Volunteer Management
Proper volunteer management will turn
Your fundraising ideas into real winners
Nearly all successful fundraisers rely on a dedicated team of supporters and charity volunteers. Proper volunteer management is therefore a vital part of charity fundraising.
Anita Roddick - founder of The Body Shop once wryly noted that
"We advertised for employees and people turned up"
What Anita meant of course was that there is no such thing as a typical employee and instead real people were joining the company. With all the talents, skills, experience, prejudices, failings, fears and desires that came with them.
The same is very, very true for working with volunteers.
Volunteers do so for a variety of reasons, not all of them motivated by a deep seated belief in a particular cause.
In many ways as nobody really has to be there it is the ultimate test in learning how to get along with other people.
For the organiser of any fundraising event. There is sometimes a difficult balancing act to follow between keeping volunteers on-side and happy whilst also pushing on to get things done.
Good volunteer management is not complicated:
The majority of volunteers:
- Do not want to waste their precious time - if you are giving up your free-time it is extremely annoying to be hanging around with nothing to do.
- Do not wish to look foolish by supporting a cause - this is not that they won't dress up or do something silly to raise funds but rather that they don't want to be tarred with the same brush if someone in charge of a fundraiser doesn't know what they are doing or does things they don't like.
- Have their own levels of commitment to any fundraising idea . Asking them to exceed those can risk losing them altogether.
- Are often uncomfortable with the idea of asking people for money unless they know a reasonable return is being offered.
- Like beating targets.
- Like to be appreciated and thanked for their efforts
As you work with your particular team of volunteers however you are sure to pick up on other little quirks, traits and the desires and dislikes important to them.
Recruiting Charity Volunteers
The best way to recruit charity volunteers is to run really good fundraising events with a happy relaxed atmosphere. Keep the emphasis on fun as much as raising money and the one will follow the other.
Don't forget to "tell the story" and try to really engage your volunteers. You want them to come because its fun not out of a sense of duty.
If you do that word of mouth will bring people to you.
Asking every volunteer to try to bring a friend along is a great way to boost numbers and is far less intimidating for a new volunteer who might not know anyone.
If you do advertise for help for a particular fundraising idea stress the fun not the commitment. Remember to cover off the "What's in it for me" Ok the reward is not financial but you are effectively selling something The opportunity to volunteer
What's in it for me?
"What's in it for you? Well let me tell you-
You get to work with a really nice bunch of people. Some of them are really funny. We have a right laugh.
They look after us really well too - there are always loads of drinks and refreshments for helpers. The event always goes really well and all the people who come along seem to have a great time.
I know they've got this new fundraising idea they want to try this time. It sounds like a winner. I don't know how they think them up.
Its really good too to be helping out such a good cause. It makes you feel really proud. Do you know last year we raised ....."
You get the idea
Inspire your volunteers with passion....because....passion rubs off!
Enjoy Retirement Jobs - This website provides great ideas for volunteering during retirement or before. Search for ideas to help others or earn retirement income.
Charity Quotes - Use them to inspire your volunteers and supporters.
Charity Volunteers - Recruitment
Fundraising Invitation - A different way to inspire your volunteers
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