Certificate in Volunteer Management Series
Certificate in Volunteer Management
Volunteers provide a unique human resource that can enhance an organization’s ability to achieve its mission, priorities, and goals. A well-trained volunteer manager is key to the success of a volunteer program.
As nonprofits and governmental agencies face the prospect of significant funding cuts, the need for well-managed and well-trained volunteers will be more critical than ever. Fortunately, there are increasing numbers of highly skilled individuals seeking volunteer opportunities.
Long and Short Associates with Volunteer McKinney is offering a certificate-driven series of workshops that provide volunteer management basics and beyond. This series is guaranteed to assist area nonprofits, associations and governmental agencies in building a successful volunteer engagement program and enhancing organizational capacity.
All sessions have been recognized by the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration and will cover the Council’s Core Competencies for Managers of Volunteer Resources.
The Certificate in Volunteer Management is four full days of learning from and with nationally recognized volunteer management experts.
Certificate Topics:
DAY 1 – November 18, 2013, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (1 hr lunch break)
Describe the components of a well-run volunteer program
This session sets the stage for the Volunteer Management Certificate Program and creates an opportunity for participants to establish a learning community that will sustain them after the course ends. It provides an overview of the steps and processes to help ensure that a volunteer’s time is used effectively and that the nonprofit achieves its strategic goals and priorities.
Identify trends that impact volunteer program development
Knowing about societal trends can make a volunteer manager a more effective leader of volunteers. These trends have implications that can impact a his/her ability to recruit, supervise, design volunteer jobs and recognize volunteers—all elements of good program management. This session is designed to provide information and tools to take full advantage of these trends while diminishing their challenges.
Conduct a mission specific volunteer needs assessment
When an organization determines what people-skills are most needed to help build organizational capacity, it opens the door for a diverse volunteer pool. Participants will learn a simple technique that will generate mission-focused volunteer opportunities and discover ways to create structures that support them.
Create volunteer task descriptions
Task descriptions serve as more than a summary of the volunteer’s role. They can be used as a recruitment and interviewing tool and as a basis for defining performance expectations. For task descriptions to work effectively, they need to be well thought through and contain specific information. Participants will learn how to create volunteer position descriptions that support their role as a volunteer manager.
Develop performance outcomes
This session utilizes a review of performance outcomes–performance of the volunteer and the performance of the volunteer program as a whole. Using task descriptions and basic program performance criteria will assist the manager of volunteer resources in developing performance outcomes.
Develop philosophy statements
Writing a philosophy statement can be a motivational tool for the future success of a volunteer program. Not only does the statement outline the function and value of the volunteer program, but it also establishes a way to communicate the role of volunteers and the organization’s relationship to those community members. In this session, participants will learn how to create a personal and volunteer philosophy statement.
DAY 2 – November 19, 2013, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (1 hr lunch break)
Manage risk
Every volunteer program, from the smallest to the largest, can take steps to avoid surprise when it comes to providing a meaningful experience for volunteers. The ability to assess potential risk and integrate volunteer management policies and procedures into the organization’s overall risk management plan is vital. In this session, participants will look at a systematic process to alleviate risk concerns.
Design a marketing and recruitment plan
Successful volunteer recruitment depends on many factors—having good task descriptions, knowing how to craft your message, making your organization attractive and utilizing a variety of recruitment techniques. This session provides tried-and-true tips, updates and resources that will challenge participants to think differently about what it takes to recruit quality volunteers.
Identify principles of volunteer screening, placing, interviewing, orientation, supervision and training
Volunteer managers perform many of the same tasks as human resource professionals. The volunteer program intake process should mirror the organization’s employee hiring process. This session will review best practices for vetting, placing and supporting new volunteers. When the organization has these steps in place, it reduces the potential for volunteer turnover and organizational risk and liability.
Design volunteer recognition strategies
Volunteer recognition is in the eye of the beholder. In this session, participants will review motivational theory and use it to design recognition that meets the needs of the individual volunteer.
Manage time
Managing volunteers can be a real juggling act. Utilizing time management principles can help individuals identify and focus on the activities that will actually save time. Through lecture, individual work and group discussion, participants will learn simple, practical tips which will help them accomplish their personal and professional goals and assist them in becoming a more effective volunteer manager.
Build internal support for the volunteer program
Volunteer managers need to be able to demonstrate that they can solve real problems and can demonstrate that volunteer activities impact the organization’s mandate and mission. Participants will review a variety of strategies to acquire power and build competencies.
DAY 3 – December 11, 2013, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (1 hr lunch break)
Create strong volunteer and staff partnerships
The relationship between volunteers and staff has always been a delicate one, and is usually the biggest problem in involving volunteers more effectively in an organization. Participants will come away with tips and tools on how to manage this often forgotten step in the volunteer management process.
Develop outcome-based measurements
The success of a volunteer program cannot simply be observed, but must be measured by using qualitative and quantitative data. The development of outcome based measures will help to ensure the volunteer program is on a successful track.
Evaluate the volunteer program
Consistent program evaluation is one of the key steps in the volunteer management process. This session will explore how to evaluate individual volunteers, training evaluation and program evaluation.
Define organizational and professional ethics
Ethics are the hallmark of a profession. Managers of volunteer resources have the Core Values and Principles of Volunteer Administration to guide them through various situations they may face as they run their program. Participants will identify core ethical values as well as the principles of citizenship and philanthropy. Portions of the materials are based on information from the Josephson Institute for Ethics.
Plan strategically, operationally and for projects
Volunteer programs are integral part of a nonprofit. Determining how the program strategically fits into the organization involves the understanding of systems and processes that can maximize the volunteer program’s impact on the nonprofit.
Manage a project
Many next generation volunteers are seeking project-based volunteer opportunities; therefore, keeping a project focused and on time has become a critical skill for leaders of volunteers. Participants will come away with a better understanding of project management basics that will help to ensure program success.
DAY 4 – December 12, 2013, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (1 hr lunch break)
Lead and supervise volunteers
Being able to lead and supervise volunteers is a vital skill. This session will teach participants when to use different leadership-style techniques and will provide them with a systematic process for supervising volunteers and supporting staff who supervise volunteers.
Create community partnerships
Managers of volunteer resources are constantly collaborating and developing alliances– a process full of challenges and opportunities. The result of well-formed collaborations and alliances is a volunteer program that is beneficial to the organization and the clients its serves. This is a hand-on session in which participants will be able to experience the challenges and opportunities that can occur in the partnership building process.
Mobilize resources.
Volunteer managers are often called upon to build community partnerships, organize events and seek in-kind and cash donations. Participants will learn the basics of resource mobilization and the steps to creating a basic development plan. In this session, participants will get to practice “making the ask.”
Course review. Question and answer. Close.