Volunteer Coordinate Like a BOSS: Best Practices for Task Management

On Mondays you debrief the weekend’s event and facilitate a brainstorm meeting for how to do the next one even better. On Tuesdays you have three different phone calls lined up with the executive director, the city councilman, and the marketing director before hosting a new volunteer training in the evening. On Wednesdays, you wear pink.

 

Okay, so you’ve got a million things to do as a volunteer coordinator. You barely have the time to read this blog post but needed a quick reprieve from the many hats you wear and the ever-growing to-do list. There are only so many hours in the day, so how can you make the most of them?

 

How do those other volunteer coordinators do it?

 

Leverage your tools

There are so many great tools out there – but you need to find what works best for you. Do you love color coding your calendar and hanging it in front of you? Or do you love the ease of having it all on your phone? Do you use Evernote or Asana to keep track of your ongoing lists of ideas and to-dos or do you keep a stack of post-it notes right next to your computer for when the moment of inspiration hits? What might work for someone else isn’t always best for you, so think through what works most effectively for you and incorporate those tools into your daily routine.

 

When it comes to volunteer management software, we got you. For starters, we love volunteer coordinators so much that we have a free version with a TON of features. Or, as you need a more robust system, we have a few different plans for you to choose from. Either way, make sure you take advantage of the training and tutorial videos we have so you can make the most of it. The more you learn about VolunteerLocal’s software, the more you might be able to cut down on all of the things you are otherwise doing by hand (like, easily putting together a list of everyone’s t-shirt size, exporting volunteer hours fulfilled by each individual needing a signature for hours worked, or filling multiple volunteer slots with a team of people).

 

Delegate it

You know all of those volunteers you manage? Well, believe it or not, some of them might be able volunteer by way of managing a small team of other volunteers. You simply can’t do it all. So even if you have the most knowledge or understanding of your event, you can’t be everywhere at once. When you find and connect with dedicated and willing volunteers, promote them to a leadership role. They may find the work more meaningful, and you will have less to stress about.

 

While you may be short-staffed (because face it, who isn’t?), it’s important to let your co-workers know what’s going on and how they might be able to help. Maybe they’re in a slow period or have the capacity to take on a little more this week/month. Clear communication of what you need and how someone can help instead of just constantly exclaiming “I’m so busy!” will make all the difference in getting some assistance.

 

Whoever you delegate tasks to, remember that means you have to step aside to let them do it once the training is over. Instead of micromanaging their every move to make sure it’s done the exact same way you would do it, try to empower your volunteers leaders and co-workers to make the decisions that will work best. You may find yourself pleasantly surprised when they come up with ideas and solutions that exceed what you’ve come up with in the past.

 

Remember what’s important

Sometimes you’ll go through a season that just stretches you a bit – personally or professionally. You may have to push through to get to the other side, but try to remember why you do what you do. Whether it’s because you work for an organization that helps people or promotes cultural experiences or positively impacts your community, what you do makes a difference. It might not seem like it when you’re sorting through spreadsheets or licking dozens of envelopes on those thank you cards, but it does. Perhaps you are the one with the best organization skills on the team or maybe you connect with volunteers in a way that really inspires them. At some point you chose to get into this role with this organization, so remind yourself why.

 

Once you remember why you do what you do, it’s often easier to see how best to prioritize the tasks in front of you. Sometimes you’ll have to make sacrifices and hard decisions in order to prioritize what matters most. Keep those important things on the top of the list and the “if it works out, then great!” things near the bottom (or on another list altogether) so you don’t get too distracted or overwhelmed.

 

While you’re remembering things, remember that you aren’t a machine, so don’t expect yourself to act like one. You’ll probably get tired or overwhelmed every once in awhile – that’s okay. You’ve got this! Give yourself a break when you need it and try to plan for a little self-care as you can. Maybe that means sticking to your lunch break or scheduling a massage or long-overdue haircut for the week after your event. It might seem like you’re adding another task to your list, but these are the kind of things that allow you to work better and more effectively in the long-run.

 

 

 

Samantha Gratton

Samantha is a staff writer at VolunteerLocal. She has experience coordinating events and loves chocolate.