Using Skills-Based Using Skills-Based VolunteersVolunteers

Nancy Long Nancy Long Executive Service Corps of Executive Service Corps of

WashingtonWashington

PurposePurpose Provide tools and resources that

help nonprofits successfully tap into the professional skills of volunteers…

...and encourage companies to

facilitate the engagement of their employees in skills-based roles.

Key Outcomes

At the end of this session you will be able to:

Identify factors important to a successful match with a skills based volunteer

Develop a scope of work for SBV Identify sources of skills-based

volunteers

Definition: Using the professional skills of volunteers to build organizational strength and increase nonprofit capacity.

Skills-based Volunteerism Skills-based Volunteerism

What’s What’s different? different?

“You don’t need to know where you are going. Just keep walking.”

Reinvent VolunteerismReinvent Volunteerism Individually based (not a program) Individually based (not a program)

– Project-based—Driven by scope of workProject-based—Driven by scope of work– Unpaid (or stipended) staff roleUnpaid (or stipended) staff role

Volunteer is an active participant Volunteer is an active participant – Agency describes the outcome Agency describes the outcome – Volunteer contributes to how the Volunteer contributes to how the

outcome is reachedoutcome is reached Enhanced experience if:Enhanced experience if:

– Paired with learningPaired with learning – Diverse/IntergenerationalDiverse/Intergenerational

What are some possible What are some possible benefits of using SBV?benefits of using SBV?

What professional What professional skills might be skills might be

useful to useful to nonprofits?nonprofits?

WWhat are the barriers? hat are the barriers? Results of theResults of the Community Community

Experience Partnership Experience Partnership AssessmentAssessment

Philanthropy is providing very little support for volunteerism of any kind, particularly SBV or older adult engagement

Volunteer management is underfunded and underdeveloped

Focus for TodayFocus for Today

NFPs do not understand how to match people

NFPs need to assess readiness to use SBV

Need to learn to “contract” with volunteers

NFPs need to tap into volunteer brokers

Step #1: Matching Step #1: Matching Volunteers Volunteers

Square peg in a round hole?

Determining a good “fit”

Typology for Matching Volunteer Requirements with Organizational Needs

Volunteer Organization

Volunteer’s values about who they want to help

Focus/mission; staff/board diversity; who is served

Volunteer’s values about workplace culture

Organizational culture

Volunteer’s preferences about using/developing their skills

Organizational needs (what needs to be done; what expertise is needed)

Volunteer’s preferences about the structure and benefits of a volunteer opportunity

Structure and benefits of the volunteer opportunity

Typology Exercise Typology Exercise

Choose a partner One plays the role of the volunteer One plays the role of the

organization Read the description of the

nonprofit’s project and the profile of the volunteer and attempt to determine if there is a good match

Typology for Matching Volunteer Requirements with Organizational Needs

Volunteer Organization

Volunteer’s values about who they want to help

Focus/mission; staff/board diversity; who is served

Volunteer’s values about workplace culture

Organizational culture

Volunteer’s preferences about using/developing their skills

Organizational needs (what needs to be done what expertise is needed)

Volunteer’s preferences about the structure and benefits of a volunteer opportunity

Structure and benefits of the volunteer opportunity

Challenge: Cross walking skills

From the corporate to… the nonprofit sector

Pro Bono Action Tank www.probonoactiontank.org Competencies Map

– A catalog mapping needs to expertise   – 76 opportunities and the occupations

that can have the needed competencies– Select

By project By occupation

Select By Project Select a category: Fundraising Select a project: Fundraising

Management Process A fundraising management process

project helps a nonprofit define a process for managing fundraising activities to increase efficiency, effectiveness and predictability.

Project Viability

Pro Bono Project Viability: Time Sensitivity Risk Scope Creep Risk Sector Knowledge Risk

Relevant Occupations General and Operations Managers

General and Operations Managers 1,663,280 potential pro bono consultants Plan, direct, or coordinate the operations

of companies/ organizations. Duties and responsibilities include formulating policies, managing daily operations, and planning the use of materials and human resources. Include owners and managers who head small business establishments whose duties are primarily managerial.

Step #2: Contracting Step #2: Contracting with SBVwith SBV

Defining the project– Scope of Work (what, how, to what

end?)– Deliverables (products/outcomes)– Timeline– Resources needed – Accountability/Evaluation process

Contracting with SBVContracting with SBV Scope of work:

– Problem to be solved– What will be done/ by when– Generally how it will be done– Where will the resources come from

Deliverables – Products of the work, incl. interim

products– Outcomes

Accountability/Evaluation

Contracting ExerciseContracting Exercise Develop a scope of work for role you

defined – Problem to be solved – What will be done – Generally how it will be done– Where will the resources come from

Develop a list of deliverables – Products – Outcomes

Define what does success looks like?

How will you evaluate success of the match?

On what basis will you judge the volunteer?

Define desired behaviors and the process for assessing if those desired behaviors are being displayed

Assessing Readiness for Assessing Readiness for SBVSBV

Supplement to the Volunteer Management Audit (Energize Inc./Susan Ellis)

Sample standard #1:We insure that specialized volunteers are given the staff support and resources needed to accomplish their projects.

Assessing ReadinessAssessing Readiness

Sample standard #2: The volunteer program is staffed to meet the increased demands of managing skilled volunteers Staff do not have time to work with skilled volunteers. No one is assigned the primary responsibility of managing skilled volunteers.

Want an easier way to efficiently and effectively use skills based volunteers? ….Use Volunteer Brokers!

What is a volunteer What is a volunteer broker?broker?

A 'volunteer broker' matches the volunteer with a community need.

The advantages of brokers are:– More efficient for vol and org– Able to identify broad array of

opportunities– Able to match from a broad pool of vol– Understand sector-specific needs– Understand employer goals

WAACO

Washington Attorneys Assisting Community Organizations

www.waaco.org Pro bono lawyers

Taproot Foundation Services

Marketing (annual report, brochure)

Information Technology (Database, website)

Strategic Management Leadership Development and

Strategic HR

Executive Service Corps of WA

Capacity building – Consulting services (not legal/tech) – Coaches, Trainers, Executive

Advisors– Financial Fitness, Emergency

Planning All ages: 70% in workforce; 30%

retired 250 Professionals from business,

education, nonprofit, government

Other Brokers

NPower - technology volunteers Corporate Volunteer Programs that

do the engagement management Volunteer Centers that do the

engagement management.

Working with SBV over Working with SBV over 5050

10,000 people turn 60 each day King County - 27% of the population Highly educated population =

increased volunteerism 48% of working adults over 45 are

already volunteers

The experience gain

Few expect traditional retirement: 80% plan to work beyond 65…

…but 57% say it's very important that they have work (paid and unpaid) that – gives them a sense of purpose– keeps them involved with people– and helps them improve their

communities

Working with SBV in their Working with SBV in their 20s/30s20s/30s

Give options Be flexible and clear about

expectations Engage in smaller projects to build

commitment Be open to how the work gets done Appreciate their technology

knowledge and experience

Discussion

Do you feel more prepared to work with SBV?

What are the biggest barriers to your organization using SBVs?

Contact InformationContact Information

Nancy Long, Executive Director, Executive Service Corps of

Washington execdir@escwa.org 206.682.6704

www.escwa.org