Volunteer Management Interests and Preferences

The top five volunteer management interests were (in order of priority):

1. Social Media Strategy
2. Volunteer Recruitment
3. Strategic Planning
4. Community Outreach
5. Volunteer Reward and Recognition

The top four preferred sources for new volunteer management ideas and info were (in order of priority):

1. Webinars/Webcasts
2. eNewsletters
3. Blog Posts
4. Facebook

What Do You Think?
Do these needs resonate with you?  If your experience is different, what’s missing from our report?  Share your ideas in the comments link.

Don't Miss Your Chance to Share Your Volunter Program Needs [survey]

   I need your help.  As we speak, I'm developing a free eCourse and a new eBook for leaders of volunteers. I want to focus on YOUR most difficult problems, so your input is critical.

Please take a few moments to share your most pressing challenges by this Friday, November 15.

Take the Survey Now

And, don't forget to enter your info at the end of the survey and you'll be entered to win Content Marketing for Nonprofits.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

"Let your dreams outgrow the shoes of your expectations."  -- Ryunosuke Satoro

 

The Future of Volunteerism is Virtual AND Mobile: Part II

Note: Don’t miss your chance to share your most pressing volunteer program needs and challenges -- take our survey today at

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Volunteer_Program_Needs

Do so by November 15 and be entered to win a copy of “Content Marketing for Nonprofits”!

In Part I of this post, I discussed the changing nature of the workplace and how technological advances affect how we work with volunteers.  In today’s world, most volunteers are both virtual and mobile -- even those that work on site -- because many already access information, communicate, and collaborate via a variety of personal virtual devices like tablets, smart phones, and laptops.

I also noted that the future success of volunteer programs may hinge on whether or not we are prepared to support volunteers in this new team environment.  In this post, I focus more on what you can actually do to hep your volunteers feel more connected to you, each other, and your cause even when they don't come into the office every day. 

Understanding Virtual Distance

Virtual leadership expert Dr. Karen Sobel-Lojeski has conducted extensive research on how technology affects performance on the job.  In her book, Leading the Virtual Workforce, she presents the idea of “Virtual Distance,” which relates to the physical and emotional distances created by technology that keep us, ironically, from connecting.  It is the responsibility of leaders to find ways to reduce this distance.

Virutal Distance is exacerbated by three factors:

• Physical Distance -- for example, the different work schedules, departmental silos, and worksites
• Operational Distance -- caused by everyday communication breakdowns, multitasking, and low morale
• Affinity Distance -- reflecting the affect of personal relationships, cultural dynamics, interdependence on productivity

Of the three, addressing the Affinity Distance between team members (how teams are connected emotionally and mentally) can have the most impact on how well virtual teams, including volunteers, can work together.

Virtual and Mobile Leadership in Practice

So what can be done to lead remote volunteers and reduce the effects of Affinity Distance? In some respects, this is more difficult than addressing Physical or Operational Distance, but the research shows that the most direct way to address gaps is to focus on limiting this trouble spot.

Dr. Sobel-Lojeski identifies four relationship dynamics that feed Affinity Distance.  Below are some of my solutions to address each:

• Reduce Perceived Cultural Distance -- This relates to team member values, not so much individual demographics.

• What You Can Do: Bring volunteers from different departments together (online or off) increase functional partnerships; ensure that volunteer teams are layered with diverse cultures, communication styles, and points of view; facilitate candid, respectful conversations to build shared understanding; develop shared norms for virtual communication; and openly celebrate differences and welcome a variety of modes of online communication.

• Reduce Perceived Social Distance -- This relates to the status within groups and whether members believe there is a level playing field.

• What You Can Do: Actively recognize volunteer value based on their contributions rather than their job title; acknowledge volunteers as equal contributors in the organization’s mission delivery; encourage visits and participation of organizational leaders in virtual volunteer events; and ensure that all volunteers have equal access to online tools by using responsive web design and clear instructions on how to join groups.

• Reduce Perceived Relationship Distance -- This relates to the connections people have with one another from past projects; this can be a challenge with new volunteers who don’t know one another.

• What You Can Do: Highlight “friends in common”; weave informal social interaction and chat into virtual meetings and training; arrange face-to-face meetings at the beginning of projects, when possible, and include social mixers in the agenda; set up an online “buddy system” for new volunteers to welcome them and orient them to the tech tools in use; facilitate online “getting to know you” exercises and chats to help volunteers surface commonalities.

• Reduce Perceived Interdependence Distance -- This relates to the belief that team members are mutually dependent on one another to be successful.

• What You Can Do: Work with virtual volunteers to develop project-based charters that include a collaboratively-developed vision statement; actively share individual volunteer and team accomplishments in social networks and the organization’s website; consistently and explicitly link volunteer activity with program goals; offer “virtual tours” of the organizations “back office” and “insider” operations; invite volunteer leaders to present via video chat at board and coalition meetings.

These are only a few ideas.  You may use others that work well to increase connection and reduce distance at your organization.  If so, please share what you do in the comments link.  We’d love to add them to our list!!

For More Info

If you want to read more on virtual distance, check out Virtual Distance International’s resource page here. 

Also, if you’re wondering which online collaboration tools might work for your program, check out these articles to get a running start:

• IdeaWare's Boosting Board Collaboration: Software to Support Your Board
• Social Bright’s Virtual Meeting Smackdown!
• The 7 Best Collaboration Tools for Virtual Teams by WorkSnug
• The Ultimate List of Virtual Team Technology Tools by the Couch Manager

What are Your Greatest Volunteer Program Needs? Share and Win!

When I'm writing or designing content, my motto is "No fluff, just helpful stuff," and I work hard to delver on that promise.

We're expanding our website, and I'm asking our blog readers and fans to share their most pressing volunteer program needs, so we can create easy-to-use resources, products, training, and services that truly make sense for you and your organization. 

Help Shape Our Content & Be Entered to Win

To spice things up, we're raffling off Kivi Leroux-Miller's new book "Content Marketing for Nonprofits: A Communications Map for Engaging Your Community, Becoming a Favorite Cause, and Raising More Money."

Please respond by NOVEMBER 13. The survey is a short six questions.  Enter your info at the end of the survey and you'll be entered to win.

Take the Survey Now

Thank you for helping us create helpful content to serve you better!  We appreciate you!

(P.S. As always, we will keep your information private.)

"Let your dreams outgrow the shoes of your expectations."  -- Ryunosuke Satoro

The Future of Volunteerism is Virtual AND Mobile: Part I

In recent years there has been a fair amount of discussion about virtual volunteers and how to engage them in the work of nonprofits.  However, little has been written about the changing nature of the workplace and how technological advances may directly affect how we lead volunteers.
Consider these fascinating statistics -- 

• According to data presented during a recent ASTD webcast, by the end of the decade one in five workers will never meet their supervisor in person, and 75% of the workforce will be virtual by the end of this year (this includes not only telecommuters, but staff placed at client sites and other workplaces). 
• 37% of nonprofits surveyed have a telecommuting/virtual work policy and, of those who did, the majority (61%) observed that the policy positively impacted their recruitment and retention of paid staff.
• 57% of American adults use their cell phone to go online, and 35% own a tablet computer.

A Changing Volunteer Workplace 

Clearly, we’re in the midst of a revolution in the work environment.  More and more of us work from home or at disparate offices at least part time.  Moreover, many of us communicate and gather information while on the go, relying on our screen-based devices to deliver the right information at the right time in the right format.  Flexibility is key, and it’s what we’ve come to expect.  Add social sharing tools to the mix, and the network of available info and ability to connect expands infinitely.

In the midst of the tech revolution, nonprofits have adapted, offering new ways to engage, neatly categorizing volunteers into “virtual telecommuters” and “on-site supporters.”  It’s become clear that these classifications don’t really capture the whole picture.  In today’s world, MOST volunteers (even those that volunteer in-person) are BOTH virtual AND mobile -- accessing online information, communicating, and collaborating whenever and from wherever they like, both while in the office and outside it. 

And, it’s not unreasonable to expect that many would like this ease of interchange to translate to their volunteer experience as well.  In fact, the defining factor of success for any volunteer program in the near future may be whether or not it is prepared to support the new way of working.

New Opportunities for Volunteer Programs

New realities also offer new chances for volunteer engagement.  Imagine how a mobile, technologically-equipped volunteer corps might add value in these scenarios (all do-able with today’s technology):

• Quick, video meet ups to check in on project progress between volunteers who live miles from the home office
• Online apps that track volunteer time, donations, and program expenses and automatically calculate the current ROI estimate (much more sophisticated than the basic donations thermometer, right?)
• Smartphone apps to check in when on duty that automatically remind volunteers to enter needed reporting data
• Smartphone apps that automatically input time volunteered and provide the opportunity to earn recognition badges (à la Foursquare)
• On demand videos and pre-recorded webcasts of volunteer orientations, trainings, and tutorials delivered via any responsive device to assist volunteers precisely when they need help
• Tailored recruitment opportunity offerings delivered to prospective volunteers who have indicated their specific interests in an online personal profile, rather than requiring volunteers to initiate the search.

New Volunteer Leadership Skills

At the same time, the adoption of new approaches also means new learning.  So, what do these tectonic shifts in the nature of work mean to our own core volunteer leadership competencies?  What is required of a virtual volunteer leader anyway? 

Two main needs come to mind --

1. Access to, and command of, a strategically curated set of technology tools that support program goals; and,
2. The leadership skills necessary to facilitate the fluid exchange of info and to reduce the perceived “affinity distance” between team members (a term coined by virtual leadership expert Dr. Karen Sobel-Lojeski that refers to how teams are connected emotionally and mentally).

In a mobile volunteer environment -- whether supporting rural volunteers across the miles or volunteers working a few cubicles over -- leaders of volunteers will need new skills and approaches to retain, and even surpass, the productivity of their traditional teams.  But how?

Stay tuned for Part II, where I’ll offer specific suggestions about what might work. In the meantime, feel free to sahre what's worked for you.  How have you engaged mobile volunteers?

Six Great Reasons to Get Your CVA

I worked throughout 2012 on the requirements for my CVA (Certified in Volunteer Administration), and in early 2013 I was awarded my credential. 

As a seasoned nonprofit veteran, you might wonder why I invested the time and energy into getting my CVA.  After all, I've got pretty good handle on effective volunteer management practices, right? 

But, investing in my professional development, and keeping my skills on point, really made sense.  It may make sense for you, too.

Whether you’ve just started to build your volunteer administration skills or you’ve been at it for years, the CVA is a wonderful asset to add to your professional portfolio.  Here are a few reasons why I think the process of earning your CVA is so very worth it.

Six Great Reasons to Get Your CVA

1. You Learn What Drives You Personally -- The development of Philosophy Statement, a required piece of the CVA portfolio, is an eye-opening experience.  Writing it really helped me understand my personal values and unearth why I was so committed to this important work.
2. You Take Time to Reflect -- Writing the Management Narrative, another portfolio requirement, helped me assess a past project and pinpoint some approaches I would now chose to do differently.  Taking time out for reflection activities like these support my continuous learning and growth as a professional.
3. You Can See How Well You Stack Up -- Studying for the CVA exam, and reading the textbook, helped me address some of my knowledge gaps and blind spots in earnest.  Since most of us have learned volunteer management through self study and experience while on the job, it helps to compare what you know with a set of standard competencies developed by respected experts in the field.
4. You Make New Friends -- Finding someone to proctor my exam was a lot of fun.  It forced me to reach into my local network to connect, and I’m now great friends with the person who volunteered to monitor my exam -- in fact, now I play on her soccer team!
5. You Help Build the Strength of the Credential -- The number of people who have an active CVA internationally is relatively small.  By getting your CVA you help build the ranks and strengthen the trust in the credential as a way to demonstrate professional-level competence.
6. It’s Not That Expensive -- at $220 and $86 for the textbook, it’s less than a lot of training sessions, and your CVA will last for five years before you need to renew.  If you ask nicely, maybe your organization will help with the costs.

So, Just Go Do It!

I encourage anyone who works will volunteers on a regular basis to make an investment in themselves and embark on the journey toward their CVA.  You’ll be happy you did.

The CVA registration process is now open and will remain so until March 31, 2014.  Early bird discount rates are good until December 31, 2013.  For more info on the CVA, go to the CCVA website. 

If you have your CVA, please chime in.  How has it been helpful to you?

Does Self Preservation Trump Compassion? What the Research Says and What Volunteer Programs Can Do About It

As leaders of volunteers, we spend a fair amount of time on the business of persuasion – inspiring others to join our cause, recognizing volunteers for their efforts, cajoling volunteers to take on one more task.  In volunteer recruitment ads we seek to answer for volunteers “What’s in it for me?”  For volunteer appreciation, we offer perks, like gift cards and pins, to show our gratitude.  But, by focusing on the self-interests of volunteers, are we missing the boat?

By appealing to extrinsic motivators, many volunteer management approaches reflect traditional views of human nature as egocentric, motivated by self-interest and the will to survive. New research, however, shows the opposite may be true.  How does this new information change how we engage and inspire volunteers?

Altruism vs. Empathy vs. Compassion

Compassion is often confused with altruism, but it is different. Altruism is an action that benefits someone else, and it may or may not be accompany compassion.  Consider, for example, donated clothing or furniture. Does the donor feel compassion, or do they just need to clean out their closets?

Compassion is defined as the emotional response when suffering in others is recognized and results in an authentic desire to help.  Compassion, therefore, can be a key driver of altruism, but is not a necessary element.

Similarly, empathy is defined as the emotional experience of another person’s feelings, but may not result in compassion.  For example, we may tear up while watching a documentary about needy foster children, but may not feel a need to help.

The Compassion Instinct

Scientists have discovered that we are born with the instinctual urge to help others – some call it the “compassionate instinct.”  It has helped us survive as a species.

Researcher Dacher Keltner, a leader in the field, asserts that “compassion and benevolence…are an evolved part of human nature, rooted in our brain and biology, and ready to be cultivated for the greater good.”  For more of his views on compassion and evolution see his talk below:

 

Although cooperation has helped us survive as a group, we each individually benefit as well.  Studies show that connecting with others helps us enjoy better emotional and physical health.  The act of giving is also pleasurable, as much (if not more) than the act of receiving.  And, people who give regularly are happier than those who do not, regardless of social status. 

In short, giving makes us feel good.  So good, in fact, that when we perform behaviors associated with compassion, our bodies produce ocytocin, which leads to a feeling of warmth and connection.  This chemical reaction motivates us to be even more compassionate, thus creating a self-perpetuating cycle.

Does Compassion Promote Altruism?

We know that altruistic acts often rub off on others around us.  Consider many of the “random acts of kindness” that ignite a chain reaction of giving.  In addition, research has shown that compassion is a vital part of the social contract and can motivate helping behavior, even to our own detriment.

By the same token, worrying that others will see our altruistic acts as self-involved will prevent some adults from offering assistance at all.

Researchers have also found that compassion can be learned by example -- not surprisingly, compassionate parents are more likely to raise altruistic children.

Four Takeaways

Given this new take on human nature and the power of compassion over self-interest, here are a few things you might consider:

1. Instead of focusing your recruitment messages on what volunteers can get out of an experience with your organization, share stories that elicit compassion – both that vividly demonstrate the needs of those you serve and that depict altruistic volunteers in action.
2. Rather than offering extrinsic rewards as part of recognition activities, help volunteers feel even more compassionate – recruit donors to contribute to your organization in recognition of your volunteers' efforts.
   
3. Lead by example. Find ways to cultivate compassion and altruism to volunteers and staff at the office on a regular basis. Check out the Greater Good at UC Berkeley for ideas.
4. Finally, assume the best and be a champion of service -- we're hard-wired to help, so make the most of it by helping others get connected, make an impact, and feel good about giving.

So, to answer my question -- does self-interest trump compassion?  Smile Train co-founder Brian Mullaney, quoted in a 2010 New York Times article, asserts “The most selfish thing you can do is help others.”

Perhaps compassion and self-interest are running neck-and-neck, or perhaps they are one and the same.  I'll leave it to you to decide.

Wellness Programs for Nonprofit Volunteers: Why Not?

Lately, I have been kicking around a new idea to support volunteer engagement efforts – Why not integrate volunteer workplace wellness programs into our volunteer recognition and retention strategies? After all, if we are asking more and more of our volunteers, shouldn't the level of our support be enhanced as well?

Can a business case be made for investing in volunteer wellness? Let’s take a look…

What Is a Wellness Program?

According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 61% of employers now offer employee wellness programs to their paid staff. Traditionally, these programs have included perks such as flu shots, smoking cessation, preventive health education, fitness center memberships, weight loss programs, health fairs, and stress reduction programs to name a few.

Although many of these activities may not be appropriate for volunteer programs (since most don't offer health coverage to volunteers), the intent of a wellness program focused on volunteers is much the same – to support the health, safety, and well being of those who help our organizations realize their missions.

What Are the Benefits of Wellness Programs?

Employers have recognized the value of employee wellness programs as strategies to reduce health care costs. Many studies have pointed to the significant return on investment (ROI) of these initiatives (for an in-depth US Department of Labor study click here).

Aside from reducing the costs of insurance premiums covered by employers, and a decrease in absences related to illness, some employers have also noted the positive effects wellness programs have on employee morale, motivation, and productivity. 

How Can a Wellness Program Lead to Increased Volunteer Engagement?

There may be real benefits for volunteer programs, too. By promoting the well-being of volunteers through a well-designed program, we may be able to better support their ability to make a difference and thus impact their satisfaction, enthusiasm, and depth of involvement. 

Here are some possible results of such an initiative:

• A purposefully designed program may demonstrate to volunteers that they are valued and trusted members of the team, even more than traditional volunteer recognition activities.
• Offering a wellness program as a perk may make some volunteer opportunities more appealing than others.
• Because most wellness programs include group activities or education, they present a unique opportunity for volunteers to socialize, have fun, and better manage stress.
• In addition, the social nature of many wellness activities build peer relationships that may result in greater shared accountability and higher team productivity.
• The aspirational aspects of wellness programs (as they often seek to promote positive behavioral changes) directly align with the inherent nature of volunteerism as a way to improve oneself, one’s community, and society as a whole and thus may support higher personal satisfaction with their volunteer role.
• Achievement and personal growth also feeds upon itself, promoting higher levels of self-confidence which may result in increased wiliness to undertake new challenges and even team leadership responsibilities.

Why Focus on Volunteer Health and Well-being?

Although science has yet to demonstrate a correlation between volunteer wellness promoton and program outcomes, we have anecdotal evidence that speaks to the unique challenges today's volunteers face.  These barriers might be addressed through a wellness program explicitly designed to address these issues.

We know that some volunteers – particularly those who provide direct services – are unprepared for the reality of their roles. For example:

• Some volunteers suffer from burn-out because they are not prepared for the stress of working directly with clients in crisis, and/or do not know how to maintain appropriate professional boundaries with those they serve.
• Volunteers who have little experience with the charitable sector sometimes struggle with the slow pace of change or lack of readily available resources.
• Still others experience a kind of “culture shock” as they immerse themselves in new communities and new contexts.
• Others may become demoralized with their inability to find ready solutions to some of our society’s most persistent problems.  
• Some are frustrated by what they perceive as pointless reporting, paperwork, and grant requirements for the projects with which they are involved.

The increased stress of new challenges, coupled with the disappointment of unmet expectations, can create an environment that can foster dissatisfaction in a volunteer corps (for more on volunteer expectations, see my earlier post). A volunteer wellness program might be a savvy preventive measure as well as an antidote to current volunteer discontent. 

Getting a Volunteer Wellness Program Off the Ground

Because the relationship of volunteers to their host organization is different than that of employer to employee, it makes sense that the at least some of the components of a volunteer program are different than its more traditional private sector counterpart.

One easy way to integrate volunteer wellness into your program is to collaborate with your existing employee-based program (or that of a corporate partner or funder) and make some of their offerings available to volunteers. Another is to develop your program internally, with a volunteer leadership team guiding the way.  Below are a few ideas to get the ball rolling.

12 Low-cost or Free Ideas to Support Healthy Volunteers

• Start each meeting off with two minutes of silent mindfulness meditation, focusing on the breath.
• Appoint a qualified staff person – with counseling, coaching, or social work experience – to be a volunteer ombudsman and support person who is available to debrief difficult situations and interactions the volunteer has experienced.
• Serve healthy, nutritious snacks during volunteer meetings and trainings instead of cookies, candy, and donuts.
• Encourage volunteers to journal and relfect on three things they are grateful for each day; then, regularly ask them to share their gratitudes at each meeting or online through a community chat.
  
• Provide in-service training on how to maintain professional boundaries with clients, along with with case studies for practice.
• Provide free or discounted first aid and CPR training for volunteers.
• Recruit a qualified volunteer to offer on-site yoga classes to fellow volunteers.
• Invite the local Health Department to speak on preventing the spread of communicable diseases.
• Have your organization’s safety coordinator train all volunteers on your emergency preparedness/natural disaster safety plan.
• Provide diversity training for all volunteers to increase their cultural competency.
• Encourage volunteers to attend local health fairs as a group outing.
• Include volunteers in annual screenings and immunizations provided to employees free of charge.

What Would You Add to This List?

If you were developing a Volunteer Wellness Program, what activities would you include? Please share your ideas and comments!

How to Design Volunteer Training that Helps (Not Hurts) Learning

When designing volunteer training, my biggest challenge is how to create a program that doesn’t scare volunteers away.

Often, the programs I work with have daunting amounts of information volunteers must learn in order to perform with confidence. Programs must be assured that volunteers know their role so that they can manage risk. Volunteers want to learn new things, have fun, and deliver on their missions with pride. 

So, how can volunteer and program needs be balanced? By developing training that works with our brains, not against them. The good news is that we now know more than ever about how the brain learns. 

A Little Background on How Learning Happens

Learning is a physiological process that actually changes our bodies. As we learn, tiny dendrites (or fibers) grow on our brain’s neurons. They can only grow from what is already in place, biologically speaking (which also happens to be the previous knowledge we have developed).

When dendrites grow near each other, they form a small contact point called a synapse. Chemicals called neurotransmitters carry electrical signals that travel across synapses transmitting messages and information that is learned.

By practicing a skill, synapses become wider as more neurotransmitters are stored there. Also, dendrites grow thicker and are less subject to interference. With enough practice, dendrites build a double connection that lasts, and we can then remember what we have learned.

It takes time and practice spent performing a task for dendrites to grow. Practice is what strengthens the architecture of our brains and thus our ability to remember.

Consider these statistics:

• If you learn something new and do it only once or twice, the dendrite connection is very fragile and can disappear within hours;
• Within 20 minutes, you remember only 60%;
• Within 24 hours, you remember only 30%;
• But if you practice within 24 hours, and then practice again later, you remember 80%.

Four Practical Strategies for Volunteer Training

Based on how our brains learn, try these strategies to help volunteers navigate your training program without being overwhelmed by it.

1) Integrate Practice Into Training

If we practice the wrong thing for too long, we form ”bad habits” that become ingrained. So, it is very important to get timely feedback before those dendrites solidify.

The “stair step” structure is the most effective architecture for the transfer of learning for novices and is a great way to integrate timely practice into learning. With this approach, the instructor explains the concept, illustrates how to do the skill, invites learners to try it, and finally gives supportive feedback. 

Interactivity is the key, not conforming to individual “learning styles” (a long-held training myth that has been debunked by research). The goal of training is to generate knowledge and change, not just to file away info that can somehow be pulled out when needed.

Case studies and scenarios lend themselves to this type of architecture and give volunteers the chance to practice before they try their new skills out in the real world.

2) Feed the Right Emotions

Learning is also an emotional process that is fueled by hormones, three in particular.  

• Adrenaline, fueled by anxiety and our “fight or flight” response, makes it hard for the neurotransmitters to carry messages across the synapses in your brain; this causes learners to “blank out” on tests.
• Endorphins are produced when we relax, exercise, laugh, or learn new things. If we produce calming hormones, they can counteract the limiting effects of stress.
• Dopamine is released in the brain when something is perceived as new, exciting, or rewarding. Dopamine also helps regulate movement and emotional responses; it enables us not only to see rewards but to also take action to move toward them. For many volunteers, learning new things is very rewarding; so, training itself can help them retain new information. On the other hand, if dopamine levels are low new information goes in one ear and out the other.

With this in mind, build activities into your training that help volunteers relax and have fun, and be sure to reward them for achievements with praise as well as new information that piques their interest.

3) Reduce Cognitive Overload

When we are encoding knowledge, our working memory is used first. But, its capacity is limited. If we flood it with too much information, mental overload occurs. Research estimates that only 3-5 pieces of information can be stored in the working memory at a time. 

If our working memory is corrupted by cognitive overload, we are unable to transfer knowledge into our long-term memory, which has much greater capacity for information storage. To improve how this process works, do everything you can to simplify work for the brain up front:

• Remove any content that is not absolutely “need to know” (give learners links to additional optional info they can read on their own)
• Relate new information to existing knowledge learners may have (icebreakers are great ways for elarners to share their own personal experiences with the topic at hand)
  
• Maintain a consistent look and feel to the training materials (fonts, colors, graphics, etc.)
• Use simple, flat graphics and visuals versus those that are complex and overly detailed (cartoons are great, if they are done well)
• To extend the capacity of the working memory, explain visuals with audio (versus text, which uses too much “brain bandwidth”)

4) Support Metacognitive Skill Building

Metacognitive skills make us aware of our own knowledge, the ability to understand, control and manipulate our own cognitive process. In short, they are what we learn in order to be able to learn.

Volunteers, like many of us, are often overwhelmed because they have not developed sufficient metacognitive skills. To help volunteers learn how to learn better use tactics to build metacognitive skills such as:

• Categorized, chunked, and highlighted text
• Gradually increased complexity of topics
• Sequenced content for frequent practice
• Both confirming ("yes, that’s correct because…") and corrective feedback ("no, that’s incorrect because…")
• Opportunities for self-reflection that focus on how and why volunteers arrived at an answer
• Planning tools that help volunteers put together a personal training and study plan
• Tip sheets, worksheets, and observation checklists that help volunteers transfer classroom learning to the real world
• Answer keys for learning activities so that volunteers can check their work and make corrections

Want to Learn More?

If you want to read state-of-the art info about evidence-based training methods, check out these three excellent books on the topic:

• Ruth Colvin Clark, Evidence-Based Training Methods: A Guide for Training Professionals, (American Society for Training and Development, 2010)
  
• Harold Stolovich and Erica Keeps, Telling Ain’t Training: Updated, Expanded, Enhanced, (American Society for Training and Development, 2011) 
• Julie Dirksen, Design for How People Learn, (New Riders, 2012)

What are your favortie tricks and tiops for volunteer training and learning?  Share them in the comments link!