Making Your Volunteer Program the Clear Choice

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Welcome & Housekeeping

• Thank you for choosing us!

• Introductions

• Handouts• We will send our slide deck to you.

• We encourage questions!

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Learning ObjectivesA view from the 30,000-foot level

• Training: Describe the components of a strong on-boarding process

• Services: Explain why a philosophy of inclusion—that weaves volunteers throughout an agency—is essential for any volunteer program

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Learning ObjectivesA view from the 30,000-foot level

• Measurement: Determine ways to track volunteer impact and satisfaction that can take a program to the next level

• Recognition: Re-think and identify simple appreciation efforts that reward volunteers

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Who are we?

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We have MERGED but are still a community-based, non-profit hospice agency.

We offer:• Exceptional pain and symptom

management and end-of-life expertise• Palliative Medicine & Supportive Care• Largest pediatric program of its kind in IL• Five in-patient centers in Arlington Heights,

Barrington, Chicago, Glenview and Woodstock• Comprehensive grief support program• Highly-trained staff (certified in hospice

and palliative care for their specific discipline)

• Charity Care – 200+ patients in 2014

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Our Volunteer Roles• Patient Care – Home

• Patient Care – Hospice Centers• Care Companion• CNA Assist• Hospitality• Baker/Shopper• Activity Volunteer

• Pediatric Care• Companion Coach Program• Vigils• Bereavement• Art & Music Support• Massage Therapy• Pet Therapy

• Veterans Program• We Care Phone Calls• Pet Peace of Mind• Gardening & Flower Programs• Teen/Youth Programs

• JourneyCare Juniors• Youth Advisory Board

• Community Outreach• Public Speaking• Health Fairs/Exhibit Booths

• Volunteer Recruitment• Special Events & Fundraising• Administrative/Office

• Palliative, Finance, HR, etc.

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A Few Disclaimers:Our program wasn’t always “world class”

• Regulatory requirements have been a blessing and a curse for improvements.

• Change Takes Time! We relied on a lot of passion to make change quickly (~18 months).

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• We had to test out new tactics while holding on to old practices.

Develop Your Philosophy

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Let’s Get Philosophical!

How would you describe your agency’s philosophy on using volunteers to

achieve your mission?

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The reality is that…Both Paid and Unpaid Staff are

“Human Resources”

Staff vs. Volunteers

> = <Our approach is that, within reason, we treat volunteers as equal as possible to the way we treat employees.

• Create service opportunities throughout your agency• Set (high) expectations • Give volunteers perks! • Compliance and discipline…

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“They’re volunteers! You have to be nice to them!”

Your program will suffer if you do not set and enforce boundaries.

Volunteers should not have a “free pass” just because they’re volunteers.

They can be disciplined or even terminated!

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Disciplining Volunteers

By giving feedback to a volunteer at the point a situation occurs, we demonstrate that:

A) we take their job seriously

B) we demonstrate respect for their contributions

C) we want to have a good relationship with them

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Ron: He’s the best but…

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Program PhilosophyWhat’s the payoff for all this work?

• Investing in this leads to…– A great relationship between paid staff and

volunteers– Volunteers who feel

like you trust them– More volunteers!

• VolunteerMatch Reviews

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Recruitment & Customer Service

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Customer Service is King

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how

you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

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Recruitment ProcessWelcoming new people into the fold

• Use a systematic approach

• Designate one team member as the point person

– Be incredibly responsive return calls, emails w/in 24-48 hours

• Have a defined pipeline

– Flexible

– Provides info. when it’s needed, in a consistent way

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• Templates save time, consistently

communicate your process and

no one slips through the cracks

– Save Outlook templates to easily reach out

– Training Calendar Handout

– Welcome Emails, Training Reminders, etc.

• Templates afford you with more time to be more personal

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Customer Service &

• Communicate clearly and warmly with everyone

• Make your onboarding process as flexible as possible and get

people started early!

• Try and understand their reason for getting

involved and speak to that whenever you can

• Facilitate introductions!

– ID badges really help

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What Do Volunteers Expect?Above All Else: Manage Expectations

• Tell people what they can expect – From you– From your organization– From your training process– From their volunteer service

• Volunteers expect you to match your needs with their interests the reason they came to you, what they want out of their experience, etc.

1. Understand needs, wants and desires of your “customer”

2. Clearly articulate what they can expect from you

3. DELIVER!

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Complaints

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How Do You Prepare Volunteers?

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Volunteer Education

“If a seed of lettuce will not grow, we do

not blame the lettuce. Instead, the fault lies with us for

not having nourished the seed properly.”

– Buddhist Proverb

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Training & OrientationJourneyCare Requirements “Blended Learning”

• Applicants 16+ all must attend our 4-hour training

• Online Courses 11 courses/10 hours of content

• Two-Step Tuberculosis Test for New Volunteers• Not paid for by agency

• Annual test offered for current volunteers at no cost

• Additional training needed for in-patient unit volunteers

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Benefits of Online Training• Flexibility for applicants Time & Location

• Quick and efficient onboarding

• Consistency of material covered• Less drain on staff

resources Cost-effective

• Gets people engaged early!

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Your Requirements are Unavoidable

DON’T apologize for your process but DO make it fun!

It’s your job to reduce barriers yet still meet the requirements that exist

in your field.

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What’s your education philosophy?Knowledge is POWER!

• Don’t take a learning opportunity away from a volunteer!– Empower them to fulfill your mission in unique ways

• Be consistent with exceptions you make for some volunteers

• Your attitude during training workshops is a choice – Be enthusiastic and welcoming– Know your content; be the expert!– Just create a great experience!

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What does “World Class” Onboarding Look Like?

• Manages expectations

• Makes people feel welcome

• Provides as much flexibility as possible

• Incorporates little touches

– Music, name plates, dietary restrictions

– Review attendee list prior to training

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A world class onboarding program is one that…

• Is interactive and meets multiple learning styles

• Adequately prepares people for meaningful service

• Communicates next steps

• Is not a drain on staff resources

• Involves existing volunteers!

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Questions or Comments?

Measurement Matters

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Measurement Matters

“To improve is to change;

to be perfect is to change often.”

– Winston Churchill

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Measurement

Your program is only as good as your numbers!

• Formal and informal tracking mechanisms are essential

• They easily help you assess program outcomes, impact

• Measure your program early, often and consistently

• Survey your volunteers and staff

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Consider Sue’s Experience

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Volunteer Measurement: When & HowWhen (Method)

• Initially: Training Evaluation Form• Annually: Satisfaction Survey• Daily: Via Hours Log Process

How (Tools)• Printed evaluation tracked via spreadsheet• Simple, low-cost tool like Survey Monkey• Using your “Service Log”• Informally/Anecdotally

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Measuring the Day-to-Day

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4 Numbers You Should Be Tracking(You’ll Thank Us Later!)

1. Number of Volunteers (retention)

2. Total Service Hours

3. Cost Savings via Volunteer Usage● $24.74/hour (Illinois, 2014)

4. Volunteer Satisfaction Level(s)

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Involve Your Staff

• Assess satisfaction of your staff with the volunteer team – How effective are volunteers at helping you meet your goals?– What simple (or complex!) projects take up a lot of your time that

could be effectively completed by a volunteer?– What barriers are preventing you from using volunteers?– What can I/the volunteer team do to help you work with volunteers?

Fix ProblemsDevelop New Roles

Improve Relationships

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Teaching Others to Work with VolunteersWhat to Tell Them

1. Be prepared for them and provide

adequate instruction

2. Communicate with your volunteer

3. Treat them as professionals

4. Empower them

5. Thank them early and often

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So what happened with Sue?

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Demonstrate Value Get Buy-InNumbers Can Back You Up!

• Monthly, Quarterly Statistics

• If you want your leadership team to value your program, you have to

provide them with the data…

• Share your numbers with your volunteers

– Be prepared to make changes if you collect data; we can

always improve so do improve!

– Make sure your volunteers understand their impact…

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Communication.Is. Everything.

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Communication

“The single biggest problem in communication

is the illusion that it has taken place.”– George Bernard Shaw

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Developing a “Matrix”

• Remember: Your mission is likely a small part of your

volunteers’ lives. Don’t over-communicate!

• Determine the frequency, methods for your communications

• Choose the appropriate channel for each audience

• Before you click Send, really consider whether the message

truly applies to each and every person receiving it

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Generational Preferences

Don’t send an email when a call would be best…• Always try to respect the preference of each volunteer• Be strategic with in-person meetings• Give courtesy where it’s due

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When do I want a response?Typical Response Times for Various Methods

How to reach me when you want me to get back to you in…

– Phone Call: 30 minutes– Text Message: 2 hours– Email: 48 hours– Mail: 10-14 days

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Good Communication Leads to…

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Recognize RewardRetain

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Recognition

“Silent gratitude isn’t much use to

anyone.”– G.B. Stern

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Recognition & Perks“I don’t need anything! Really!”

• Most volunteers shy away from recognition. – (They’re liars.)

• Simply including volunteers in your day-to-day operations is enough for most people—and these are the easiest perks to offer!– Continuing Education Credits

– Invitations to Staff Meetings

– Wellness Program

– Department Parties

– Letters of Recommendation (grad. school, etc.)

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Volunteer Spotlights in Newsletter

Events with Some $$$ Behind ‘em• April: Annual Appreciation Event (Themed)

• July: Hospice Center Volunteer Appreciation Event• November: Pre-Holiday Cocktail Party (No agenda; just socialization)

Ask their Opinion!• Seek input on programs or projects you’re developing; involving them

is recognizing them for their valuable contributions!

Feature Articles, Events, etc.

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• Birthday eCards• Coordinators take turns sending

• Greeting Cards• Welcome Card: Sent along with identification badge ~2 weeks after

orientation session• Thank You: Coordinators send 5 cards/week• Anniversary: Signed during weekly team meetings

All recognition efforts are documented in volunteer’s electronic record.

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JourneyCare at the Movies

Volunteer Book Club Companion Chats

Socialization fast track to engagement

Events without a Budget

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Simple tactics that recognize & reward

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Recognition: Jennifer & Julie

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Recognition

“Don’t look for big things, just do small things with great

love... The smaller the thing, the greater must be our

love.”– Mother Teresa

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Clear Choice “Top 10” Take Aways

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1. Use carefully crafted templates to automate your orientation process as much as possible

2. There is NO substitute for great customer service

3. Make your program as flexible as you can

“Clear Choice” Take-Aways

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4. Volunteers are un-paid staff—truly include them in your work and get used to saying “What about the volunteers?” to your colleagues

5. Always facilitate introductions; create safety and clarity in volunteer assignments

6. Measure your program any way you can, attempting to make it as automated as possible, and make improvements

“Clear Choice” Take-Aways

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7. Develop a “Communications Matrix” to ensure you don’t over-communicate

8. Find simple ways to weave appreciation into your every day routine these don’t have to be costly

9. Establish opportunities for your volunteers to develop relationships with one another;

create group opportunities wherever possible

“Clear Choice” Take-Aways

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10. Have fun with your volunteers—amidst the everyday work, especially.

We don’t do this work because it’s easy; we all do it because it matters.

“Clear Choice” Take-Aways

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What’s the worst that could happen?

“Success consists of going from failure to failure

without loss of enthusiasm.”

– Winston Churchill

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Questions?

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Kathleen Recchia224-770-2544 | KRecchia@journeycare.org

Amy O’Donnell 224-770-2412 | AODonnell@journeycare.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/amykodonnell