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Maintaining a volunteer database
Chapter 3:
Recruiting and selecting volunteers
The purpose of a volunteer database
It is important for an organisation to maintain a database of its volunteers. This data can be used to assist the organisation in understanding their volunteer demographics, matching volunteers to potential tasks based on their interest, skills and expertise. It is important to note that the information in the database is not static as volunteers’ details, interest, skills and expertise and time availability will change.
What to information do you need to collect from your volunteers?
To start,
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Determine personal particulars that are necessary for SSA operations
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Determine types of support/roles that are available
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Using the application form, find out the important information that you would want to have of your volunteers.
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Here's a recommended table of information to collect from volunteers!
To simplify the process of building the volunteer database, do consider syncing the volunteer application sign-up form with the volunteer database so that information collected right from the beginning can be automatically transferred into the main database.
Frequency of updating volunteers' information
Besides the information collected in the volunteer application sign-up form, the volunteer database should be updated regularly by observing the performance
of the volunteer.
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The frequency to update the volunteer database should be set and adhered to. This would provide 2-fold benefits of weeding out inactive volunteers, and
keeping up with the change in volunteer preferences and commitment availability.