Uncategorized

Sparking Motivation in a Team That May Be Feeling Discouraged

Sandie Kirpalani

Volunteers are the lifeblood of many organizations, who without the generous donation of time, would otherwise not be able to hold events or operate successfully. Keeping volunteers motivated can be challenging, even outside of a pandemic environment. Motivation differs from person to person, so applying different techniques may help you identify what works best for your group of volunteers.  We have put together a list of 8 tips that you can use to help motivate volunteers.

1.  Communication – goes both ways 

Motivating new volunteers or returning volunteers requires good communication. Great communication will help them feel like they are knowledgeable about your organization and how they are contributing. Repeatedly sharing information about the purpose of the support work the volunteers will be helping with is a great way to create motivation. Volunteers need a sense of direction, especially if they are a new volunteer.

Listening is an equally important part of communication. Make sure to provide opportunities for volunteers to speak up with thoughts and ideas and to provide them support. Being able to listen to volunteer concerns and support them is especially important right now while we are all making compromises and working through changes.

Socialization is also a big part of volunteering and is an important motivator. Social distancing is having a great impact on this area for all of us right now. Have a space (even virtually) where volunteers can meet, communicate, socialize and motivate each other. 

2. Respect – instruction and organization

Volunteers are giving up their free time to help, which should be recognized and respected. It goes without saying that respect builds trust, empathy and dedication. Communication also goes a long way to building respect. During this time, where many events are being cancelled or postponed, clearly and promptly communicating plans and details to your volunteers shows that you respect their time and feelings. 

When events do take place, making sure to set up stations where workers can provide their services easily, safely and without frustration is an important part of building respect. You can do this by making sure that they know where to go, they know their shift details and that they have the necessary tools, check-lists and supplies needed to complete their shift. Respect is also shown through pairing volunteers with jobs that use their skills well. Asking simple questions on the registration form can help to ensure that you pair the right person with the right job. 

3. Be available – show that you are motivated

Being accessible to your volunteers shows that you are motivated and passionate about your organization. Volunteers should have an easy time getting a hold of the right people and should feel comfortable reaching out. If they are not able to easily get questions answered, or concerns heard, they may lose interest and not show up or volunteer with your organization again.

One easy way to let volunteers know you are available is to check in with them from time to time. Right now, holding online video chats or happy hours is a fun way to keep in touch and provide a platform to keep everyone motivated.  

4. Recognition – acknowledge achievements

Volunteers do not usually volunteer their time to get recognition. That does not mean that recognition is not a huge part of creating motivation. Everyone likes to be acknowledged for contributions or a job well done.

In the workplace, positive feedback is the number one motivator.  This carries through for most areas of our lives. Some people do not like to be singled out and can be embarrassed by direct recognition in front of others. Praise can also be given with a team focus/team mindset. Individuals are often very responsive to team praise because they are aware of how they are affecting a whole team effort, and the part they have played in that success. 

Another way to provide recognition, is to personally thank volunteers. Thank you notes and emails are one way to do this. Personalizing the thank you message to each volunteer lets them know that you are specifically acknowledging them. This may seem like a daunting task, but think how great it feels when you receive a personalized thank you. Recognition can motivate volunteers to keep volunteering for your organization, to recruit others and to continue to produce great results. 

5. Rewards – extra perks!

While we know that volunteers are not volunteering their time to get a reward, rewards and perks can go a long way in attracting new volunteers and help to keep volunteers coming back. They can be a great motivator!

If you have a budget for it, sending long time volunteers or leaders to a conference or training can be a very motivating reward. Many conferences are at resorts or offer a vacation type get-away. Volunteers would get to attend interesting seminars, workshops, activities and have great networking opportunities. Attendees leave filled with motivation and ideas that will benefit your organization. Not everyone has the budget to send volunteers to conferences or to provide swag, but there are also some simple, low-cost or free things you could do. 

Some successful ideas we have heard:

  • Give volunteers certain hours or exclusive access to your event or vouchers for a VIP area. 
  • Certificates of achievement
  • Buttons, pins or plaques
  • Ribbons
  • Outstanding volunteer rewards for each job/area
  • Free food and beverage
  • T-shirts
  • Bandanas
  • Sweat bands
  • Hats
  • Custom wristbands
  • Reusable bags

6. Build team spirit – create a competition or challenge

Build a sense of motivation within your team by creating a space where they can get to know each other and feel more comfortable. The more team spirit created, the more comfortable the volunteers will feel. This will help them to motivate each other and look forward to future volunteer opportunities together. 

You could host a gathering allowing new and returning volunteers to get to know each other or organize a competition or challenge (these can also be done virtually). One example of a challenge could be to reward current volunteers who recruit the most new volunteers. You could have different prize levels, so that multiple volunteers have a chance to win. 

7. Training – motivate through knowledge

Hosting online initial and continual training opportunities can encourage development and motivation. Volunteers want to maximise the contribution they make but many receive limited training before or after they volunteer. Even a small amount of training can give volunteers a better understanding of their role, better direction within their role, help them to be more excited about their volunteering opportunity and motivate them to better themselves. We have a quick guide to training volunteers available, if you would like more detailed information.

8. Have fun – play is a great motivator

Volunteering can sometimes be stressful and cause a loss in motivation. People who feel like they are part of a group that they can have fun with will be motivated to return and spend more of their time with that group.

Important causes and goals that we are passionate about can sometimes become too serious and we forget the fun element. Before and between your events, try hosting some purely fun events. Of course, this is easier to do when we are not socially distancing, but there are some great virtual options. We have already mentioned online group chats or happy hours, but here are some additional ideas:

  • Online trivia night 
  • Online karaoke 
  • Online board or other types of games 
  • Host a watch party with live music or movies. 
  • Host a live “how to” with a guest who shows how to cook or craft something. 


Keeping connected is the most important step in keeping volunteers motivated. Be creative and have fun with it.

Read More

Interview Questions for Volunteers

Rebekah Coenen

Some events call for specialized volunteer positions. You may need someone with a background in the medical field, experience with children, or strong communication skills. If you are coordinating an event with positions like these, you may consider holding interviews for your volunteers.

Before getting started planning for these interviews, first identify why you may need them:

  1. Required, specialized skills. Working with children, aiding in medical work, and handling money are a few examples. 
  1. Limited positions. Sometimes you can just do an announcement for when your site opens for sign ups, but you might need to interview for any leadership roles.  
  1. Working with a small team. It is important that team dynamics and expectations are understood by new volunteers. Interviewing candidates ensures you are doing that. 
  1. Higher level of commitment needed. If this is not your average volunteer shift, it is good to make sure expectations are clear right from the start so you don’t end up short-handed.  

Here are 10 questions and tips to find out if your candidate is good fit:

  1. Why are you interested in this position?
    • This is a fairly basic question, so if they can’t answer it, that’s not a great sign. Make sure to know what kind of answer you are looking for. Is it enough if it looks good on college resumes? Or do candidates need to show more heart than that?
  1. Describe a time you would change a decision you made.
    • No one is perfect, and it is important that everyone on your team is able to be conscientious, self-reflective, and honest about their work.
  1. What is your past volunteer/job experience?
    • Even if you have resumes to look at, it’s always best to hear it from the candidate directly. This helps you better understand their attitudes toward their history of work experience, as well as their aspirations.
  1. What are your 3 best qualities?
    • This can give you good insight into what the candidate thinks is important. Maybe you need someone that is a people person, or good under pressure.
  1. What amount of time are you able to commit to the position?
    • This is just logistics. Know the dates, times, and hours weekly you’ll expect from them. Then, ask what they’re able to commit to.
  1. Pose a situational question.
    • The actually question will depend on what position you are interviewing them for. You could ask about a time they had to work with a difficult child or parent, or were short in their cashier drawer. It will help determine how they will handle tricky situations on the job. 
  1.   How would you describe your communication style? 
    • You may already have some ideas of their communication strengths and weaknesses, based on the interview itself. However, give them a chance to express it in their own words. You may discover something insightful!
  1. Confirm they have the certifications, or other requirements needed. 
    • Do they need to be bilingual? CPR certified? If so, take the time to verify that information.
  1. Identify a handful of their volunteer interests. 
    • Maybe they are applying to volunteer in one department, but they are better suited for another department. The interview process allows you to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate, then place them in the role best suited for their strengths and preferences.
  1. Save time for the candidate to ask you questions. 
    • The interview process really goes both ways. This lets them get a feel for if the position is really the right thing for them too! 

It is very important not to ask questions that could be considered discriminatory. Do not ask about a potential volunteer’s gender, race, political beliefs, relationship status, financial status, or religion. That includes asking where they were born, where their parents were born, if they own a home, or if they have children. Although some of those questions may seem innocuous, or like you are just trying to make a connection, the interview process is meant to see if they meet the qualifications you are looking for. Save the more personal chit-chat for later on.

Read More

Great Expectations: Communication Tips for Volunteer Coordinators

Rebekah Coenen

As a volunteer coordinator, you have expectations of your volunteers. You expect they arrive on time for their shifts, act respectfully to other volunteers and participants, and perform their jobs well. Although we may lose sight of this from time to time, volunteers also have expectations of volunteer coordinators!

Although volunteer coordinating comes in many different (and equally fabulous) styles, one thing separates a good coordinator from a great coordinator: effective communication. Of course, communication comes in many different styles as well. And, in the last decade, technology has facilitated countless new channels of communication – emails, texts, DM’s, and more.

Volunteers expect you to uphold timely, informative communication.

No one likes to feel in the dark or out of the loop, so keep your volunteers informed! Volunteers need to know what to expect, what to prepare for, and what to deliver on at every step in their volunteer journey – at least in the beginning. Offer guidance to your volunteers at every stage, and they’ll feel safe and confident in their new role in the organization.

Make sure you use the appropriate communication channels, too.

As technology has woven itself into our social fabric, we’ve all adopted certain assumptions and expectations of various digital communication channels. For volunteer coordinators, here are some quick guidelines…

Email: Unless you observe push-back from younger volunteers (Millennials and Gen Z), use email communication as much as possible. This establishes a professional tone. An extra handy tip – in VolunteerLocal, you can automate confirmation emails, schedule reminder emails, and send broadcast emails to volunteers in an entire event, or even a specific shift in the event. Of course, attach documents, links, or pictures if you like, too!

Phone Calls: This is a great way to touch base with your volunteers, especially with new updates/news. There are some things to be aware of though!

  • The younger the volunteer base, the less comfortable they often are with phone calls (especially from unknown numbers). The older the volunteer base, the more comfortable they are with a phone call.
  • You may hope that the phone call is brief, but some folks like to chat! Make sure you keep track of the time so you don’t suddenly find yourself an hour behind schedule.
  • A phone call is not a written record. Sometimes it’s helpful to have important information in writing so it may be reviewed later.

Text: Considering that text messages are widely accepted as an informal mode of communication, remember to keep your texts professional. Texts might be helpful for sudden updates/announcements. Another handy tip – VolunteerLocal also allows you to send texts to volunteers, without leaving the platform. Sudden thunderstorm? Tell your volunteers to seek shelter, stat!

Although you may want to give your communication style and channels some thought in the beginning, it usually becomes very natural once you’ve established a system for communicating with your volunteers. Your volunteers will sincerely appreciate the effort, too. With consistent, informative communication, they’ll be well prepared and ready to volunteer! Remember, VolunteerLocal has a whole tool belt to help you pull this off. Never leave a volunteer hanging – jump in with immediate, scheduled, or automatic emails and texts, whenever you need.

Read More

Volunteer Coordinators: Identify Your Strengths!

Rebekah Coenen

Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Some of us have a natural knack for numbers, words, or remembering obscure fun facts. It is no different for volunteer coordinators!

You could be a rock star at finding locations, or perhaps networking to recruit volunteers. The trick is to find your strengths and leverage what comes naturally for you. Take our quiz and see what are your top strengths! 

  1. On a wintery Saturday night, where are you most likely to be? 
    1. On a couch staying warm! I might invite a couple friends to watch our favorite show together.
    2. Planning my next vacation somewhere warm!
    3. Hosting a murder mystery night! 
    4. Bundled up, trekking around downtown for a fun night out. 
    5. Usually having dinner or coffee with a friend you haven’t spent much time with recently. 
  2. You are in your element the most when: 
    1. You are called on to do something you didn’t really want to do. The sense of duty brings out your best qualities. 
    2. You have plenty of time to plan for whatever is being thrown at you. 
    3. Everyone else is at a loss as to what to do. You can take charge and give directions 
    4. Flying by the seat of your pants. Whatever happens you can figure it out. 
    5. When there is too much to do in one day. You make sure the most important things get done. 
  3. Your favorite outfit could be described as:
    1. Stylish and expressive
    2. Practical 
    3. Business casual
    4. Simple. 
    5. Well-coordinated, most of your closet goes well together.
  4. Your favorite house hold chore is: 
    1. Cooking
    2. Dishes
    3. Vacuuming 
    4. Mowing the lawn 
    5. Laundry 
  5. Your biggest pet peeve is: 
    1. When people say “pet peeve”. 
    2. Dishes in the sink when the dish washer is dirty and not full.
    3. When people look at their phone when you are talking to them. 
    4. When people say they can’t do something, but really mean they won’t.
    5. When people are late.
  6. What is your favorite part of coordinating an event? 
    1.  Working with all the volunteers and coordinating their shifts. 
    2. All the planning to get your site up and running to make sure it is easy for volunteers to sign up.
    3. Having a list of what needs to be done and making sure someone is doing it. 
    4. Making decisions and changing anything last minute to make sure your event is running smoothly. 
    5. Working out a schedule before the event and accounting for all the multitasking you and your volunteers will need to do. 

Mostly 1’s – Communication skills 

You are a people-person that has a knack for getting your point across without rubbing anyone the wrong way! Though occasionally you have to make some people unhappy, they don’t resent you for it. You are able to listen and understand almost any view point. This can make it tricky to be decisive sometimes, but you always seem to make the right choice. If only it could be a little faster. 

Mostly 2’s – Organization 

Spread sheets, color coding, you are ready for some serious planning! You have thought of EVERYTHING, and you have back up plans for your back up plans. It’s not all about being prepared – although that’s most of it. It’s more about avoiding unnecessary work. If you get it all organized and right the first time, you’ll have less work next time, so you probably have some of that time management sauce too. 

Mostly 3’s – Delegation 

You have learned that you can’t be everywhere at once and have become a master and delegating. It takes a lot of trust in your volunteers to know they will handle each task well. It also takes a lot of security because you relinquish a lot of control. Good job for harnessing the ability to relax and not micromanage. Communication is also key, so you’ve probably got a bit of a knack for that as well. 

Mostly 4’s – Adaptability 

You are the kind of person one may describe as unflappable. Running low on water? Or pens? Or someone not show up for a shift? You have the answer and make any situation work. Need a sign? 10 minutes later you have Macgyvered something no one else would have thought of. 

Mostly 5’s – Time management

Nothing bothers you more than wasted time. That doesn’t mean you don’t take a break. It just means when you are working on something, you are working hard and efficiently. Once you set yourself to a task you will finish it in one go, or nearly.  

Read More

Six Fresh Ways to Jumpstart Volunteer Recruitment

Anne Summers

Volunteer recruitment—it’s just one of those things that is never fully crossed off the list, right? When you’ve fulfilled your volunteer need for one event, the next project is right around the corner. It can be a bit relentless, but that’s when we work together! Sometimes freshening up your recruitment strategies is as easy as browsing a new list of ideas to boost your brainstorming.

1.  Make it Exclusive – Work the perks 

Enticing new volunteers or returning volunteers can be as simple as offering some perks! Not everyone has the budget to provide volunteer-only swag, but I bet there’s something you can give to your volunteers that is different than what’s available to the public. Are there certain hours you can give them exclusive access to your event or vouchers for a VIP area? Or are there some perks that you’ve used in the past that you can bring back?

2. Make it Competitive – Recruit-a-friend challenge

Play up your volunteers’ competitive sides while also letting them help you with you job! Set up a volunteer challenge that rewards volunteers who recruit others to volunteer with them. The more people you recruit, the better the prize! Plus friends who volunteer together tend to have more fun and are more likely to come back to help again. 

3. Make it Easy – Remove the barriers

Take a look at your volunteer sign up methods. Are you making it as easy as possible? Sometimes we overcomplicate things in the name of getting all the information we could ever need. But remember, volunteers may just quit filling out the form if we make it too difficult. VolunteerLocal has some great tools to help keep it simple!

And what about that website? Are you clearly presenting who you are? Keeping your online presence easy to read and simple to navigate helps people fully understand why their time is valuable to your organization and why your organization is valuable to them.

4. Make it Fun – Host some recruitment events

Build bridges to the local community by hosting some purely fun events! What fits best in your context?  A trivia night? Karaoke? 3-on-3 basketball? These simple events not only increase your brand awareness, but can also help you connect with potential volunteers you wouldn’t have found otherwise.

5. Make it Visible – Update those flyers

Brochures, posters, and press releases are essential tools for volunteer recruitment. How can you bump up their effectiveness? Think about updating the design or expanding your normal posting places. Keep a list of community organization that may welcome you as a guest speaker! Work all these avenues to get your volunteer need as visible as possible.

6. Make it Social – Social media can work for you

Find the best social media platforms for your goals! Creating a private Facebook group for your volunteers may help increase camaraderie. Instagram’s story feature may be the perfect avenue to increase behind-the-scenes excitement and get quick feedback. Think through your event and how to best connect to your people. There are so many tools out there. Make them work for you!

Read More

Six Fresh Ways to Jumpstart Volunteer Recruitment

Anne Summers

Anne Summers

Volunteer recruitment—it’s just one of those things that is never fully crossed off the list, right? When you’ve fulfilled your volunteer need for one event, the next project is right around the corner. It can be a bit relentless, but that’s when we work together! Sometimes freshening up your recruitment strategies is as easy as browsing a new list of ideas to boost your brainstorming.

1.  Make it Exclusive – Work the perks 

Enticing new volunteers or returning volunteers can be as simple as offering some perks! Not everyone has the budget to provide volunteer-only swag, but I bet there’s something you can give to your volunteers that is different than what’s available to the public. Are there certain hours you can give them exclusive access to your event or vouchers for a VIP area? Or are there some perks that you’ve used in the past that you can bring back?

2. Make it Competitive – Recruit-a-friend challenge

Play up your volunteers’ competitive sides while also letting them help you with you job! Set up a volunteer challenge that rewards volunteers who recruit others to volunteer with them. The more people you recruit, the better the prize! Plus friends who volunteer together tend to have more fun and are more likely to come back to help again. 

3. Make it Easy – Remove the barriers

Take a look at your volunteer sign up methods. Are you making it as easy as possible? Sometimes we overcomplicate things in the name of getting all the information we could ever need. But remember, volunteers may just quit filling out the form if we make it too difficult. VolunteerLocal has some great tools to help keep it simple!

And what about that website? Are you clearly presenting who you are? Keeping your online presence easy to read and simple to navigate helps people fully understand why their time is valuable to your organization and why your organization is valuable to them.

4. Make it Fun – Host some recruitment events

Build bridges to the local community by hosting some purely fun events! What fits best in your context?  A trivia night? Karaoke? 3-on-3 basketball? These simple events not only increase your brand awareness, but can also help you connect with potential volunteers you wouldn’t have found otherwise.

5. Make it Visible – Update those flyers

Brochures, posters, and press releases are essential tools for volunteer recruitment. How can you bump up their effectiveness? Think about updating the design or expanding your normal posting places. Keep a list of community organization that may welcome you as a guest speaker! Work all these avenues to get your volunteer need as visible as possible.

6. Make it Social – Social media can work for you

Find the best social media platforms for your goals! Creating a private Facebook group for your volunteers may help increase camaraderie. Instagram’s story feature may be the perfect avenue to increase behind-the-scenes excitement and get quick feedback. Think through your event and how to best connect to your people. There are so many tools out there. Make them work for you!

Read More

The Most Common Types of Volunteers (and How to Manage Them)

Samantha Gratton

Every volunteer team has its share of characters–gotta collect them all! 

Whether you’ve been around the block a few times or you’re new to this whole volunteer-coordinator-thing, there’s bound to be a few familiar faces on your team. It’s important to know who to expect, what motivates them, and how you can best lead them. 

The over-eager 

This person is SO excited to be here. Simply thrilled. There’s a task to be done? Got it. You were thinking about changing that? Already done. In so many ways this person can be a real asset to a team, as long as they don’t drive you crazy first. When you’ve got someone who is over-eager, try to harness that energy and enthusiasm. But also use clear communication with them to create boundaries as needed so their excitement doesn’t rub anyone the wrong way or get too out of hand. 

The hand-holder 

Ah, the one who does everything just the way you tell them to…because they won’t know what to do otherwise. This person needs and yearns for constant instructions to know exactly what they are doing and how to do it. You know you can trust they will follow orders, but sometimes this person can take all of your time or need a little too much attention. If you aren’t able to metaphorically hold their hand through each step of the process, try to pair them with a leader who can help supervise. But also, try to find ways that you can empower the hand-holder to use their best judgment to make decisions and step in to help without needing a step-by-step instruction sheet. 

The swag collector 

In it for the t-shirt, the sticker, the pens, the bag or the free food. Whenever they hear “free”, they are suddenly there. You know what motivates this volunteer, it’s quite easy to see. So make sure you pad your budget in order to offer free swag. Not only will you have some happy volunteers, but your brand is worn all over town afterwards. Think of it as cheap marketing meets free labor instead of getting annoyed that these volunteers expect something in return. At the same time, try to set expectations and find other possible motivators for these volunteers (such as the organization’s mission, the culture, the networking) so you can encourage them to stick around, with or without a t-shirt to show for it. 

The socialite 

Let’s take a selfie! This volunteer is in it for the friends, the networking, the connections. Maybe it’s a stay-at-home mom desperate for some time out of the house or maybe it’s someone new to town who is ready to meet new people. Volunteering can be a community thing, so make sure these volunteers know they are welcome! Not only will they be the ones wanting to build up the culture and have some fun with your team, but they might invite some more friends to come along with them. Just be sure to keep these volunteers on task as needed as they tend to get sidetracked talking about their latest Netflix binge or where they plan to meet for drinks later. Also, watch out for cliques forming and try to encourage an inclusive environment for all volunteers on the team. 

The time-tracker 

Can you sign my sheet? This volunteer is in it to check the box and mark down the hours. Whether it’s for high school graduation, required community service work, or corporate volunteer day, they have to be here. While this person might obsessively watch the clock, they probably still had a few choices when it came to where exactly they wanted to volunteer. Consider this volunteer as one of your biggest opportunities when recruiting future volunteers. They will do what you tell them to (because getting your signature depends on it!) but in the process, you might win them over so they want to come again next time all on their own. 

The natural leader 

The person with a plan and some ideas on how to implement it. This volunteer is a leader and they probably already know that. Maybe they are a leader in their day job or maybe people just gravitate toward them for thoughts and opinions. Awesome, you’ve been wanting one of those, right? If you spot a leader, give them a leadership role that suits both them and your needs. Sometimes your leadership positions are all filled though, so you’ve got to make sure this volunteer doesn’t step on any toes. If all you’ve got left are some mundane tasks, pair them with a hand-holder to get it done together. Later on, feel free to ask them if they’d like to apply for a leadership role in the future.  

Of course, there are variations of all of these people on every volunteer team. At the end of the day, it’s about finding out what makes them tick and how to best leverage their skills, interests, and tendencies to make your volunteer team as strong as it can be. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses (yes, even you), but instead of seeing why a volunteer is driving you crazy, seek to understand where they best fit on the team. Being a volunteer coordinator and leading the team to success isn’t always easy but coming at it with the right perspective makes all the difference. You’ve got this! 

Read More

Juggling On-Site Operations

Anne Summers

We spend a lot of time focusing on the people-side of volunteer management, and for good reason! But for today, let’s focus on some of the underlying support systems that make your event run smoothly. In event planning there are some basic on-site tools and procedures to equip your staff and volunteers in the ways of efficiency, safety, and communication. 

Super exciting topics? Not necessarily. But let’s think of each of these topics as a ball in the air you must juggle. To keep anything (everything) from hitting the floor, you need to keep moving, stay balanced, and show confidence. It may not be the most fun part of your job, but you can do it! Let’s dig into some of the details.

Efficiency

Working your way through the logistics part of your event is crucial to success. Your guests want to have a smooth, simple experience. Yet we know that the easier something looks, the more planning it usually takes. Invest some time into mapping out all the procedures and tools needed to keep things working at the highest efficiency.

1. Identify and Outline Required Tasks

Tackling all the aspects of an event can be daunting. I know I’m guilty of avoiding jobs that seem overwhelming! But get everything down on paper. Not only does this allow you get a high-level view of the work yet to be done, but it also helps you see connections among the items that need to be accomplished.

2. Organize Task Orders

Once your list is complete, let’s put them into helpful categories. When you see related items, put them into a task order that helps you and your team know where to start and where to proceed. For instance…

  • In order for guests to have a smooth check-in experience, you need to have well-staffed gates.
  • In order to know how many volunteers you need to properly staff check-in, you need to know how many gates you’ll provide.
  • In order to figure out how many gates you should open, you first need to anticipate an expected volume of guests.

Great! Now you have a starting point to move forward.

3. Delegate

You’ve put in the time and work to capture all the task information and sort it into to-do lists. Now it’s time to get really efficient and delegate! Your work has equipped your team to carry it to completion.

Safety

Ok! Your tossing one ball in the air, and you’re doing awesome! Time to go to the next level. Safety is another topic that usually stays in the background until something goes wrong. When efficiency goes haywire, people are annoyed. When safety is mishandled, people get hurt. It’s worth your time! 

Keeping people safe starts with simple things like establishing a clear perimeter through permanent structures and portable fencing or implementing a bag check. When you’re training volunteers, outline different safety procedures like directing guests to safe locations in case of severe weather or how to convert an entrance into an exit in the case of an evacuation. By putting thought and effort into these situations before the event, you are able to confidently lead your team and successfully serve your guests when the time comes.

Communication

Juggling wouldn’t be juggling without a third item hurling through the air, right? Communication—the true power that drives efficiency and safety and allows you to be an effective leader on the day of the event. 

VolunteerLocal’s Happy Volunteering Blog has a plethora of resources for interpersonal communication, but make sure you’re also outfitted with the right tools to get things done. Make sure your team has access to radios, extra batteries, and relevant contact numbers. If you’re offering public Wi-Fi, it can be hugely beneficial to set up private Wi-Fi access points to keep your digital tools working well and to keep your team’s communication moving freely. With these tools and plans in place, you’ll be able to handle whatever your event throws at you and perform like a pro! 

Read More

Announcing: Integration with NeonCRM

kaylee@volunteerlocal.com

We are thrilled to announce that VolunteerLocal now integrates with NeonCRM, a donor management system for nonprofit organizations. This integration allows our customers (that’s you!) to push their volunteer data directly into Neon with just the click of a button – no exports or imports required.

The following fields will sync into NeonCRM:

  • Email address
  • Event name
  • Job name
  • Shift start time
  • Shift end time
  • Hours worked

So, how does it all work?

You can activate this new integration under the “Settings” tab inside your VolunteerLocal account:

Once you’ve linked your VolunteerLocal and NeonCRM accounts, you’ll notice the “Sync Hours with NEON CRM” button inside every report (under Volunteers->Report):

You’ll also notice that you can sync an individual volunteer’s hours through his/her volunteer profile:

For more information, or to set-up your NeonCRM integration inside VolunteerLocal, contact us anytime at hello@volunteerlocal or 800-909-7370.

Read More

The Do’s and Don’ts of Recruiting Volunteers for a Charity Race

Rebekah Coenen

Every event needs volunteers and as a coordinator one of your main priorities is recruiting passionate people to help the event run smoothly. There are people who volunteer for an event because they like the activity, the cause, or they got roped into it by a friend. It is good to take any help you can get, but the greatest volunteers are those that have an interest or a passion for the event. For charity races that core group comes from volunteers that are motivated by the cause. Here are some do’s and don’ts when finding and recruiting those volunteers. 

 

Do: 

  • Advertise the cause benefiting from the race. Communication is key make sure the cause the race is benefiting is clear. 

 

  • Include the cause in the name. That tells you right away that the race is for something more than just physical fitness (though, that is a great cause for a race too). Everyone loves something clever if you can manage to come up with a good play on words. 

 

  • Provide education about the disease or cause the race is supporting. The ice bucket challenge got people googling ALS to know what that crazy social media challenge was about. Maybe your race won’t get people googling, but you can provide more education about your cause to spread knowledge.

 

  • Reach out to affiliated groups. If your race benefits a high school band, reach out to the parents. If it’s a disease talk to hospitals or support groups. 

 

  • Make it clear where the funds raised will go. It’s not just enough to say it’s for a cause, show what the benefit will be. 

 

 

 

Don’t: 

  • Require volunteers to have been affected by the disease. Allies are important members of every community. 

 

  • Mislead participants about the purpose of the race. If you advertise a benefit race make sure the cause is front and center and not an afterthought. 

 

  • Assume people will know the cause you are supporting. If you name your race something vague or don’t find a way to include the cause in the name no one will know the cause unless its advertised.

 

  • Ignore social media. That goes for traditional advertising too. You want to reach out to everyone possible, don’t count on affiliate groups to encompass everyone who might support the cause.

 

Read More