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Engaging with your volunteers

Chapter 5:
Supporting and recognising volunteers

How to engage with volunteers?

Volunteer engagement can come in many ways, from the day-to-day inclusion of volunteers in affairs of the organisation to long-term volunteer development and plans. 

Focus on developing volunteers

Training or mentoring new volunteers

  • Let experienced volunteers train or be a mentor to new volunteers entering your organisatio​n

Appointing volunteer leaders

Appoint volunteer leaders and provide them with the opportunities to pick up valuable skills such as leadership, resource management, interpersonal skills, people development and project management.

 

Here are 4 volunteer leadership roles to consider: 

  1. Team Lead

    • Assist staff in recruitment and selection of volunteers and administrative materials for documentation purposes.

    • Represent SSA in official events to increase the visibility of the SSA in public. 

    • Reach out to new volunteers prior to the start of the volunteering session.

    • Assist in onboarding sessions

    • Manage manpower and coordinate volunteers’ schedules. 

    • Assist in debriefing sessions.

  2. Mentor/Coach

    • Guide new volunteers in the execution of volunteering activities.

    • Conduct check-in sessions with volunteers and reflect with staff.

    • Provide advice on other volunteers’ progression within the organisation and other opportunities available.

    • Plan and execute social activities for volunteers within their own programmes.

  3. Trainer

    • Conduct training for new volunteers.

    • Plan training sessions for volunteers.

    • Ensure volunteers complete the necessary training during tenure.

  4. Operations Lead

    • Co-develop new programmes and activities with staff to meet the needs of the SSAs and service users.

    • Assist in the execution of programmes and activities.

    • Review programmes to ensure relevance and effectiveness in meeting service users’ needs. Communicate programme updates to volunteers.

Providing opportunities for learning

​Providing volunteers with the opportunity to learn and grow within your organisation: 

  1. Try out a volunteer rotation scheme where she/he can be exposed to new roles and gain wider exposure to various departments or programmes within your organisation.

  2. Slowly allow your volunteers to handle more complex responsibilities when dealing with service users.

  3. Developing volunteers into volunteer leaders.

  4. Explore more local training programmes or international volunteer conferences for your current pool to act as advocates for your organisation while obtaining good practices from overseas examples.

Other day-to-day forms of engagement

  • Updating volunteers on the news of your organisation’s growth or the impact of their work

  • Include real-life examples of how their contributions have made a difference to service users

  • New opportunities within your organisation 

  • New free-for-all training that your pool of volunteers may be interested in.

  • Bonding sessions outside of volunteer opportunities

  • Managing feedback, be it between volunteer and organisation or volunteer and service users

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