Learning Unit 9

Working with Volunteers

Objectives:
Learning Unit 9 provides guidance and techniques for recruiting and retaining good volunteers for your group.

Student Preparation Required:
None

Information:
There has yet to be a volunteer who appears by magic at just the right time, understands all phases of emergency communication, can pick up any ARES job, complete it successfully, work without thanks, disappear when it is over and reappear when needed next. With that in mind we, need a way to obtain the next best thing. A person, that we:

• Recruit
• Train
• Organize and coordinate
• Encourage and motivate
• Thank - even if all they do is show up
• Praise when they complete their assignments.

Working with volunteers is the most critical aspect of your job and will require the most time and effort on your part.

Recruiting New Members
"Eighty percent of people who do not volunteer say the primary reason they did not was that they were not asked." Do not wait for people to come to you -- be proactive. Put together a compelling "invitation" and take it directly to your audience. The best and most effective approach is "one on one". Group presentations are OK to get general information across, but make the invitations individually.

When making your pitch, it pays to remember that people volunteer for many reasons. Many will volunteer just to help someone else, while others volunteer for some kind of personal satisfaction. A few of the reasons are:

• fun
• personal satisfaction of helping someone
• keep busy
• make new friends
• be challenged
• learn new skills
• share a skill
• keep skills alive
• gain leadership skills
• test themselves under adverse conditions
• be part of a team
• validate the reason for their license
• derive satisfaction from accomplishment
• get to know the public service community
• have another excuse to "play radio"

Having an appreciation for the reasons listed above and others will help you find and recruit new volunteers for your program.

Many of the questions a new volunteer will have should be answered as part of your pitch for membership. Some of the items to review with a potential recruit are:

• The social skills that are most useful in ARES: good "people person," good listener, non-judgmental, friendly, and supportive.
• They should feel free to refuse any assignment for any reason, without prejudice. The happier they are, the better they will be as a volunteer.
• How much time are they willing to commit? Some can only provide a few hours per month. Others can provide several hours per week.
• Most assignments in ARES require diverse skills. If they do not have all of the skills required, are they willing to train for them?
• Some served agencies will require a background check before we can work on their behalf. Do not be offended. This protects everyone.

Where can I find new people to ask? A few places that work quite well are:

• Amateur Radio license classes
• Local radio clubs
• Swap fests
• The local ham radio store usually has a bulletin board available
• On the air in general discussions
• After each regular ARES net
• Other clubs/organizations
• Workplace - if yours encourages volunteering
• After license testing sessions

Define the Job
Do not just recruit new members -- recruit to fill specific jobs. The most effective volunteer recruiters clearly define jobs to potential members. Volunteers need to understand what they are being asked to do, how much time it will take, if they will be asked to provide any resources, and what training will be available or required. Few volunteers will commit to an undefined job -- it is a bit like stepping blindfolded into a black hole.

Here is what they should be told up front:

• The number of hours per week or month the job will require.
• How much responsibility they will have for the completion of assigned tasks.
• The resources and tools required to complete the task, and whether these resources and tools will be furnished by the organization or by the volunteer himself.
• The criteria for success of an assigned task. (In other words, how will the volunteer know the task is being performed correctly?)
• The "task boundaries." (In which areas are they to exercise judgment, and which must be done exactly as specified? Which decisions may they make on their own, and which must they refer to others?)
• "Fall back" or "recovery" procedures. (What should they do if an error is made, or if they are overwhelmed?)
• The depth of commitment required for a particular assignment. (How much responsibility, time, cost, duration?)

The Care And Feeding Of Volunteers
Once they join, you will want to keep your team active and happy. There are many pieces to this puzzle. Here are a few dozen to help you put the picture together:

Nothing discourages new members more quickly than volunteering to help, only to find that it will take months - or longer - to become a full member or to receive initial training. Keep the process fast and efficient. Put them to work as soon as possible. They can only feel that they are contributing once they are actively participating.

A person will often volunteer for one reason and stay for quite another. Some of the primary reasons to stay are:

• Their time is well spent.
• They like the people they  work with.
• Their talents are appreciated.
• They are able to teach others.
• Their efforts produce tangible results.

You should encourage volunteers to move up and take on new assignments or training. Often, they only need "permission" to try something that they have never done before. Be sure that volunteers sign up for jobs that are within their capability -- no one is served by over-commitment.

Be wary of volunteers with big egos that "know everything." They will drive other volunteers away.

Getting volunteers to work in teams or groups will help the work be more fun and reduces job fatigue. However, make sure that one person is a "team leader", accountable for each task. This does not mean they do all the work, only that they are responsible for seeing that the work gets done.

Share your vision. Let others contribute their own ideas. Try to find ways to incorporate others ideas into the overall effort.

Avoid micro-managing your volunteers, but conversely do not just "dump" assignments on them. Provide enough guidance to ensure that the goals are met, but give the volunteer as much latitude as possible in getting the job done.

Lead by example. Most volunteers will emulate your attitude.

Not everyone can give as much time as you do. Let them know that their available time is a valuable asset to your organization, and work to tailor assignments to their schedule.

Be accountable, and make your volunteers accountable. There is a line of thought that says volunteers cannot be held accountable because they are not paid. This is a recipe for disaster. The volunteers that you really want will respond well to responsibility. Be sure everyone is clear on what is expected of them.

Help your volunteers understand they will be treated as professional communicators, therefore they are expected to act in a professional manner.

Keep the politics of your organization away from the job effort. If you need to take political action, be sure it is not visible during training, activities, or emergencies. Open political infighting will hurt your organization.

If you must reprimand a volunteer, do it privately. It should be a severe and repeated offense, or one that places someone in immediate danger for you to even think of reprimanding someone in public. When you do, direct your criticism at the person's actions -- avoid criticizing the member personally.

Consider their welfare -- Let your volunteers know about any accommodations available or missing at the proposed assignment:

• Is food and water provided?
• Are sanitation facilities at the site?
• Is commercial power available or will it be battery only?
• Will there be protection from the elements?

Do not place volunteers in a position you would not accept yourself, unless you are sure they fully understand and agree to the assignment.

Offer effusive praise and thanks -- Positive feedback goes a long way toward maintaining an active volunteer group. Thank your volunteers for their contribution and time. Be sure to praise good work! Wherever possible, praise individuals rather than a group. It has more meaning that way.

Conversely, make sure that any awards or praise given is for solid performance, not just to give an award or praise. Many volunteers will be very unhappy if an award or praise is given to the unworthy.

Improve feedback -- If you want to design meaningful rewards for your volunteers, a good starting point is to look at the reasons they volunteered in the first place. What did they hope to get out of their efforts? How can you help meet those needs and expectations?

Hold regular meetings, even if only a few times each year. These meeting will give volunteers a sense of connection to the group. Offer opportunities for ARES officers to deal firsthand with questions and concerns.

Provide the means for feedback during and after an event. It could be a great source for new and timely solutions.

Shorten the turnaround time between data collection and feedback. Your people are concerned about your organization. Help them feel at ease.

Call your people only when you truly need them -- You will quite possibly lose people if they are called out only to be told "we do not need you now" because you seriously overestimated your personnel needs. A few reserves are essential, but do not call out the entire army for a skirmish. If they are being called up as reserves, let them know up front.

Add new challenges -- Encourage established members to assume new responsibilities. Encourage them to help recruit new members. Use experienced members to train new members.

Identify upcoming projects -- During your regular meetings, announce and discuss future events:

• Review the event calendar
• Get commitments from volunteers at least one month ahead
• Allow for emergencies, no-shows and substitutions
• Know the event tasks and responsibilities
• Be specific
• Look out for over-commitment
• Break down larger needs into smaller tasks
• Know how many volunteers are needed for each task
• Do not hinder your operation by having too few people

Almost Everyone Is Useful In Some Way -- But...
Only a few potential volunteers are completely worthless. One day you may need all the help you can get. While you may have some claim on a volunteer who carries a membership card for your group, you have no claim on one who does not.

The potential volunteers you should avoid entirely are those who would have an immediate negative impact on your organization and its efforts. These folks are often known as "loose cannons". They are the "wanna-be's", who are more interested in looking or acting important or official than in communications, or just want to be "in control". They may claim all manner of credentials, but turn out to be phony when investigated. If your served agency doesn't already require it, consider conducting a criminal background check on anyone who makes you uncomfortable. Also, try asking the local police and fire authorities if they have had any experience with this person. You may find they have been in trouble before for impersonating an officer or firefighter.

If you find that any member is causing more harm than good to your group, it is important you handle the situation in a calm and diplomatic way, keeping the effectiveness of your team as your primary consideration.

Reference Links:

For more information on volunteer management, please consider the following short bibliography:

Leadership Skills: Developing Volunteers for Organizational Success, Emily Kittle Morrison / Paperback / Fisher Books / March 1994

The Volunteer Recruitment (And Membership Development) Book, Susan J. Ellis / Paperback / Energize, Incorporated / October 1996

When Everyone's a Volunteer: The Effective Functioning of All-Volunteer Groups, Ivan H. Scheier / Paperback / Energize Books / January 1992

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