In organizing an event all you really want is everyone to have a memorable experience and good time. Easier said than done. From my experience successful event planning requires a well organized volunteer staff, good communication, clear roles and feedback along the way.

I unfortunately learned this the hard way.  We had what I would call a volunteer catastrophe at a recent event I was working on.  The volunteer stage manager quit, the replacement manager arrived late, was not up to speed on logistics, the board chair spoke too long, the volunteer choir hadn’t rehearsed and the problems continued to unfold.

At this point, I thought, “Maybe I should have asked for more help in managing my volunteers!” Have you ever gotten in over your head as a volunteer manager, and needed to ask for help, but not known how to ask for exactly what you want?

Here are a few suggestions on how to manage your volunteers:

COMMUNICATE

Have a meeting where you thank them for joining you, and ask them to reiterate what they would like to do, and see how you can fit them into what needs to get done.

Put together a task list and a weekly schedule with them. Say, for instance,

“I would like you to research grants on Monday, and report to me on Tuesday what you found. Then on Wednesday I would like you to create a spreadsheet of grants that we could apply for. Is this something that would work for you?”

Sit down and have a check in every week.

MAKE IT CLEAR

When you’ve decided that the volunteer will work out in your organization, write down what you want them to do.


1. Name the job; something simple and clearly naming the responsibility

2. Write a clear description of the job, including responsibilities and required skills; ask program staff to write a description if you don’t know.

3. Estimate of the amount of time the job will take to complete where applicable, break time requirements down by task. This helps volunteers decide if they have the time to fulfill an obligation at a glance

4. Estimate the length of the job commitment (a day, a week, a month or more…); this also helps volunteers match jobs to their busy schedules

5. Give a deadline the job must be done by; some jobs will require early deadlines if they involve planning and organizing, and others will be far off in the future if for selling, event participation, follow-up, or donor recognition

6. Write who will help with the job, and how often they will need to report.

7. Tell the volunteer where they can go for more help and advice if they should get stuck on a task (the name and number of a past volunteer is ideal if they are willing)

8. Include contact information for committee leaders in case an emergency arises or a volunteer is otherwise unable to complete their assigned task

It is imperative that you do a background check on the potential volunteer. It usually only costs $5.00 down at your local police station, and it will help your nonprofit stay accountable to your donors, and keep you and your clients safe.

CHECK-IN and THANK THEM!

Be positive whenever you see them. It’s important to at least give  positive feedback, since you’re not giving them money! And when you check in, thank them. Here are some ways to thank your volunteers…

Use Praise:

“You really made a difference by…”

” I’m impressed with…”

“We couldn’t have done it without your…”

Ask Questions

What makes for a really good day?  What would you miss if you left this volunteer opportunity?  Tell me about a time when you felt really engaged at work.  What did you like best about other volunteering jobs you had?What do you need most from your work?

Good volunteer management takes time and effort, but if you keep communicating, you can help yourself understand your volunteers, and help them keep coming back again and again.

 

What tips can you add to help in managing your volunteers?