Volunteer Best Practices and Assessment

8/9/2019 Volunteer Best Practices and Assessment

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20 INTERNATIONAL EVENTS 2010

I need help! Directions? Maps? Programs?

While the event sta is working hardbehind the scenes, your estival guests

will receive help rom the mouths andhands o ront line volunteers. Ironically,the public ace o your event is the very group o people who spend the shortest amount o time each year with

your operation.How do you ensure that your volun-

teer program is properly positioned to

support your event while simultaneously developing volunteers who can meet super human expectations?

The ollowing article and questionnaireprovides the opportunity or an internalassessment o your event volunteer man-agement system. Event managers typi-cally have solid measurements or successin publicity, sponsorship and ticket sales;however, assessing volunteer manage-ment programs may seem less tangible.

The success o a good volunteer pro-gram involves the same key elements o managing ull time employees. We will

explore the importance o training, de n-ing job responsibilities, risk controls,scheduling, communications and evalua-tions all with consideration to tremen-dous generational di erences that adda complicated dimension to volunteer management in 2010.

1. Proper Volunteer Training

Scenario: A new event volunteer is trying to assist event participants but gives incor-rect directions.Scenario: A volunteer is unclear on hisduties. He would like to check with a teamleader but has not been introduced to any-one who appears to be in charge.Scenario: A volunteer team leader is askedabout the title event sponsor by a guest.The volunteer has no idea what service thetitle sponsor provides.

These situations are strong indicationso poor preparation by the volunteer manager and supporting team leaders.

Good training sets the stage or volun-teer con dence, competence and camara-

derie. This training should be comparableto an employee job orientation with alot o enthusiasm. Volunteer training istime or newcomers to be instructed onjob speci cs and to be introduced to their team. Team leaders and veteran volun-teers have the opportunity to share their experience and welcome newcomers.

Generation X and Y volunteers (Mid40s to teens) will seek training that givesthem event insider status and a senseo job ownership. The more mature

volunteers o the Boomer and Veterangenerations will look or well organizedmanagement and clear directions.

The event sta has the opportunity to create a well orchestrated teamatmosphere with a motivationaltraining program.

2. Realistic Job Descriptions

Scenario: The majority o volunteers areonly interested in attending the event con-cert at no cost. They work as little as pos-

sible and leave as soon as theyve earnedtheir tickets.

By Florence May


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2010 INTERNATIONAL EVENTS 21

Scenario: A shy, reserved volunteer isassigned to work in a busy parking lot directing tra c.Scenario: A air skinned young volunteer is le t alone at a remote entrance gate withno shade, sunscreen, break or water or

our hours in the boiling sun.

The top responsibility o the volunteer manger is to get volunteers who are truly help ul and productive. Un ortunately many volunteer programs operate under the short term aim o recruiting the most

volunteers possible simply to ll slots. The pursuit o sheer numbers without an emphasis on job speci cs (e.g. skills,restrictions, schedules) tends to be poor use o organizational resources.

The best approach is to recruit vol-unteers who match your organizationalneeds in order to orm a long mutually bene cial relationship. It is critical toclearly de ne and communicate job re-

quirements (e.g. technical skills, beverageservers license) and expectations(e.g. riendly, mobile, fexible, works

well in high stress situations) i you ex-pect to recruit the right people to advance

your mission.Some volunteers will be patient with

seat warmer positions but younger volunteers will be more interested in jobsthat make an impact and helping peopledirectly. Younger volunteers also are most likely to expect good use o their timeand talents.

Talented volunteer mangers will marry a volunteers skills, interests, capabilities

and availability with speci c event needsor the most e ective utilization o orga-nizational resources.

3. Adequate Risk Controls

Scenario: A volunteer shows up or duty with an in ant and a small pet dog. Thedog bites a child at the event.Scenario: A volunteer who is wearing san-dals while moving chairs or a volunteer training, stubs her toe ripping o the toe-nail and part o the toe bed. She requiresimmediate surgery.Scenario: Pregnant volunteer is handing out brochures. She trips over a misplacedbox o brochures, alls down a short fight o stairs and goes into labor.Scenario: Festival childcare provider is dis-covered to be a registered pedophile. Front page news that the estival did not screenits childcare providers.Scenario: Well meaning volunteer invitesevent guests who cant nd a hotel to stay at his house. Event guests steal money and

small electronics.Scenario: Volunteer gets badly injured dur-ing an event. The event organization hasinsurance but it does not cover volunteers

only sta . Volunteer sues the title sponsor o the event.Scenario: Volunteer driver is hit while driv-ing an event car. The driver of the secondcar is uninsured and to make matters worsethe volunteers driver license is expired.

The scenarios, described above, are all

based on real events. In every instanceproper preventive measures were not taken. The volunteer was not given adress code speci ying closed toe shoes.

Volunteers were not screened in advanceor sensitive positions. Volunteers were

told to assist guests in nding accommo-dations. Driver licenses were not checkedduring training.

Risk control is like an umbrella in therain. The umbrella prevents you romgetting wet, cold and potentially sick.Proper risk control can protect your organization, sponsors and a liates romunnecessary liability.

Job perils, site concerns and basic security precautions are important risk el-ements to address starting in the registra-tion process and on the volunteer waiver.Risk concerns should be rein orced in the

volunteer handbook and training.Event managers still need to have

insurance or the worst case scenario. All event volunteers are not covered by personal homeowners and motor vehicleinsurance.

4.Volunteer ManagementTechnology

Scenario: The volunteer provides contact in ormation online but is not able to select her own jobs or shi ts. She voices rustra-tion to riends about the wasted time mak-ing multiple calls to coordinate with thevolunteer manager.Scenario: The volunteer manager spendsweeks trying to manually match volunteersto jobs and shi t times. Later the volunteer manager cant get reports to sort correctly and stays up all night or a week trying to resolve the challenge.Scenario: The volunteer manager doesnot require e-mail contact in ormation

or all volunteers. Gas line blows upunder volunteer parking garage. She isunable to communicate timely schedulechanges or emergency in ormation withevent volunteers.

Most events require X and Y genera-tion volunteers who are relatively young,energetic, mobile and technically savvy.In our busy lives, online registration is anexpectation or the X and Y generations.Online registration allows 24/7 access or the volunteer wants to manage his/her own volunteer account by registering or pre erred jobs and shi ts.

Online volunteer registration alsoanswers the challenge o ewer sta andtight budgets. These registration toolsdecreases administrative work by 50-75%percent allowing volunteer managers tosubstantially increase their productivity

while also substantially reducing mailand phone costs.

5. Evaluation

Scenario: High no show rate. Troublerecruiting new volunteers.Scenario: High no return rate. Volunteerscome once and dont return the next year.

The evaluation o your volunteer program should include eedback romleaders and rontline volunteers.

Wrap up sessions should take place while the event recollections are still

resh in everyones minds. This objectivediscussion should include key sta and

volunteer leaders. The volunteer opera-tions and logistics wrap up is a review o what went right, what can be improvedand recommendations.

Your ront line volunteers may partici-pate in simple onsite surveys or immedi-ate input. Anonymous electronic surveyscan provide valuable eedback rom your team leaders and your ront line volun-teers. Electronic surveys can be automati-cally set up to tabulate results.

Conclusion You have considered the undamentals

o your volunteer management program.

Consider the number o 3

s, ?s, Xs, and !!son your checklist.Have you de ned key volunteer manage-

ment policies and procedures?Do you have opportunities to reduce

and eliminate problem or potential risk areas?

Did you identi y tools or achieving continuous improvement ?

Are there items or corrective action?Can you highlight areas o good

practice? Volunteers can be your greatest event

assets. Prepare to get the best return on your volunteer investment!

Florence May is President o TRS The Registration System. TRSprovides expert consultation andtechnological support or volunteermanagers. TRS clients include the2011 North Texas Super Bowl LOC,Kentucky Derby Festival, Indy 500 Fes-tival, Ottawa Blues est, 2010 NCAAMens Final Four, SeaFair, 2010 WorldEquestrian Games, Calgary Habitat orHumanity and Shambhala.


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Volunteer Training

______Does your organization supply a volunteer handbook with standard operating procedures, event policies, dress code, site mapand emergency protocols?

______Does your volunteer training program set the stage or a positive and engaging volunteer experience?

______Do your event managers, team leaders or committee chairs review job responsibilities with volunteers prior to the event?

______Does your organization have a vetting process to ensure each volunteer is capable o executing their job requirements?

______Prior to the event, do your volunteers receive a site walk through to become amiliar with their work environment?

______Do your volunteers receive a complete event overview? All activities? Sponsor awareness? Venue amiliarity?

______During training does your event leadership, pre erably the Board President or Executive Director, communicate how importantvolunteers are to the success o the event?

Job Descriptions

______Do you have well defned volunteer job descriptions based on actual event needs?

______Do you provide job descriptions to volunteers in advance o registration?

______Do your job descriptions include shi t times and specifc locations?

______Do you speci y any fnancial cost to the volunteer? Parking? Food?

______Do you provide realistic expectations? High tra fc zone? Nonstop busy? Slow periods? Solitary? Li t 15 lbs? Sitting the entiretime? Exposed to sun, rain, snow? Stress ul environment?

______Does the job require a skill? A security or background check? A valid drivers license? A beverage servers certifcation?Computer experience?

______Does the volunteer opportunity have restrictions? A minimum age? Experience? Must be selected? Approved by ateam leader?

______I you allow youth volunteers, do you clearly establish adult oversight requirements?

Volunteer Management AssessmentPlease take a ew minutes to consider the oundational elements o your

volunteer program using the ollowing in ormal ratings.

Check the items that are running smoothly. These should be no-to-low risk items.

? Put a question mark beside the items that need some improvement and may have moderate risk.

X Put X next to the items that need immediate attention due to cost or risk.

!! Two exclamation marks by the items that have extremely high risk.


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Risk Controls

______Do your volunteers job descriptions clearly identi y requirements and risk? During volunteer training do you identi y acilityrelated risks?

______ Do your volunteer waivers specify the volunteers responsibilities? Has your attorney reviewed your waiver within the past two years?

______Does your event insurance provide fnancial protection or the event management organization i a worst case volunteer liabilityscenario occurs despite precautionary measures?

______Do your volunteer waivers encourage volunteers to take responsibility or their actions? Does the waiver discourage volunteersrom taking risks that put the volunteer, or the organization, in a dangerous or irresponsible position? Does the waiver protect

the event rights owner, the event management team, sponsors and any a fliated organizations?

______Is the physical signing o a waiver mandatory be ore volunteers work a single event activity? What is the process or physicalretention o these documents? How are they accessed by management i there is an incident?

______ If you use an online waiver as part of your volunteer registration process, will the online waiver acceptance hold up in your state court?

______I volunteers drive event or personal vehicles as part o their event duties, do you veri y drivers licenses and personal auto insur-

ance? Does your event insurance cover volunteer drivers?

______Has your insurance company reviewed your volunteer policies, handbook and waiver to ensure that requirements are met?

______Do you require security and background screening or volunteers who are supervising children, have access to VIPs, contactwith personal data or work in sensitive locations?

Communications & Technology

______Does your organization have updated volunteer databases and automated communications tools that allow or alternate sta tostep in i your volunteer manager would become unavailable or incapacitated?

______Does your registration process allow volunteers to select their own jobs and specifc shi t times?

______Does your volunteer manager have the capability to instantly e-mail all event volunteers with routine changes or crisis messages?

______Does your volunteer manager have the capability to build reports that in orm decisions (e.g. specifc shi t or job shortages) andsupport logistical needs (e.g. shirt orders, ood needs)?

______Does your volunteer manager have the capability to electronically track attendance? Do you know who attended training? Whocompleted all o their volunteer shi ts? Who collected a t-shirt and event ticket but did not work their shi ts?

______Do you electronically blacklist volunteers who are disruptive, dangerous or do not complete their commitments?

Evaluation

______Do you allow or anonymous eedback with specifc questions and open comments? Do you ask volunteers or recommenda-tions to improve your operations?

______Do you conduct a wrap up session with your volunteer team leaders or committee chairs within a short time ollowing the eventto evaluate what went well and what did not go well?

______Do you evaluate the actual number o volunteers that are required or each job and shi t? Do you challenge team leaders to lookor e fciencies that make best use o volunteer time and energies? Do you have too many or too ew volunteers?

______Do you evaluate the most common volunteer management problem areas? Communications? Registration process? Onsitecoordination? Training? Job descriptions?

Documents

Volunteer Best Practices and Assessment