7/17/2019 Working Effectively With Volunteers http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/working-effectively-with-volunteers 1/98 St. John Ambulance of Canada A Volunteer Program Management Handbook Prepared for St. John Ambulance by Linda L. Graff LINDA GRAFF AND ASSOCIATES INC .
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Copyright of the Working Effectively With Volunteers Handbook is assigned to St.
John Ambulance of Canada for use by its Councils and Units across the country.Under this licencing agreement, St. John Ambulance of Canada is permitted toreproduce this handbook for its own use.
All rights reserved.
For more information about the application of this material within St. John
Ambulance, contact:
Director of Community Services
National Office
St. John Ambulance
1900 City Park Drive, Suite 400
Ottawa, ON
K1J 1A3
Telephone: 613-236-7461
Fax: 613-236-2425
This handbook was developed for St. John Ambulance of Canada by Linda Graff,President, Linda Graff and Associates Inc., a nonprofit management consultingcompany located in Dundas Ontario. The handbook is based on material previouslycopyrighted by Linda Graff And Associates Inc. For more information or permission to
use any of this material outside of St. John Ambulance, please contact the author by E-mail at: [email protected] or visit us on the Web www.lindagraff.ca
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The volunteer program management strategies outlined in this volume do not necessarily reflect
structures or approaches already in place at SJA. Rather, they represent what the broader field of
volunteer program management in the nonprofit sector has identified as “best practice.”
Some SJA Councils will already have many of these strategies in place, while other Councils aremoving in the direction of upgrading volunteer management systems and infrastructure. Each
Council, program, and volunteer supervisor will decide which of these methods are appropriate to
any given volunteer situation. However, while flexibility and adaptation are entirely appropriate in
the application of these methods, do keep in mind that the volunteer coordination strategies
outlined throughout this handbook represent the accumulated wisdom of countless managers
of volunteers over decades of work with volunteers in a myriad of settings. Following these
guidelines will, in almost all circumstances, increase the likelihood of finding, involving, and
retaining excellent volunteers in safe and productive positions throughout St. John’s programs and
activities, and that, in turn, will surely lead Councils to a more complete fulfilment of the
organization’s mission.
Leadership and Service Volunteers
A broad distinction might be made among the enormous variety of roles available to SJA volunteers
across Canada between those volunteers who choose to work in the delivery of direct services in the
community and those who prefer to perform administrative functions or hold leadership positions.
While the literature notes that volunteer motivation may vary between these two broad types of
volunteers, there is wide consensus that best practices in working with these two groups of
volunteers share more similarities than differences. The same set of volunteer program
management functions should be undertaken for both leadership and service volunteers. All
volunteers need to be recruited, screened, placed, monitored and supported. The broad
principles described in this handbook therefore apply equally to both leadership and service
types of volunteers.
Some leadership volunteers may resist this strategy, believing that they are fundamentally different
from their service counterparts. It is typical in nonprofit organizations to find a minority of
leadership volunteers who reject the application of the label “volunteer” to themselves, choosing,
instead, terms such as “director,” “officer,” “board member,” or “trustee,” terms which they feel
more accurately befit their status in the organization. This unfortunate tendency often reflects the
broader social conception of volunteers as somehow less important or less worthy, and tends to set
up a two-tier system within organizations that can both signal, and contribute to, an unhealthyattitude towards, if not an actual abuse of, power.
The work of all volunteers is important at SJA and in reality, SJA is an organization in which service
volunteers become leadership volunteers, leadership volunteers become service volunteers, and some
volunteers hold both kinds of positions simultaneously. Distinctions between the two types of roles
is spurious at best and harmful at worst, and more to the point, meaningless from the perspective of
how to effectively stimulate and coordinate effective volunteer involvement.
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This handbook is written with equal applicability to working effectively with all kinds of
volunteers at SJA, and the principles it embodies are as effective when applied by volunteer
volunteer coordinators as by paid professional managers of volunteer programs. Indeed, the
more consistently and uniformly they are implemented throughout the whole of the
organization the better.
Handbook Design
Like many other large and well-established nonprofit organizations, SJA involves many volunteers
in leadership and administrative roles. This is true in the volunteer program structure as well, where
leadership volunteers guide the involvement of other volunteers. This volunteer program
management handbook has been prepared to assist both paid and unpaid supervisors of volunteers
throughout St. John Ambulance to develop the most effective volunteer involvement strategies. It
is a fundamental premise of this resource that good volunteer program management practices remain
constant, no matter the pay scale of the person doing the management. Consequently, we make nodistinction between paid and unpaid supervisors of volunteers, based on the belief that all
supervisors of volunteers should strive to achieve the same high standards in volunteer program
management.
Chapter Sequence
The chapters in this manual follow the typical sequence of volunteer program management from
planning and recruitment through screening, placement, orientation, training, and so on. Each
chapter is a stand-alone segment and readers are welcome to focus on those areas which are of
greatest concern in their programs or projects. However, it is worth noting that the effectiveness of
each step of volunteer program management is dependent on the degree of effectiveness of the
previous steps. Hence, recruitment is much more difficult if the positions on offer are unattractive
to the majority of available volunteers; screening is more lengthy and distasteful if large numbers
of candidates need to be turned away because the recruitment campaign was not directed at
prospective volunteers with the necessary qualifications to do the work; all of the other steps in
volunteer program management become much more difficult if screening has not been thorough.
In this sense, each chapter of the handbook is connected with all other chapters of the handbook and
problems in a specific aspect of volunteer program management may have their roots in some
previous step.
A full read of the resource is recommended whenever the time can be set aside to do so.
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The Volunteer Retention Cycle
Working with volunteers involves a series of specific functions which typically follow a
standard sequence. Building on the original “volunteer retention cycle” (Marilyn
MacKenzie and Gail Moore, 1993: 4) the sequence that we will use to guide us through the process of coordinating volunteer involvement looks like this:
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Applying Best Practices In Your Volunteer Setting
Even in the most straightforward of settings and positions, it is highly recommended that the person
who is supervising or overseeing volunteer involvement (called the “supervisor” throughout this
handbook) thinks through each of the functions in the volunteer retention cycle to ensure that allnecessary steps have been taken. While it may not be appropriate to undertake all of the best
practices outlined in the guide for every one of the twelve functions in the volunteer retention
cycle, it is likely that every instance of volunteer involvement can be made more productive
and satisfying with the application of at least some of the principles and methods of best
practice outlined here.
In general, the more extensive the volunteer
involvement, the greater the necessity to implement
best practices in its management. The more
complex, sophisticated, and/or risky the work done by
volunteers, the more conscientious and thorough themanagement of their involvement should be. For
example, if you are inviting a small number of
volunteers to help out on a short term (a couple of
hours) project in which they will be performing
instrumental duties involving relatively low risks to
themselves or others, and for which no particularly
specialized knowledge or skill is required, the
planning and coordination of the volunteer effort will
be a relatively uncomplicated endeavour. On the
other hand, if larger numbers of volunteers are
required for the activity or event; if any number of
volunteers are involved in complex or risky activities;
if volunteers gain even incidental access to vulnerable
people through the course of their volunteer duties;
or if specialized skill, knowledge or assurance of
trustworthiness are important requirements in the
selected volunteers, then more careful planning and
coordination of the volunteer effort are called for.
In any event, there will be helpful information and practical tips throughout this guidebook that will
be applicable in every setting where volunteers are invited to participate.
“Over the years there has been much debate over
the use of the word ‘management’ in relation to the
supervision of volunteers.
“Some feared that applying management practices
would inhibit the freedom and spontaneity of
volunteers, while others argued that you don’t
manage ‘people’ - rather you manage programs,
equipment or other resources. ...
“Effective management does not mean organising
volunteers in a way that limits their initiative. The
reverse is true. Effective management involves
understanding the concepts and issues involved in
volunteering and ensuring that the expectations of
the volunteer are met and that their personalattributes and skills are matched to organizational
requirements in a way that is mutually beneficial.”
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Needs Assessment
It is always helpful to conduct a needs assessment early on in the volunteer program planning
process. Start by forming a clear picture of all of the work that must be done in the program or
activity at hand, and then think about where volunteers will be most helpful.
Even if you are planning an event that has involved volunteers in the past, it is still useful to repeat
the needs assessment process from time to time because so many things can change over time. For
example:
• staffing may have changed
• elements in the environment may have changed
• numbers or types of participants in the program or event may have changed
• new community partners may have joined or left the scene
Influences such as these can have an impact on what volunteers should or should not be asked to do.
Just because volunteers have filled a certain role in the past does not necessarily mean thatthat role will continue to be appropriate for volunteers forever into the future. For example:
• new standards and regulations may make volunteer involvement more costly than the
outcomes it generates
• emerging liabilities may recommend against the involvement of volunteers in certain settings
• certain types of volunteers or volunteers with certain types of skills might be harder to find
and retain than in the past
• new roles can emerge for volunteers when planners take the time to “step outside the box”
every once in a while and consider new possibilities
SJA has a comprehensive community needs assessment tool which will facilitate the process of
determining where volunteers might be involved. Called Assessing and Meeting the Needs of Your
Community, the full document is downloadable from the “Community Services” section of the SJA
Intranet. A four page summary of the full needs assessment tool is located in Appendix B of this
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“The most frequently identified human resources
capacity issue was the need for more volunteers.
Most participants reported that the volunteer pool
has shrunk considerably over the past five to ten
years. Many also expressed the view that volunteers
are increasingly unwilling to take on leadership or
administrative roles or to make long-term
commitments. They attributed these problems primarily to the social and economic environment
in which nonprofit and voluntary organizations
operate. Changes in the availability of volunteers
have led to challenges for volunteer recruitment,
management, and retention — all of which were
identified by most participants as major capacity
issues.”
Source: Key finding of the Capacity To Serve
report on the challenges facing nonprofit
organizations in Canada. (Michael H. Hall et al.,
2003: 28)
Understanding Today’s Volunteers
An up-to-date understanding of modern volunteers is critical to the successful mobilization
of volunteers in any organization. It may seem obvious, but ask yourself: "How can we expect
to work effectively with volunteers if we don't understand who volunteers are and what they wantto do?" And the critical point is that today’s volunteers are very unlike the volunteers of just a short
while ago.
As with so many other things that have changed over recent years, volunteers, their interests, needs,
motivations and limitations have also undergone profound transformations. The volunteer labour
pool in twenty-first century Canada hardly resembles at all what it looked like as little as fifteen years
ago. The organization that does not track such changes in volunteers and modernize its
volunteer program management practices accordingly is doomed to declining success in
recruitment, shortened volunteer retention, premature attrition rates, and generally increased
costs (as well as headaches) related to the involvement of volunteers.
While a detailed qualitative and statistical profile of the volunteer labour force in Canada is beyond
what we can cover here, following are a few things
that we do know about changes in the pool of
prospective volunteers available to volunteer-based
organizations.
• The number of volunteers in Canada is
declining. It is still too early to understand all
of the factors contributing to the decrease in
numbers, but the pattern is both clear and
significant.
• The demographics of the volunteer labour
force are transitioning along with
demographic shifts in the general
population. As common sense would tell us,
baby boomers, who have been the mainstay of
many volunteer programs over the last two or
three decades - largely because there have been
so many of them and they have been of an age
when people are inclined to volunteer - areaging. What is less well know is that they are
now approaching an age when research tells us
they are inclined to diminish their involvement
in volunteer work. The bell curve of the population which has baby boomers at the apex
reveals that there are far fewer Canadians in the age categories of young adulthood which is
the stage of the life cycle at which most people are inclined to volunteer. The consequence
is that our main supply of volunteers is likely to dwindle and there are simply fewer younger
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To create effective volunteer-employee teams, develop clear divisions of labour, reporting structures,
and role definitions. It is never advisable to have volunteers and employees performing
essentially the same functions. Everyone should know who is responsible for what, who reports
to whom, and what is both inside and outside of all position descriptions. Making these kinds of
clear distinctions between what volunteers do and what employees do does not have to mean thatthe work of one group is more important than the work of the other. In fact, exactly the opposite can
be true. Giving careful attention to what people do and basing division of labour decisions on
definable competencies, always with mission accomplishment in mind, is a concrete demonstration
of how important everyone’s work is.
When volunteers will be working alongside employees, it is advisable to invite input from those
employees about where they think volunteers will be of greatest assistance. Asking for ideas
from employees early in the planning process will help to build commitment and support from
employees, and that is very important to the overall success of volunteer involvement. Nothing will
chase volunteers away faster than feeling resentment or suspicion from their employee colleagues.
The reverse is also true. Long-term volunteers can become resentful of new employees or expansions
in employee roles. They can grow comfortable with old ways of doing things and resist efforts of
professional employees to integrate new efficiencies and emerging best practice. The resulting turf
wars can drain resources from the organization over long periods of time, stand in the way of
efforts to modernize or, in the worst case scenarios, cripple an organization’s capacity to stay
current and competitive, leading eventually to its demise.
The solution is to help all personnel - regardless of pay status - to keep focussed on the
organization’s mission. Organizations do not exist to give people a place to volunteer or earn a
living. They exist to fulfill their missions, and anyone who is, for whatever reason, unable to put the
organization and its mission first, needs to be held accountable for the damage they do to the very
organization they think they are serving.
Deciding which work should be done by employees and which work should be done by volunteers
is a dilemma that has plagued nonprofit organizations for decades. The only certainty on this matter
is that there is no absolute, no one-size-fits-all resolution. Every organization must discover what
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HOW
Crafting The Division of Labour Between
Employees and VolunteersTO
Ask these questions to help you decide whether a specific role or function should be assigned
to an employee or a volunteer:
• Who has the most pertinent skill sets?
• Who can do the work most effectively and efficiently?
• Who is readily available to do the work?
• Who is able to keep the interests of the organization and its mission in sharp focus?
• Who is willing to stay current and adopt new ways of doing things as they become
available?
While there are no unions within SJA, the work of SJA employees and volunteers can sometimes
intersect with the work of unionized employees in other organizations or private companies. For
example, SJA volunteers in the Therapy Dog program will sometimes work in unionized facilities;
Medical First Responders will sometimes work alongside or in the company of unionized paramedics
or other health care practitioners. The general rule is to always be alert to any collective agreements
that are in place, and carefully respect the boundaries they establish. Be sure to inquire about the
presence of unionized workers and collective agreements whenever contracts are negotiated or
collaborative projects are undertaken. At no time should volunteers should be asked to do work
that is covered by a collective agreement.
Supervisor Training
Because of their unpaid status, volunteers require somewhat different support, recognition, and
supervision than employees. It is a commonplace mistake to assume that supervisors, regardless of
whether they themselves are paid or unpaid, know how to work effectively with volunteers.
At minimum, (paid or unpaid) supervisors of volunteers will need to know the details of volunteer
roles and reporting relationships. They should receive an in-depth orientation to the duties and
expectations of the volunteer positions that report to them. Training about how to work effectively
with volunteers (perhaps based on the material in this manual) should be considered mandatory for every person who supervises volunteers. Do not make the mistake of assuming that someone who
has experience in the supervision of employees automatically knows how to work effectively
with volunteers. Capacity to support and work effectively with volunteers should be an integral
dimension of the performance review of every person who supervises volunteers.
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The Action Plan
When the above planning steps have been completed, it can be helpful to establish a more or less
formal action plan which sets out the what, where, when, and how to’s of finding, placing, and
supervising volunteers. Be clear about who is doing what, and attach a time line to the process.Keep in mind that volunteers can be hard to find, particularly for positions which are long-
term or require specialized skills or knowledge, so be sure to leave enough time to find, screen,
orient, train, and place the volunteers you are counting on.
Even for programs that are already in operation, it is useful to review the planning steps
outlined in this section on a periodic basis to ensure that all of the pieces are in place and
working well.
Policies And Procedures
Policies and procedures provide structure for sound management. They improve program quality
and client service, ensure continuity over time and promote equity and standardization. Polices are
probably the most important risk management tool available to organizations since they define
expectations and regulations, and act as guides to action and decision making. Perhaps most
importantly, policies contribute to increased volunteer satisfaction, productiveness, and retention.
Following is only the briefest of commentary on policy development for volunteer programs. The
St. John Ambulance national operational policies and procedures manual is a comprehensive policies
and procedures guide that includes a good deal of material on the essential policy framework for
volunteer involvement throughout SJA. All volunteer program managers and leaders should be
familiar with the national operational policies and procedures manual, and someone in each
Council, typically the Director of Community Services, should be designated as the person
responsible for ensuring full compliance with the national operational policies and procedures
manual as it pertains to volunteer involvement throughout each Council.
In most settings, the volunteer program will require specific policies that apply to the unique features
of volunteer roles and the environment in which volunteers function. Policies relating to volunteer
involvement are of two broad types. Some polices will be written for volunteers themselves.
These policies guide volunteers’ actions. Examples of such polices include:
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The second type of policies pertaining to volunteer involvement are written to guide the
management of the volunteer program, Examples of these kinds of policies include:
• initial screening and ongoing placement support
• training
• discipline and dismissal• volunteer position design
• risk management
• volunteer-employee division of labour
• record keeping, data protection, and information management
While policies evolve over time and must be reviewed regularly and revised as necessary, it is
advisable to have as much policy development as possible in place in advance of volunteers’
entrance into the program. At SJA, most policy development takes place at the national level,
although the current system provides for input from all Councils in the policy development process.
All national policies allow for provincial and territorial statutes to be taken into account but keep in
mind that standardizing policies as much as possible across the whole of SJA allows all parts of theorganization to move together in the same way. This provides an important measure of protection
to Councils against risk and liability. For this reason it is important to check in with national staff
as you identify the need for policy modification or amendment.
Further Information on Planning For Volunteer Involvement
On the role and importance of volunteers
Ellis, Susan. (1996). From The Top Down: The Executive Role In Volunteer Program Success.
Philadelphia: Energize Inc.
Jenkins, Shirley. (2004). “Preparing For Volunteers”. Chapter 7 in Management of Volunteer
Services In Canada: The Text . Ginette Johnstone (ed.). (Third Edition). Carp, Ontario: Johnstone
Training And Consultation (JTC) Inc.
Mary V. Merrill has written two columns on developing a philosophy of involvement statement.
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2. VOLUNTEER POSITION DESIGN
Nonprofit organizations report that volunteer recruitment is becoming increasingly difficult and
complex. This is no doubt exacerbated by a recent decline in the proportion of Canadians
volunteering, accompanied by an increase in the numbers of organizations trying to recruit volunteer
helpers. That means increasing competition for a diminishing supply.
People have many good reasons not to volunteer and those who do volunteer these days do so in a
conscious, planned, and purposeful fashion. As a result, thoughtfulness about the kinds of
positions offered to prospective volunteers is one of the most important elements in generatingsuccess in volunteer involvement. Positions must be well-suited to the interests, needs and
limitations of the kinds of people who want to volunteer. Unattractive positions will make every
other part of volunteer management more difficult.
Think Outside The Box
It is understood that many organizations are limited in the extent to which they can modify existing
volunteer positions or be flexible in the design of new positions. However, it is often the case that
organizations “get stuck” in traditional ways of doing things, and simply do not stop to think about
how a simple modification of a position, e.g., where it takes place or when it takes place, can havea huge impact on who might volunteer to do the work. “Out of the box thinking” is best practice
here. Push yourself when you answer the question, “Could this position be altered in any way to
make it more attractive or more accessible to additional or different types of volunteers?” Consider
these illustrations:
• Certain positions at SJA must, by definition require a long-term commitment because the
screening and training necessary to equip those volunteers to meet performance standards are
so extensive. However, recent Canadian statistics indicate that the second most frequently
given reason for not volunteering is that people don’t want to make a year round commitment.
Knowing, for example, that some prospective volunteers go south for the winter while other
prospective volunteers head to their cottages in the summer, could a willingness to consider job-sharing open up a whole new recruitment market?
• The job-share approach is also being used successfully by organizations who find it
increasingly difficult to recruit leadership volunteers into executive positions such as president
and vice-president. The workload can be a big deterrent in such positions and the possibility
of job-sharing makes them seem more “doable” to busy people who have the skills but are
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Principles Of Good Volunteer Position Design
Here are some tips on volunteer position design. Not all of them will be possible in all programs,
but the more you can integrate these principles into new and existing positions, the easier it will be
to find and retain volunteers.
• Design short-term positions wherever possible. Most volunteers these days will only commit
to time-limited work that has a clear beginning and a clear end point.
• A minority of prospective volunteers will accept long-term positions, so having a few of them
available at any given point allows you to offer a wider variety of opportunity to those who
may be interested in a long-term association with your organization.
• Design positions that have specific and clearly identified duties. Help volunteers to know
exactly what it is you expect them to do. This will help target recruitment efforts to those
with appropriate interests, skills and knowledge for the position, facilitate the initial screening
process and enhance the retention of volunteers.
• Involve volunteers in meaningful work so they feel they are accomplishing something, thattheir work is purposeful, and that the position interests and challenges them. Do not give all
the boring, routine, or menial work to volunteers.
• Define the results (outcomes) you want your volunteers to achieve and share those
expectations with volunteers. In contrast to popular thinking, prospective volunteers are not
necessarily scared off by significant position responsibilities. Rather, they need to know that
their precious time is being well spent on making a difference. So give them something to
be responsible for.
• Develop a climate in your program or project that welcomes volunteers’ input, implements
their suggestions, and makes them feel part of the team.
• Allow and encourage ownership by helping volunteers develop a clear sense of the full picture
and of their “piece of the whole”. When volunteers have a sense of control over their own
tasks and understand how their work contributes to the larger effort, they are more likely to
take pride in their efforts and meet the performance standards you need them to meet.
• Make sure volunteering is as safe as possible and demonstrate to volunteers that you are
looking out for their well-being. Conduct a risk assessment on each volunteer position, and
ask volunteers to let you know immediately if they feel at risk.
• Offer opportunity for advancement to those volunteers who are looking for increased
responsibility and/or growth and skill development.
• Keep to your commitment - don’t ask for more and more.
Volunteers come in all shapes and sizes, and their interests are equally varied. Having a range of positions that appeal to a range of motivations, capacities, and limitations makes your program more
attractive to a wider diversity and a larger number of prospective recruits. Keep in mind that
attractiveness is in the eye of the beholder. What might seem an inviting position to you may not
be seen as such by others, and what may be of no interest whatsoever to you may be just the
volunteer role another individual was hoping to locate.
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One of the cardinal rules of volunteer program management holds that volunteer positions should
be adjusted wherever possible to fit the needs and interests of the volunteer rather than the
other way around. Organizations that have been engaging volunteers over many years or decades
may become narrow in their vision of how certain tasks are to be accomplished. Continuing to offer
volunteer positions in the same format as they have been offered for many years is sometimes thevery reason why it has become increasingly difficult to recruit new volunteers - the old positions no
longer match the needs and interests of the modern volunteer workforce. Hence, older organizations
in particular, may need to make an extra effort to imagine how work might be done in different ways.
To stimulate some “out-of-the-box” thinking, the following table lists a series of volunteer position
characteristics, each one of which presents a range of position design options. The more of these
possibilities that can be built into a range of positions, the greater the likelihood of successful
recruitment and placement, and the greater the likelihood of volunteer satisfaction and retention. A
more diverse workforce is a valuable by-product of creative volunteer position design.
short-term .... long-termone-shot .... over-time
day-time .... off-hours
regular .... on-call
on-site .... off-site/at home/at work
direct-service .... supportive, indirect
with people .... isolated
leadership .... follow directions
independence .... highly-supervised
challenging .... simple
quiet .... exciting, high-pitch
high profile .... behind-the-scenes
heavy demands .... low stress
steady .... job-share, job pair, seasonal
jump-right-in .... ease-in, opportunity to learn the ropes
Position Descriptions
There should be a current and comprehensive position description for every volunteer position. At
minimum, every position description should include:
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3. RECRUITMENT
There is an assumption in many organizations - particularly among the older and well established
organizations - that if volunteers are needed, all that has to be done is to communicate that need
through the community and people will respond. And, indeed, that has been the case for many
organizations over the last several decades. Volunteers were just “there” when you needed them.
But not so anymore. Decreasing supply, increasing demand, a generalized absence of “spare time”
and a host of other demographic, economic, and social variables are combining to make volunteer
recruitment more challenging than ever before. The consequence is that nonprofit organizationshave to work both smarter and harder at volunteer recruitment.
The principle of getting the “right” people in the “right” position has become more critical for many
nonprofit organizations since so many volunteer positions now involve important, complex,
responsible, and sometimes “essential” duties. More advance planning, more thoughtful
consideration of where the “right” volunteers can be found, and more selective application of
publicity methods that will get the “right” message to the “right” people are the hallmarks of
successful recruitment these days. Keep in mind this simple truth about recruitment: how you
recruit will largely determine who responds. If you are not getting enough volunteers or you are
not getting the right volunteers, the problem may not be in the volunteer labour pool available to you.
The problem may be in how you are going about trying to attract prospective volunteers into your organization.
Here’s another critical truth about recruitment: having to turn people away because they are not
appropriate for the position(s) is unpleasant for everyone involved. Better to specifically target
recruitment efforts and thereby increase the likelihood of response from volunteers who are well-
suited to specific position requirements. The fewer volunteers you have to turn away, the more
time saved in the long run, and the less damage done to your organization’s reputation.
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Recruitment Planning
Recruitment publicity is an exercise in marketing, and the choice of recruitment publicity method
should be based on the target market being sought. Best practice involves focussing your efforts at
the target populations that are most likely to have the skills and characteristics you are seeking rather than launching broad publicity campaigns that appeal to no one in particular. For example, if you
want to recruit hairdressers, don’t put up a flyer in a dental academy. Post in the schools of
hairdressing, try to get a free or reduced-rate add in a hairdressing trade magazine, or better still, go
directly to hair salons and ask for help. If you are looking for volunteers who must be able to work
every week at the same time of day, do not reach out to rotating shift workers since they will simply
not be able to meet your requirements. So do a bit of planning before you try to round up people off
the street.
HOW
Planning The Recruitment CampaignTO
Review the results of the needs assessment work you did in the planning step previous to this.
To plan the volunteer recruitment effort, ask these questions:
• what do our “ideal” volunteers look like for this position?
• what skills and characteristics are needed in the volunteers we are seeking?
• what kinds of people have those kinds of skills and characteristics?
• where are those people to be found?
• what publicity vehicles are most likely to reach them?
• what message will motivate them to volunteer for our initiative?
Face-To-Face Is Still The Most Effective Method
Do not make the mistake of thinking your recruitment materials have to be fancy or expensive to be
effective. In fact, year after year and decade after decade, the one thing that hasn’t changed about
working with volunteers is this: a direct and personal approach by word of mouth is still the
most effective recruitment method. In fact, the fourth most frequent reason given by people for
not volunteering is that no one had asked them. All of the general appeals on cable TV and in
community newspapers and bulletins don’t seem to sink in for a lot of people. Personal ambassadors
directly asking for help will generate a far greater response than all the flyers and public service
announcement you might write. Don’t discard the latter methods or any other method you can
mobilize to get your recruitment message out, but concentrate on the personal ask since that is likely
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Publicize The Rewards
Remember that most people who volunteer do so purposefully, and most are looking to get
something back from volunteering. Popular opinion has it that people are more selfish these days,
and more self-centred. The “me” generation. If that is true, then trying to appeal to prospectivevolunteers on the basis of what they might be able to give to others might not be effective with some
prospective groups of volunteers. In contrast, recruitment campaigns built around what the volunteer
might expect to gain from his or her involvement might be the route to take.
The potential benefits of volunteer work vary widely, from making business contacts and learning
about a new community, to meeting people, helping a cause, making a difference in the community,
learning new skills or honing existing skills, exploring strengths, and improving employment
opportunities. For many volunteers the good feeling one gets from helping others is also an
important enough. Best practice recommends that you identify and publicize the potential benefits
of volunteering for your organization and/or your project - more people will respond.
Be careful not to minimize the size of the volunteer position or the skills required. Being less
than forthcoming benefits no one in the long run. Since many volunteers are attracted by the
opportunity to make a difference with their time and talents, accurately portraying both what the
position requires and what can be achieved through it is the approach most likely to generate
recruitment success.
Value In Diversity
Communities - even small communities - across Canada are increasingly diverse. It benefits most
nonprofits to mirror the diversity of the communities in which they exist. This helps to ensure that
services are relevant and meaningful to the people served by them.
Diversity can mean a broad spectrum of characteristics, including, for example, race, ethnicity, age,
gender, country of origin, sexual orientation, education, income, native language, religious beliefs,
and cognitive and physical abilities. Ask yourself: how representative is our volunteer work force?
It is useful and often revealing to do a survey of your current volunteers. Check the resulting profile
against the population profile of your own community. Identify the gaps consider why they exist.
Give some thought to how community needs might better be addressed if your volunteers truly
represented the diversity of those you serve. Broadening the volunteer base can also broaden
community and individual support for your organization since research proves that those whovolunteer give not only time but also money to the same organizations.
If you decide to broaden your recruitment efforts and reach out to diverse population, be sure
to do a bit of housework first. As much as we like to believe that we are a tolerant people,
many kinds of prejudice lie just beneath the surface. Research continues to demonstrate that
many volunteers from diverse cultural and disability populations respond to deliberate
recruitment efforts only to find offensive attitudes among new organizational colleagues and
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HOW
Preparing For DiversityTO
If you deliberately set out to increase the diversity of your volunteer corps, do not expect the
new volunteers to do all of the adapting. Follow these steps before you launch your diversity
campaign:
• Check your own attitudes and perceptions and those of others in your organization.
• Learn about those you are reaching out to.
• Find out what is important to them.
• Do some research on the important features of their culture, their holidays and their holy
days.
• Consider what some of the barriers to their involvement might be.
• Provide training and education to employees and volunteers on what you discover.
• Work to reduce identified barriers, make changes in the work site and be prepared to
amend policies to facilitate their participation.• Implement zero tolerance policies for discrimination and prejudice and bolster them
with meaningful penalties for non-compliance.
Only when this ground work is done will your organization be truly ready to invite
participation from diverse populations. Only then will you organization be in a position to
reap the rich rewards of a diverse volunteer workforce.
New “Markets”
In the face of volunteer shortages, organizations are finding that they need to tap new markets for
their recruitment campaigns, and three specific populations have emerged recently as particularly
promising.
• family volunteering : People have less and less free time as the challenge of combing family
responsibilities with employment pressures for two-wage-earner and single-parent families
seriously cut into time that might otherwise have been available for volunteering. Multi-
tasking is now a dominant feature of our culture as already-too-busy people try to cram more
into 24 hours by doing more than one thing at the same time. Enter family volunteering.
Creating volunteer opportunities that can be done by family members together opens up awhole new market for recruitment campaigns. Volunteering with children allows parents not
only the opportunity to spend “quality” time with their children, but also the vehicle through
which they might teach and model important values such as community spirit, generosity,
neighbourliness, helpfulness, team work, and so on.
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• employee volunteers: The corporate sector is beginning to understand the wide range of
benefits that accrue from corporate social responsibility. No longer content with mere
chequebook philanthropy, companies of all sizes and types are seeking ways through which
they can benefit the communities in which they do business, and simultaneously increase
profits. One of the increasingly popular methods of this sort is employer sponsoredvolunteering programs through which corporations off a wide range of facilitation,
encouragement, and incentives for their employees to volunteer in the community. This looks
like it may be one of the few growth markets for volunteers in the near future and
organizations that respond with specific opportunities that suit employees and employee-
teams may be rewarded with an important new source of volunteer labour ... along with
potential corporate sponsorships as well.
• persons with disabilities: The nonprofit track record for successfully engaging people with
disabilities in volunteer work is pretty dismal. We have been far too content to let barriers
go unchallenged and the sector has not, in general terms, been inviting or inclusive in its
outreach efforts. It is probably safe to say that the corporate sector has done more to reduce barriers in the workplace than the nonprofit sector has, and this certainly holds true for the
volunteer workplace. The irony is that at a time when organizations are increasingly desperate
for volunteers, there is a vast pool of extremely talented people who would be more than
happy to volunteer if only some of the barriers were removed. The important point here is
that the majority of barriers are both simple and cheap to overcome.
A little bit of creativity mixed with an honest and genuine will could open up a huge pool of talent
to those organizations willing to step outside the traditional recruitment box and look in new
directions for the help they so desperately need.
Immediate Response
It is widely recognized that the motivation of new volunteer recruits is very fragile. It has a
short shelf life. The fastest way to lose a prospective volunteer who has made the initial contact is
to ignore them or in any other way lead them to believe you don’t need them or don’t respect them.
Best practice insists that all initial inquiries from volunteers be responded to immediately. Volunteer
centres across the continent consistently report that the most frequent mistake made by organizations
seeking new volunteers is the failure to immediately follow up on a volunteer’s first expression of
interest. Remember that spare time is an extremely rare commodity these days. It is a precious gift
and must be honoured and valued as such.
As an aside, this is one important reason why it is a good idea to hire a paid manager of volunteers.
While volunteer coordinators can do a good job, it is rare that they can be “on duty” on the full time
basis that it takes to be immediately responsive to initial inquiries from new volunteers. It is true
that paid managers of volunteers get too busy as well, but there is a better chance that a dedicated
staff position provides a better chance of immediate response, and less potential to both miss the
opportunity and create a poor image of your organization as one that either doesn’t value volunteer
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Further Resources On Volunteer Recruitment
Central Volunteer Bureau Of Ottawa-Carleton. (1998). Stronger Together: Recruiting And Working
With Ethnocultural Volunteers. (Revised). Ottawa: Central Volunteer Bureau Of Ottawa-Carlton.Available from: http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/pc-cp/pubs/e/Strongr1.htm
Dyer, Fraser and Ursula Jost. (2002). Recruiting Volunteers: Attracting the People You Need.
London: Directory of Social Change.
Ellis, Susan J. (1994). The Volunteer Recruitment Book. Philadelphia: Energize Inc.
Esmond, Judy. (2001). Count Me In! 501 Ideas On Recruiting Volunteers. Victoria Park, Western
Australia: Newseason Publications.
Fryar, Andy, Rob Jackson and Fraser Dyer. (2004). Turn Your Organization Into A Volunteer Magnet. A free E-book available from: http://www.ozvpm.com/.../CO94-VolunteerMagnet1.2pdf
Haines, Mike and Eva Schindler-Rainman. (1990). Volunteers: How to Find Them How To Keep
Them. Second Edition. Vancouver: Volunteer Vancouver.
Lautenschlager, Janet. (1992). Bridges to the Future: Supported Programs for Volunteers with
Special Needs. Ottawa: Voluntary Action Directorate of the Department of Multiculturalism and
Citizenship.
Levant, Rebecca and Keith Seel. (1995). Creating Bridges: A Practical Planning Guide and
Checklist for the Development of a Cross-Cultural Volunteer Program. Calgary, Alberta: Volunteer
Calgary.
McCurley, Steve. (1991). Recruiting Volunteers for Difficult or Long-Term Assignments.
Downer’s Grove, IL: Heritage Arts Publishing.
Merrill, Mary V. (2001). “Building Relationships To Engage Corporate Volunteers.” Topic Of The
Sutton, Charyn D. (1992). Pass It On Volunteer Recruitment Manual: Outreach to African- American, Latino/a And Other Diverse Populations. Philadelphia, PA: Big Brothers/Big Sisters of
America.
Volunteer Canada. (2001). Volunteer Connections: Creating An Accessible And Inclusive
Environment . Ottawa: Volunteer Canada. Available at:
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1. SJA believes that the initial screening of volunteers is just the beginning of a series of
ongoing efforts that the organization must undertake to ensure that it continues to have the right
volunteers in the right positions, and that volunteers’ performance meets the organization’s
standards of excellence. For this reason, we use the term “initial screening” to refer to this first
element in the volunteer retention cycle, distinguishing it from ongoing screening efforts which
are discussed in the “Supervision and Ongoing Placement Support” section of this handbook.
The perspective of screening as an ongoing process is clearly reflected in the SJA Screening
Cycle policy and more specific how-to information can be found there.
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4. INITIAL SCREENING
Despite efforts to aim recruitment publicity toward people who meet the minimum qualifications for
the position, not all applicants will be appropriate. Keep in mind also that while rare, some
volunteers may be ill-intended or downright dangerous.
The goals of initial screening1 are:
• to identify those volunteer candidates who are suited to the requirements of the volunteer
position
• to rule out everyone else
As cold or callous as it may seem, the reality is that there are responsibilities and liabilities that
accompany volunteer coordination these days and the volunteer supervisor not only has a right
to turn away unqualified candidates, s/he has a duty to do so. Placing an unqualified or
otherwise unsuitable volunteer benefits no one, and may expose volunteers, event participants,
employees, and/or the general public to risks, and the organization to liability.
This is not to say that prospective volunteers who do not have all of the attributes or skills necessary
to do an excellent job cannot be brought up to requisite standards through careful orientation,
training, coaching, and supervision. It does mean, however, that minimum requirements are just that,
and they need to be respected. If it isn’t a requirement upon application, it isn’t aminimum standard.Never lower your initial screening standards and never cut corners when screening, no matter
how well you think you know the person or how highly recommended they are. The principle
of equal treatment consistently applied is a benchmark of effective (and legal) screening.
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Human Rights Legislation
Turning a volunteer candidate away for any reason other than their not meeting minimum
qualifications for the position may violate his or her human rights, so screening standards should
be based squarely on the requirements of the position as outlined in the position description. Allcandidates for any given position should go through the same initial screening processes and be
treated the same as every other candidate for that position. The screening process must be bias-
free, objective, and conform to all human rights statutes applicable in your area.
Consult the national operational policies and procedures manual, and in particular, the policy on
“Respect in the Organization” which applies here. Ensure that every employee and volunteer is
oriented to this important policy.
Determining Initial Screening Protocol
There are many initial screening mechanisms available to volunteer program supervisors. The
challenge is to select the screening methods that are appropriate to each position. The general rule
about thoroughness in initial screening and the selection of specific screening devices is this: the
screening tools that are implemented in the initial screening protocol should be well matched
to the risks and demands of the volunteer position. That means that you may need to apply
different initial screening devices to different volunteer positions. For example, how you initially
screen the volunteer treasurer for the special event might be very different from how you initially
screen the volunteers you place teaching bicycle safety to children. Different volunteer position
demands and risks warrant suitably tailored initial screening mechanisms.
Where a volunteer position involves an element of trust - for example the position may give
volunteers unsupervised access to vulnerable people, confidential information, valuable property,
or money - the initial screening protocol will need to be more thorough. Where a volunteer position
involves little risk to anyone, where the duties do not require specialized skill or knowledge, and
where the consequences of volunteer error are minimal, initial screening can be less thorough.
Every organization must decide for itself which screening mechanisms are appropriate for its own
positions and settings, but clear policy should be in place to guide screening protocol development
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Available Initial Screening Tools
Following is a brief description of ten readily available screening devices. Based on a careful
assessment of each volunteer position, choose the screening devices that are most likely to help you
to determine candidate suitability.
• position description. The position description establishes the legal basis for screening
candidates out; there must be clear and defensible continuity between the requirements of the
position and the screening techniques used; screening more or less than the position
description calls for can create trouble. Be sure that volunteer position descriptions are kept
up to date and include all minimum qualifications. Be sure to include skill sets, knowledge,
and experience both necessary and useful to the position since this will not only help in the
choice of screening tools to be used in the initial screening process, but it can help you to
defend your screening decisions if they are challenged by a volunteer application who has
been rejected.
• written application form. This would be a minimum requirement for all volunteer positions
since basic demographic data, at minimum, should be kept on file for all volunteers.
• reference checks. When the background and previous performance of a volunteer is relevant
to the current application, or in any position of trust, the reference check is a highly
recommended screening mechanism. How many references and of what type (e.g., employer,
personal, family member, previous employment/volunteer placements) are a matter of
judgement, based on the demands and risk level of the position. Reference checks have
often been dismissed as an unreliable screening mechanism, but current best practice
holds them up as a new cornerstone of effective screening. Their effectiveness, however,
depends largely on the competence and thoroughness of the reference checker, so make sure
your reference checker(s) is fully skilled, takes the role extremely seriously, and stays current
with new standards and procedures.
• qualifications checks. Qualifications checks include, for example, obtaining proof of a
candidate’s qualifications e.g., valid driver’s license and class; diploma or degree;
professional licence; proof of specific trade, skill or qualification such as valid CPR or life
saving certificate. These kinds of checks are important where the position description calls
for specific qualifications. Keep in mind that a startlingly large proportion of applicants for
paid positions claim qualifications they do not have. The same almost certainly holds true for
applicants for volunteer positions even if to a lesser extent. This screening mechanism isusually cheap and relatively easy, and oddly, often omitted from otherwise comprehensive
screening protocols. A good measure of cynicism may not be out of place in the initial
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• police record checks. Police record checks (referred to as PRCS in SJA policy), provide
information on the existence of candidates’ previous criminal behaviour and convictions for
which pardons have not been granted. Police record checks are highly recommended for all
positions of trust, but do keep in mind that a clear police record check is not a guarantee of
either harmlessness or suitability. Recent research indicates that there are manypotentially harmful people who seek positions of trust in nonprofit organizations as an
easy avenue to access vulnerable people and who have simply never been caught doing
anything wrong. They have no police record and would pass through this particular
screening device undetected. The lesson: beware false negatives! Police record checks are
most useful when combined with other screening devices. Since there are different levels of
police record checks available, consult with the police department or detachment in your area
to find out what is covered in the checks and how they are to be accessed.
• driving record check . This screening mechanism is highly recommended wherever regular
volunteer duties include operation of a motor vehicle or when volunteers will be transporting
clients.
• credit bureau check . This screening mechanism is recommended wherever volunteer duties
include handling significant amounts of money or authority for significant financial
transactions.
• interviews. Personal interviews provide an in-person assessment opportunity and are highly
recommended for most positions of responsibility and when personal presentation,
communication skills, and/or public relations are involved. Interviews are considered the
cornerstone of almost all initial screening protocols.
• performance assessment . Through this mechanism, the volunteer demonstrates a specific
skill required in the successful completion of the volunteer position, e.g., computer
programming, typing, equipment usage, public speaking, etc.
• medical certification. When a position requires a specific physical capacity such as strength,
stamina, fine motor coordination, night vision, etc., an organization may require volunteers
to supply a physician’s certification of fitness to perform the work in question. Proof of
current immunization, a recent tuberculosis test, and so on would also fall under this type of
screening device.
There is a wide range of other initial screening tools available. Devices such as personality tests,honesty tests, lie detector tests and so on may be increasingly common in the hiring processes for
executive positions in private companies, but most of these would be inappropriate, if not outright
invasions of privacy, for the greatest majority of volunteer positions.
Since appropriate initial volunteer screening is an important element of risk management, care must
be taken in the selection of screening devices to be used for each position, choosing those that will
provide the information needed to make an informed decision about applicants’ suitability.
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Documenting Screening
All of the steps of the initial volunteer screening process should be documented carefully for every
candidate. If your initial screening protocol generates private or confidential information about
applicants, be aware that you have a legal duty to guard the privacy of the information you collect.Privacy legislation varies by province, so be sure to check the legislation in your area and ensure full
compliance with all that applies. Policy should be in place to guide what information is collected,
how and where it is stored, for how long, who may gain access to it and for what purposes, when and
how it is destroyed.
Your screening documentation can turn out to be invaluable if you are called on to justify a screening
decision and be aware that documentation can be subpoenaed in certain legal actions, so consider
carefully what you write.
Assessing The Information
Sifting through the information you have gathered about each potential recruit can be more or less
complex, depending on the intensiveness of the initial screening process and the clarity and
consistency of the information you have gathered.
It is very helpful to have clear minimum standards for each volunteer position and an equally clear
sense of the characteristics that you are looking for in the successful candidate(s). These provide a
yardstick against which to measure each candidate’s suitability.
It is important to have clear policies about automatic disqualifiers for each position. Obviously not
meeting minimum standards would be a disqualifier, but additional guidelines can also be very
helpful. For example, if the position involves working with children, any previous history of violent
behaviour or misconduct with children might be considered an automatic disqualifier. If the position
involves handling significant amounts of cash, any previous criminal history of theft or fraud might
reasonably be considered a disqualifier. If more than one reference check reveals problems in
previous paid or unpaid positions that are relevant to the position currently applied for, this
information taken together might be considered a disqualifier.
Minimum standards and automatic disqualifiers help you to put some boundaries around your
assessment process. The key is to be fair and consistent in your hiring decisions. The SJA Screening
Cycle policy will guide what you make of the information you collect.
When screening for a volunteer position in which there are many openings, the goal of the
information assessment process is to rule out those candidates that are unsuitable for whatever
reason, and accept the rest for placement. This may guide you in your use of the information you
Following are five principles for information management and assessment.
• The information you gather must be documented. Take notes during the interview and
reference checks. Make a copy of proof of qualifications, police check, driver’s licence - all
of the proof that has been gathered. Make sure that your notes are factual and related to position requirements.
• The more uniform the documentation methods, the easier it is to assess the qualifications of
candidates, both in absolute terms and in relation to one another. Wherever possible, develop
recording forms that standardize intake of information. The application form is an obvious
example, but others such as a Telephone Reference Check form or a Performance Assessment
form can also be useful.
• Impartiality is critical in screening. Assess information in a consistent and fair manner.
Rating tools can be developed to standardize your assessment of information gathered on
reviewing application forms and interviews.2 Not only do they help you to assess the meritsof individual applicants, but when completed, they leave proof behind of your efforts to
objectively rate all candidates.
• Always keep an eye open for “red flags.” Red flags are signals to investigate further, and they
come in many forms. For example, a candidate’s very narrowly defined preference for clients
with whom he or she will work (e.g., 6-7 year old boys of slight build from single parent
families; seniors who live alone and who have very little extended family involvement) may
signal a candidate’s search for potential targets of abuse. Any inconsistency in information
gathered either within one screening mechanism (e.g., between the information provided by
two referees in the reference check mechanism) or between two mechanisms (e.g., the
information provided on the application form versus the information that turns up in a
qualifications check) should be viewed as red flags.
• Beware false negatives. The absence of negative information in the screening protocol, no
matter how thorough, does not constitute assurance of suitability or harmlessness. In
particular the absence of a criminal record does not necessarily mean that the candidate has
no history of criminal activity. It may simply mean he or she has not been convicted. The
possession of a valid driver’s licence does not constitute proof of excellent driving skills. Be
certain that your initial screening process is reasonably thorough and remember that the initial
screening process is just the beginning. Organizations have an ongoing responsibility to
ensure that they have the right people in the right positions. Do not be lured intothinking that all risks are eliminated by a comprehensive initial screening process.
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HOW
Saying “No”TO
Unfortunately not all volunteers who apply will be suitable for the position for which they’ve applied..
Keep the following techniques in mind if you have to turn down a volunteer candidate:
• notify people as quickly as possible
• candidates may experience feelings of embarrassment and/or rejection so be as respectful as
possible in delivering the message
• a personal approach (i.e., telephone) is more respectful than notification in writing, particularly
for those applicants who have gone to the trouble of a personal interview
• be tactful, supportive and constructive
• saying less is better than more; if pressed for reasons for the decision not to accept the
volunteer, concentrate on the absence of a fit between the candidate’s abilities and the
requirements of the position
• do not lie, even if doing so seems kinder or less awkward
• thank the candidate for their interest and application efforts• where possible and appropriate, you may suggest other volunteer opportunities the candidate
may pursue
The Limitations of Initial Screening
No initial screening protocol can guarantee suitability or harmlessness. Initial screening is only
one element in an overall risk management strategy. Multiple risk mitigation strategies in the post-
screening environment are available to buttress uncertain screening decisions, and ongoing screening
mechanisms such as probation, supervision, performance reviews, program evaluations, anddisciplinary processes can all be used to monitor the “correctness” of the hiring decision and/or bring
new hires up to speed and on track. At minimum, ongoing support and supervision are always
necessary, no matter how thorough the initial screening has been.
The Screening Cycle outlined in the national operational policies and procedures manual provides
more details about how the initial screening process is supplemented by additional protocol
throughout the course of a volunteer’s involvement with the organization.
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Up-Screening
Be aware that if a volunteer enters a placement that is significantly different from the one initially
applied for, certain additional screening processes may need to be initiated. For example, if an
applicant came into the screening process with the aim of working on a special event fundraisingactivity but decided, once he or she gets to know more about the organization, that direct service
work - a position transporting clients, perhaps - was more attractive, then the organization may need
to initiate additional screening mechanisms such as a driver’s record check and/or a police record
check which may not have been core components of the screening process for the fundraising
position. This need to “up-screen” holds true for new recruits moving into positions that are
significantly different from those initially identified as of interest, as well as for any volunteer or
employee who, after any length of time in the organization, takes on a new position with significantly
different responsibilities from those for which he or she was initially screened..
Further Resources on Initial Screening
Andler, Edward C. (1998). The Compete Reference Checking Handbook . New York: American
Deems, Richard S. (1996). Interviewing: More Than a Gut Feeling . West Des Moines, IA:
American Media Publishing.
DeMey, Dennis L. And James R. Flowers, Jr. (1999). Don’t Hire a Crook! How to Avoid Common
Hiring (and Firing) Mistakes. Tempe, AZ: Facts On Demand Press.
Graff, Linda L. (1999). Beyond Police Checks: The Definitive Volunteer & Employee Screening
Guidebook . Dundas, Ontario: Linda Graff And Associates Inc.
Hauge, Jennifer Chandler and Melanie L. Herman. (1999). Taking the High Road: A Guide to
Effective and Legal Employment Practices for Nonprofits. Washington, DC: Nonprofit Risk
Management Center.
Patterson, John C. (1998). Staff Screening Tool Kit: Building a Strong Foundation ThroughCareful Staffing . 2nd Edition. Washington, DC: Nonprofit Risk Management Center.
Wendover, Robert W. (1996). Hand-Picked: The Complete Guide to Finding and Hiring the Best
Employees. Shawnee Mission, KS: National Press Publications.
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5. PLACEMENT
Placement is the process of connecting screened volunteers with specific volunteer positions. It has
two components. The first phase of volunteer placement involves working with each new volunteer
to identify a specific position for which they will be oriented and trained. That position may or may
not be the position they or you had in mind when the volunteer initially applied to volunteer with
your organization. The second phase of placement takes place after orientation and training as the
volunteer actually begins work in the selected position.
The compatibility of the volunteer’s interests, limitations, and qualifications with the specificrequirements of a given position is one of the most crucial determinants of success in volunteer
programs. There are very rarely “bad” volunteers. When things don’t work out, it is much more
likely that an otherwise “good” volunteer is simply in the wrong volunteer position.
Keep in mind that many people will come into volunteering with less than accurate understandings
of about what the work actually entails. Some will have a particular type of work in mind and find
out in the initial screening and placement process that the position doesn’t really involve the kind
of activities they had envisioned, or they realize that they might not enjoy performing the position
duties to the extent that they had anticipated.
Mutual benefit is the hallmark of excellence in volunteering and the foundational premise of the placement process is that the greatest majority of volunteers are looking to get something back from
their volunteer work. As we have noted above, volunteer motivation varies widely, but nearly every
volunteer has some reason(s) for wanting to volunteer. The essence of successful volunteer
placement is to uncover what each volunteer’s key motivations might be and then match them
to the right position so that the volunteer gains what s/he wants while at the same time
contributes whatever the organization requires of them. When the benefits of the volunteer-
organization relationship are flowing in both directions, volunteering can be a wonderful thing.
When benefits stop flowing in either direction, trouble of one sort or another is soon to follow.
Because a number of volunteer positions at SJA require both high reliability and extensive
commitments of time, it is very important to ensure that prospective recruits for such positions bewell aware of position demands from the outset. It serves no one well for a volunteer who has
devoted considerable time and energy (and sometimes expense, as well) to go through your
screening, orientation and training process only to find out several months down the line that they
really are not qualified or there is some other insurmountable impediment to their ongoing
involvement that they might have been informed about much earlier on. It can be tempting to
underplay position requirements so as not to scare off prospective volunteers, but honesty and
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Flexibility on the part of the volunteer screener/placer is the key to success in volunteer
placement. Attempting to convince a volunteer to take a position that doesn’t really interest them
or doesn’t give back whatever it is that they seek through their volunteer work will often produce
a failed volunteer placement. While it is tempting to put the needs of the organization first because
that is where the sense of urgency originates, the manager who starts where the volunteer is at,discovers the motivation of each volunteer (and each is unique!) and then links that motivation
creatively to organizational need will be rewarded with higher productivity, greater volunteer
satisfaction, fewer performance issues, and extended retention rates.
HOW
Linking Volunteer Motivation With Organizational NeedsTO
To achieve a good “fit” between the volunteers’ interests and organizational needs, follow
these steps:• Listen carefully to volunteer expectations
• look a little deeper than the surface for volunteer motivations - sometimes volunteers
are reluctant to give voice to what they want back
• encourage volunteers to tell you what they are looking for in their volunteer work and
help them to feel safe to name their motivations
• if volunteers are unable to identify what it is they want back from their involvement
spend a bit of time talking to them about what interests them, what they don’t like, and
what they might consider to be a meaningful reward from their work with your
organization
• be prepared to consider volunteers for positions other than they have initially identified
• most important, be prepared wherever possible to adapt volunteer positions to better suitvolunteers’ interests, skill sets, and limitations.
Short term positions with clear duties and clear end points are the most popular kinds of volunteer
positions these days. Prospective volunteers are reluctant to make long term commitments and
positions that are measured in hours and days (or weeks at the most) are much more attractive than
positions that stretch into months or years. It is often the case that volunteers who originally sign
on for short term positions can be re-recruited to do additional terms, but if they were asked at the
outset to give that many weeks or months, they would have declined.
By the time you have placed a volunteer in a specific position, you have probably already made a
significant investment of time and effort since recruitment, initial screening, orientation and training
are the most labour intensive functions in the volunteer retention cycle. A bit more effort in the
initial phase of the placement is much more cost effective than losing a volunteer at this point
and starting all over again at recruitment. So pay extra attention to each volunteer in their
first few hours or shifts on the job. Check in with them to see how they’re doing.
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Extra support early on may make the difference in building the comfort level necessary to get the
volunteer over that hump of uncertainty and lack of confidence. Wherever possible, be prepared to
make adjustments to the position, the environment, or the tools to increase the volunteer’s sense of
satisfaction or comfort.
If the first choice of placement doesn’t work for either the volunteer or the organization, be open to
the possibility that the appropriate position may very well exist elsewhere in your agency.
Remember that you have a lot invested in this volunteer already and they have already indicated that
they want to support the work of your organization.. If you can turn those two starting points to good
use by finding another position that is mutually rewarding, you have saved your organization
considerable resources by not having to start from scratch with someone else. You will often find
in this process that volunteers have marvellous talents not previously identified and that can be
applied to great advantage elsewhere in the organization. The key is to stay open and flexible about
where each volunteer might fit the best.
Keep in mind that volunteer motivation can change over time as interests change and as goalsthat were initially set for volunteer involvement are met and/or new ones emerge. Altering
duties or responsibilities and/or transferring volunteers to new positions may allow you to keep them
connected to your program or activity for a much longer period than they initially agreed to. Being
flexible protects your initial “investment” in volunteer selection and induction, and can significantly
reduce the need to recruit new volunteers.
Further Resources On Volunteer Placement
McKillop, Mary. (2004). “Motivation And Recognition.” Chapter 11 in Management of Volunteer
Services In Canada: The Text. Ginette Johnstone (ed.). Carp, Ontario: Johnstone Training And
Consultation (JTC) Inc.
Merrill, Mary V. (2002). “Understanding Volunteer Motivations.” Topic Of The Month.
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Position Orientation
Here is where the volunteers will come to understand the detailed workings of their position
descriptions. The better volunteers understand expectations and performance standards, the greater
the likelihood they will achieve them. We sometimes underplay position responsibilities becausewe don’t want to scare off new volunteers or we don’t want to overwhelm them early on in their
involvement. And there is some merit to that way of thinking. People can only absorb so much at
one time. But in the long run, we are much better off to be honest and complete in our orientation
to position expectations. It’s obvious but bears note: how can we expect a volunteer to meet our
expectations if we (even for good reasons) fail to articulate those expectations clearly to the
volunteer in the first place.
HOW
Position OrientationTO
Be sure to cover these items in your position orientation with new recruits, using your own
discretion about pace and sequence, based on the demands of the position and the complexity
of the working environment:
• clearly define expectations of the volunteer position, of volunteers in general, and how
volunteer involvement fits in the larger human resources picture in your department,
activity or event
• explain the significance of volunteering in general and this volunteer position
specifically
• outline the specific details of the volunteer position
- what are the results the volunteer is expected to achieve?- what are the standards of performance they will be held to?
- what are the deadlines?
- how will work be evaluated and how will volunteers know when they have achieved
results or been successful?
- what should volunteers avoid; where are the boundaries of their position descriptions?
- who provides backup, support and information to the volunteer, and what does the
supervisory relationship look like?
- to whom can they turn when they don’t know what to do?
• convey to volunteers how important they are to the success of the activity or event in
question; help them to see their service in the larger context, and how their work fits
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System Orientation
System orientation is the third dimension of volunteer orientation that should take place very early
on in the new recruit’s tenure with the organization. It is an angle on how things work that we often
forget to explain and yet it is critical knowledge for the volunteer if we expect them to function wellin relation to the other parts and functions of the organization in which they work.
HOW
System OrientationTO
Introduce volunteers to the systems that underpin the program or activity in which they are
engaged.
• explain the structure and programs of the department
• explain the organizational hierarchy and give them a copy• outline all health and safety information pertinent to volunteer responsibilities and t
• work environment
• clearly delineate all policies and procedures relevant to their work
• explain all pertinent facilities, equipment, and reporting structure
• outline record keeping requirements and distribute/collect all necessary forms such as
waivers, consents, contracts, etc.
In all aspects of the volunteer orientation program, leave plenty of time for questions from
volunteers, and for interaction among volunteers, and between volunteers and employees. This isthe ideal time at which to dispel anxiety and foster ease and collegiality.
For organizations that work over distances or seek to reach out to new populations with new
technology, some volunteer orientation can be done over the internet. Information can be posted,
chat rooms set up, bulletin boards created for volunteers and supervisors to post questions,
observations and responses. There is no suitable electronic substitute for the “walk around” the new
working environment, of course, but much of the information transfer can be done through electronic
mechanisms these days.
It is usually helpful to have much of the orientation information prepared in written format to support
the volunteer orientation program. More written background and reference material will benecessary for volunteers in ongoing positions or positions of significant responsibility. There may
be a lot for them to absorb in one sitting and a volunteer orientation handbook can be a handy
reference for future use. Any information dealing with health and safety issues or position-related
risks should be put in writing and distributed to all volunteers.
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7. TRAINING
Training is the process of instructing volunteers on specific position functions and imparting
additional position-related skills and behaviour as needed. It is the organization’s responsibility
to ensure that all volunteers are adequately qualified and trained to perform the duties
assigned to them. Even volunteers in straightforward positions who are performing seemingly
simple tasks should be assessed carefully for additional training needs. After lengthy service, it is
easy for supervisors to forget how new and foreign the work environment and position expectations
can feel to new comers. Volunteers who understand what is expected of them and have the
necessary skills to meet standards will both do a better job and gain greater satisfaction fromtheir involvement.
Volunteer training should be practical, experiential, and, as much as possible, tailored to the
individual needs of each volunteer. The involvement of employees in the design and delivery of
volunteer training can help to assure employees that volunteers are properly prepared for the work,
and help volunteers to learn about and understand the perspective of employees.
On-the-job training will usually be more effective than a classroom setting for most volunteers. Be
sure to provide training on the relevant “soft” topics such as customer and public relations,
supportive and cooperative working relationships, dependability, and so on. Volunteers will live up
to or down to your expectations, and providing detailed training on excellent job performance willincrease the likelihood that volunteers will achieve the standards you expect of them.
In more complex positions, training may need to be delivered in a series of sessions, keeping in mind
that it is difficult to absorb a lot when everything is new. Better to segment the content into realistic
units, even if that means assigning volunteers reduced duties until such time as they have acquired
the necessary skills and knowledge to fulfill all position responsibilities.
Where positions duties are complex and/or where training is extensive, written training material
should be developed to augment verbal and on-the-job delivery. As with the orientation manual
discussed in the previous chapter, a good deal of backup training material can be prepared and
delivered electronically. Consider recruiting a volunteer to produce volunteer training CDs. Thatkind of project would be ideal as a family project, a corporate volunteer team project, or just about
anybody with the technical skills and the desire to produce something both tangible and useful with
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At the discretion of the department head or program supervisor, recording attendance at volunteer
training sessions creates proof that volunteers have been provided with the necessary information
required to fulfill their position responsibilities. Some organizations for which volunteer positions
carry extreme responsibilities, e.g., search and rescue squads, sexual assault centres, etc., actually
require volunteers to pass post-training tests before they are allowed to undertake their positionresponsibilities. The nature of the position will be the most signifcant indicator of how thorough you
need to be with volunteer training.
Ongoing training and updates may be appropriate for some positions. Remember to inform
volunteers of changes in the worksite or environment, policies and/or protocol, health and
safety requirements, and all other details pertinent to the fulfilment of their duties and comfort
in the work place. SJA has training manuals and instructor guides for all of its core programs.
These manuals should serve as the foundation document for all volunteer training designs.
Determining the actual content of a training program is usually the easy part. Designing an effective
outline to communicate the content is often more complex, and delivering the material in aninteresting and compelling manner is what most non-professional trainers find most challenging of
all. Below are some basic tips on volunteer training design and delivery. Links to further resources
on training are listed at the end of the chapter.
Tips On Training Design
Assess the learning needs of participants. Ask questions such as:
• what do participants already know about the topic at hand?
• what do participants need to know that they do not already know?
• what is the average age or age range of the participants?
• what do you know about the learning styles of participants?
• are they participating willingly or are they being compelled to attend?
Involve participants in the training design as much as possible. For example,
• poll participants about their learning needs and interests
• integrate their needs and interests into both content development and the delivery plan
• accommodate their schedules, other work requirements, and energy levels
Develop clear and realistic learning objectives that define the changes in knowledge, skills, and
attitudes that participants should expect to experience as a result of their involvement in the training.Best practice recommends moderation in objectives. Avoid the mistake of trying to accomplish too
much and/or delivering too much content. Adults have limits to what they can absorb.
Build learning activities into the delivery plan. This allows participants to explore the content in
more depth and shape it in a way that will make it more meaningful to them. Opportunities to
discuss key concepts, think about applicability to their own setting or work site, express their own
thinking and opinions and reflect on the opinions of others are all useful mechanisms in the learning
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Learning in adults is extended when the material is experienced in a range of ways, so build in to the
design plan a range of learning modalities. Consider these possibilities:
• small group discussions with or without reports back
• large group discussions facilitated by the trainer or by participants on a rotating basis
• role plays with feedback by the trainer and/or participants on key observations• mock scenes
• field trips
• individual and/or group demonstrations by participants of their learnings
• case studies
• quizzes
• audio visual support (slides, overhead transparencies, Power Point presentations, flip charting,
video and audio segments, etc.)
• reinforcement with printed resources such as handouts, manuals, worksheets, checklists, self-
assessment forms, and so on.
Avoid excessive use of any of the above and always be sure that any that you use is closelyconnected to the material being delivered. Effects for the sake of effects can deter the learning
process.
Pay close attention to your participants. They will give you important feedback about your
presentation and its impact if you make the effort to look for it. Attend to body language, facial
expressions, degree of participation or lack thereof. Check in with them. Ask them how they’re
doing. If they look bored, try something different. Shift gears, ask them some questions, alter the
agenda to respond. If they look puzzled, or are wearing frowns, you may need to go back over
material that they didn’t grasp the first time. Bottom line: do not wait til the end of the session to
find out about something you could have corrected near the beginning.
Other training tips and techniques that may help to make your presentation more dynamic include:
• use examples that illustrate the point
• avoid the use of jargon and acronyms - volunteers who are not as involved in your
organization can get lost or just feel excluded by language they do not understand
• add a personal touch through stories, quotes, and photographs
• humour is a great technique to get and hold attention, reinforce learning points, and lighten
up what can be dry or serious topics; beware however, that much popular humour can be
offensive to various populations, so think carefully about how you use this tool; never use
humour that puts any person or group down; if in doubt about a story or a joke, avoid it
• work up hypothetical situations and case studies through which participants can practice andapply what you’ve taught
• be sensitive to cultural diversity; try to get to know about your participants before the session,
including their traditions and their values; if you frequently deliver training to diverse
populations, think about taking a cultural sensitivity program yourself
• integrate real-world problems into exercises wherever appropriate
• invite a guest speaker to present a portion of the session, or consider team training if another
person is available to work with you - a mix of delivery styles can help to keep people’s
interest and respond to different learning needs among participants
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8. SUPERVISION AND ONGOING PLACEMENT SUPPORT
The volunteer supervisor’s central role is to create conditions under which volunteers can work
effectively and safely.
Supervision of volunteers fulfils two main functions and the effective supervisor finds ways to
routinely blend both of these in the contacts they have with those volunteers they supervise:
• provision of coaching, support and backup to volunteers to help them to stay connected,
comfortable, and satisfied in their position
• assurance that the volunteer is complying with all relevant policies, procedures, and work rules, and meeting the performance standards set for their work
Designated Supervisor
A supervisor should be identified for every volunteer. Sometimes the supervisor will be an
employee, sometimes another volunteer. The pay status of the supervisor is of little import. What
is important is that volunteer supervisors know how to work effectively with volunteers, and as we
have noted previously, it is a common mistake to simply assume that is so. Even senior employees
who have had many years of supervisory experience with employees cannot be assumed to
know how to adjust their supervisory methods to the unpaid work setting. Betty Stallings hasdone the most extensive writing on how to prepare employees to work effectively with volunteers.
See her work in the reference section at the end of this chapter.
Supporting Volunteers
Volunteers do not receive a pay cheque - at least in monetary terms. They receive their rewards in
a different form which varies widely from volunteer to volunteer. For many volunteers it is the
satisfaction gained from a job well done. For others it is simply the good feeling produced by
helping others. Some volunteers are trying to build their resumés, some are practising their skills
or looking to gain new ones, while still others are seeking a sense of identify or prestige that comesfrom advancement through the ranks to more senior positions.
That volunteers want something back from their volunteering is now a widely recognized fact in the
field of volunteer program management, and no specific volunteer motivation is either better or
worse than the others as long as it is compatible with the mission of the organization for which the
volunteer works. In fact, the simultaneous meeting of mutual needs - those of the volunteer and
those of the organization - is what makes excellence in volunteering.
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“Empowerment is sharing the
responsibility and authority
necessary to get the job done.”
Bill Wittich. Keep Those
Volunteers Around. (2002: 51)
The “currency” of paid employment is the pay cheque. The currency of volunteering is the work
and what it accomplishes. It is this distinction that leads most volunteers to need more feedback
and more day-to-day recognition and appreciation for their contributions than employees. This is
not to suggest that employees do not need feedback or appreciation as well, but the effective
volunteer leader knows that acknowledgement of contributions and recognition of work well doneis critical to success in the volunteer-organization relationship. Knowing that their work is important
and meaningful is what keeps volunteers coming back day after day, so spend more time looking for
volunteers doing things right than you do looking for problems in performance, and take every
opportunity you have to tell them about the good they are accomplishing. There is great truth in the
saying that “what gets rewarded gets repeated.”
Increased attention to individual volunteers adds to the cost of their involvement but ignoring this
essential ingredient of volunteer supervision will, in the long run, result in higher volunteer attrition
rates, thereby increasing the high front-end costs of finding, screening, training and placing
replacements. Supervisors of volunteers must stay aware of this key principle of volunteer
supervision.
Empowering Volunteers
It has been argued that the most important responsibility of a
supervisor of volunteers is to create an environment that
empowers volunteers to perform their duties. Empowered
volunteers take on increasing degrees of responsibility for their
own actions and increasing involvement in the decisions that
affect them. Because volunteers (like the population at large) are
evermore highly educated and increasingly skilled, the
empowering approach to volunteer supervision allows volunteers
to give their best to the job, and in turn, allows the organization to receive the greatest benefits from
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HOW
Enhancing The Effectiveness Of Volunteer SupervisionTO
Here are some tips to enhance the effectiveness of volunteer supervision:
• provide sufficient orientation to the organization
• provide and reinforce clear and appropriate position expectations
• provide proper training and the resources required to do the job
• implement a performance monitoring and evaluation system that hold volunteers
accountable for achieving identified performance standards
• articulate a clear vision of program or project success
• enhance the competence and confidence of each team member
• build and maintain positive working relationships and creative teams
• provide meaningful work
• allow volunteers the authority to offer input into how things can be made better • involve volunteers in program planning
• be available to volunteers when they need direction, support or backup
• allow for flexibility, expansion, transfers, and promotions in volunteer positions
• attend quickly to conflict and seek growth from conflict and diversity
• demonstrate faith in volunteers, offer visibility and recognition where appropriate and
desired
• create a motivating environment and volunteer positions that challenge but do not
overwhelm
Boundaries
If volunteers create trouble for themselves or the organization, it will most often be out of good
intent rather than ill intent. Volunteers are typically good people who want to help. They
sometimes do not understand why they should not do more than their position description permits.
Therefore, the identification, communication, and reinforcement of position boundaries becomes
very important. The definition of “appropriate” behaviour may not always be apparent to volunteers,
and supervisors will need to make certain that people know where the edges of their duties are.
In addition to understanding what actions are inside and outside of their mandates, volunteers alsoneed to have a very good understanding of the boundaries around volunteer-“patient/client”
relationships. What constitutes “appropriate” behaviour? What does inappropriate behaviour look
like? Organizations should have many of these principles articulated in policy.
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Consider these items for policy development:
• while volunteers are expected to be friendly with the people to whom they deliver service, is
it acceptable for them to become “friends” as well?
• what is the difference between being friendly and being friends?
• is it acceptable for volunteers to “see,” e.g., socialize with, go drinking with, chat via theinternet with ... those persons they have met as “clients/patients” in their work with SJA?
• if a volunteer supervises other volunteers, where is the boundary between the “on the job”
relationship, and off duty conduct? Should a volunteer supervisor supervise a close friend,
or should a conflict of interest be declared?
• under what conditions is physical contact allowed between volunteers and those to whom they
deliver services, e.g., can a Therapy Dog volunteer provide physical assistance to a patient
who is walking down the hall, transferring from a wheelchair into bed? Can a Youth Program
volunteer take some of the young people on non-SJA recreational outings, to the volunteer’s
home? Is hugging allowed?
• is any form of intimate contact permissible e.g., could a Therapy Dog volunteer on duty in a
nursing home give help to a client who is using the toilet, or to an elderly client who hasfallen off the toilet when no employees are right there to help, .... ?
• is it appropriate for Youth Program volunteers to have contact with the young people they
meet through their SJA volunteer work outside of SJA activities? e.g., is it permissible for
an SJA volunteer to invite a youth to the volunteer’s home? Is it acceptable for youth to
“sleep over” or accompany the volunteer on holiday?
HOW
Defining BoundariesTO
The following guidelines will help keep the motivation of volunteers high, and prevent
volunteers from straying outside the limits of their position description
• identify in position descriptions, and reinforce in all orientation and training sessions the
limitations of the position and the kinds of responsibilities volunteers should and should
not take on
• provide examples of prohibited activities and help volunteers to identify situations in
which they may be tempted to exceed position duties
• clearly explain the reasons why prohibited actions are prohibited (volunteers are much
more likely to comply with a policy or rule if they understand why it exists)
• pay particular attention to boundary issues where volunteers connect directly with
patients/clients or event participants, especially if clients or participants are in any wayvulnerable or isolated
• clearly describe what on-duty relationships should look like, including appropriate and
inappropriate ways of relating to supervisors, peers, and “clients”
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Volunteer Retention
The quality of the new recruits’ early experience on the job is most critical to volunteer
retention. The greatest loss of volunteers occurs during this initial period when volunteers’
expectations come face to face with the reality of the work. The greater the “disconnect” betweenthe two, the greater the likelihood of losing volunteers. Therefore, it is important to assist volunteers
through the ups and downs of this transitional period while making sure the “match” between the
volunteer and his or her expectations of the position is appropriate.
Distance Supervision
The supervision of volunteers who work in unstructured or normally unsupervised settings requires
special supervisory attention in three key areas:
• Keep them connected to the organization. To help volunteers to feel connected, special effortsmay be needed to create a sense of bonding or identification between the volunteer and the
program and organization.
• initiate more frequent personal contact with the off-site volunteer
• remember that off-site volunteers aren’t around to stay current with even the most obvious
changes in the office environment (e.g., office switching, staff changes, cupboard
reorganization, etc.) and team member lives (e.g., birthdays, marriages, children’s
graduations, etc.)
• be sure to welcome volunteer input in planning and decision-making
• wherever possible and appropriate, be certain to invite the volunteers who work off-site or in
isolation to participate in organization activities, e.g., “Stop by the office if you can on
Tuesday afternoon. It’s Sharon’s birthday and we’re getting a cake.”
• look for ways to create opportunities for distance volunteers to connect with other agency
personnel and their peers, e.g.,“We thought it might be a good idea for all of the
(offsite) volunteers to have the chance to meet each other once in a while. Could you
join us for a coffee on (date) ?”
• Be creative about communication linkages.
• expect communication difficulties to arise since they are common to long distance
management; make an extra effort to touch base with off-site volunteers
• give regular updates and feedback
• avoid volunteers beginning to work in job- or program-silos by passing along as muchinformation as possible to them about events and changes in the program and organization
• exert supervisorycontrol to contain the energies of the “go-getter” and “hero-wannabe” types
of volunteers who might be more tempted at a distance to exceed the boundaries of the
position description, e.g., set clear priorities, establish clear responsibility for results, limit
scope of authority, clarify accountability, and reinforce policies; make these regular substance
for supervisory sessions when you do check in with them
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What Is Performance Management?
“Performance management reminds us that
being busy is not the same as producing
results. It reminds us that training, strong
commitment and lots of hard work alone
are not results. The major contribution of
performance management is its focus on
achieving results -- useful products and
services for customers inside and outside
the organization. Performance management
redirects our efforts away from busynesstoward effectiveness.”
Source: Retrieved from
http://www.mapnp.org/library/perf_mng/de
fntion.htm
9. PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
This chapter deals with the often unpopular subject of evaluating volunteer performance. To be clear
from the outset, it is entirely appropriate to `evaluate' the performance of volunteers. Volunteers
should be no less accountable for their behaviour and performance than any other member
of the team. Some people, even experienced managers of volunteers, wince at the thought of
monitoring and “managing” volunteer performance. To some, it seems antithetical to volunteering.
The thinking goes something like this: “If volunteers
are good enough to work for us for nothing, who are
we to be critical of their efforts?” That sentimentmight have been an appropriate perspective twenty or
more years ago when the concept of due diligence was
relatively unheard of, when law suits were less
common, and when the public held nonprofits to a
much lower degree of accountability. It has no place
in modern volunteering ... unless the work of the
volunteers in question is completely unimportant and
errors in performance have no consequence of note.
While the concept of volunteer performance evaluation
is something that managers of volunteers may need towork at accepting, it may be even more surprising to
some volunteers. There are still volunteers and
prospective volunteers who, really without giving it too
much thought, assume that volunteering is a pretty
easy-going activity that happens without much fuss or
bother. Most would agree, if pressed to consider it for
a few moments, that volunteer work is usually
important enough to warrant some manner of quality assurance.
This is a critical concept that volunteers must understand and willingly accept from their earliest
contact with your organization. No one - pay status notwithstanding - should consider themselvesabove accountability. That would suggest that a volunteer’s participation in volunteer activity was
more important than the results of their work for the organization and those it serves. Such a sense
of entitlement really has no place in modern volunteering any longer. To not monitor volunteer
performance, or to lower standards for unpaid workers communicates the messages that their
work is not sufficiently important to monitor and that we don’t care what they do or do not
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Following are important principles that underpin volunteer performance evaluation:
• feedback on volunteer performance doesn’t necessarily mean criticism; volunteer supervisors
should actively seek opportunities to catch volunteers doing things right and be certain to
express appreciation and praise wherever possible
• volunteer performance feedback should not be reserved for just the formal appraisal sessions;regular feedback, particularly of the positive variety, reinforces excellence and establishes a
more receptive attitude among volunteers for those times when enhancements in performance
are called for
• volunteer performance evaluation reflects the importance of volunteer contributions to the
program or activity in which they are engaged
- an absence of feedback is both demeaning and disturbing
- without feedback, volunteers cannot know how to achieve success and that is the fastest
route to the destruction of volunteer motivation
-volunteers do not volunteer to do a bad job, and constructive and supportive feedback is a
significant component of volunteer recognition
- performance evaluation helps the program to better involve volunteers and ensures thatvolunteer involvement is contributing as much as possible to the aims of the program or
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HOW
Evaluating Volunteer PerformanceTO
• make performance feedback a positive experience; criticism should always be
constructive; the focus should not be on what is inadequate, but on how performance
can be improved; feedback is never punitive; identify volunteer strengths and interests;
identify growth areas, provide support and learning and development opportunities that
help volunteers to improve their skills and capacities
• performance feedback can be informal and low key, as long as volunteers clearly hear
messages about what is and is not working well; the light touch should not be so light
that the volunteer misses the message
• offer whatever assistance you can to help volunteers to meet standards, e.g., more
training, more coaching, more frequent supervision, a buddy to work with, an altered
work environment, etc.• use evaluation as a human resource management tool e.g., assess changes in volunteer
motivation, interests, and volunteer-related goals; re-check placement, contract terms,
position description, training and skill development requirements; make changes
wherever possible that will lead to enhanced volunteer satisfaction and related successes
• since performance feedback should be as much about what volunteers are doing right as
what they need to improve, it is most effective when it starts as soon as volunteers enter
their positions and continues throughout volunteers’ involvement; if volunteers
understand that this is “how we work here” then they expect feedback from the very
beginning, and resentment has no opportunity to develop
• correct problems immediately; do not save up a list of errors for the annual review!
• performance feedback can be based on information from a variety of sources, e.g., directobservation, submitted reports from the volunteer him or herself, employees or other
supervisor feedback, self-evaluations, program records, third party feedback
If a problem arises in a volunteer's performance, be sure to consult the SJA Discipline policies and
procedures. They outline the specific steps that supervisors must follow.
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10. RECOGNITION
Recognition is the volunteer’s pay cheque and volunteer recognition is an element of volunteer
involvement that is taken extraordinarily seriously at SJA. A formal volunteer recognition system
generates deeper commitment, longer retention, and a stronger will to do one’s very best.
Recognition is therefore good for the volunteer and good for the organization that engages the
volunteer.
A full volunteer recognition system is in place throughout SJA. It tracks involvement and assigns
rewards to volunteers in all positions. Investiture into the Order of St John represents the pinnacleof this system through which SJA’s most dedicated volunteers receive the highest possible
recognition for their contributions.
Principles of Volunteer Recognition
Following are nine principles of volunteer recognition that have emerged from decades of volunteer
program management, combined with new knowledge about how the volunteer labour force is
changing. Organizations which finds ways to integrate these principles into their volunteer
recognition programs will reap rewards in volunteer productivity, more congenial relationships, less
conflict, greater volunteer satisfaction, and the ever-prized enhanced volunteer retention rates.
• Volunteer recognition should be meaningful to the volunteer upon whom it is bestowed. The
“one size fits all” concept definitely does not apply here. Formal receptions, certificates and
plaques are appreciated by some volunteers and virtually meaningless to others. Some
volunteers volunteer for the public profile and status, but most volunteer to make a difference.
For the former, the public acknowledgement of a reception or awards ceremony helps to keep
them connected and committed to the organization and its mission. For the latter, regular
recognition of their presence along with feedback on the value of their accomplishments will
be much more effective than all the pins and certificates in the world.
• Volunteer recognition has a “short shelf life” and must be given frequently and repeatedly.Recognition should be thought of as a continuous and ongoing process from the start of a
volunteer’s entry into a program.
• Everyone appreciates courtesy, respect and positive reinforcement. So give these things
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• Employees rarely understand how important volunteer appreciation is to volunteers, and the
need to give continuous appreciation can generate resentment in employees who do not see
that recognition is the volunteer’s pay cheque. Do not assume that employees understand how
vital volunteer recognition is or that they know how to deliver it appropriately.
• Recognition must be delivered in a timely fashion - as close as possible to the achievement
of the volunteer. An immediate thank you is better than a proclamation six months later.
• Volunteer recognition must be honest and sincere. If you do not mean it, do not say it. Make
sure recognition is consistent, fair (and perceived as fair) and deserved - if you reward
volunteers who are not performing well, it only de-values the good work of others; if
recognition is not consistent, favouritism may be suspected.
• The basis for recognition can vary. Historically, organizations have based their volunteer
recognition systems on length of service with the organization. Typically, incremental awards
have been given for long-term commitment. Since most volunteers now prefer short-term positions and organizations are responding creatively with short-term assignments, the basis
for volunteer recognition must change from length of service to nature and degree of
accomplishment. This should be reflected in policy.
• Good management of the volunteer program is recognition in and of itself. Volunteers
recognize a well-run volunteer program and appreciate your attention to their efforts. Regard
to their working conditions, their safety and well-being, the tools and information they need
to fulfil their position well - these are the things that really demonstrate to volunteers that you
notice their presence, care about their experience, and respect their precious gifts of time and
skills.
• Maintain accurate records on the work of all volunteers including the nature of the work they
have done, the hours of service they have worked, and the kind of accomplishments they have
achieved. The SJA Unity program is designed to meet this need.
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Further Resources On Volunteer Recognition
Vineyard, Sue. (2001). Recognizing Volunteers: The Art, The Science, And A Gazillion Ideas!
Downer’s Grove, IL: Heritage Arts Publishing.
Vineyard, Sue. (1989). Beyond Banquets, Plaques and Pins: Creative Ways to Recognize
Volunteers and Staff. Downers Grove, IL: Heritage Arts Publishing.
Wittich, Bill. (2003). 77 Ways To Recognize Volunteers. Fullerton, CA: Knowledge Transfer
Publishing.
The St. John UNITY Program
UNITY is SJA’s online registration database that will help keep complete records for all students,
instructors and volunteers across the country. Within each contact record there will be information onregistrations, volunteering service hours, qualifications and any honours and awards the contact has
received. This tool will be beneficial to both the Councils and the clients because no matter what Council
or branch you walk into, the information will be readily available and up to date. This will be helpful in the
prevention of duplicate records in multiple branches and Councils as well as maintaining up to date
information on the individual or account.
UNITY will be especially beneficial to volunteers and the management of volunteer involvement. A
complete record of all qualifications, classes taken, events attended etc. will be available for each
volunteer. As well as the employees of SJA being able to update the records, the volunteers will also have
the opportunity to go online and view their own information. This can be achieved by requesting a user ID
and a password from the local Council and going to the E-Volunteer website that has been developed for
this specific purpose. Here they volunteers can see all of their personal information, events attended, position/roles achieved, and all honours and awards received. The volunteer will also be allowed to request
participation on upcoming events within their unit or Council.
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11. DISCIPLINARY ACTION
It does not happen often, but from time to time volunteers will step far enough out of line to require
disciplinary intervention by the supervisor up to and including dismissal.
There are more- and less-effective ways to fulfill every volunteer position and to deny that some
volunteers do not always measure up to minimum standards conveys the impression that the work
is irrelevant and insignificant. Every program that engages volunteers must consider that at
some point it may have to deliver corrective action and even dismissal in connection with a
volunteer’s substandard performance or inappropriate behaviour. As is the case withemployees, corrective action must be based on the volunteer’s failure to meet the requirements of
the position which is another good reason to prepare comprehensive position descriptions. They
establish the basis for accountability and the rationale for corrective action.
It is important to note that not all mis-performance by volunteers constitutes grounds for disciplinary
action. Far from it. In most instances, problems with volunteer performance are appropriately and
effectively addressed through the provision of positive and supportive intervention such as position
modification, extra support, training and/or coaching (for more on this, see the chapter on
Supervision). Disciplinary action is only triggered when the behaviour clearly calls for a more
serious intervention, such as when a volunteer fails to respond to non-disciplinary methods of
performance management, or when the behaviour demonstrates carelessness, intent to doharm, serious poor judgement, or risks the safety of people or public trust in the organization.
The Right And The Obligation To Act
The most common weakness in disciplinary processes in volunteer programs is the failure of
supervisors to intervene early enough when a volunteer’s performance is not satisfactory.
The disciplinary function is identified as the most difficult aspect of volunteer program management,
probably because most of us do not like conflict and genuinely care about the feelings of others.
Some even question whether volunteers can be disciplined or dismissed because they are volunteers.This doubt is based on an outdated notion that because volunteers give and give, the organization
has no rights in the equation. This could not be further from the truth. It is true that volunteers give
of themselves and their skills and their time, but that does not mean that the organization does not
have both the right and the obligation to ensure that the volunteer’s involvement is contributing to
the achievement of the mission, and represents the most effective and efficient application of
organization resources towards that end. Remember that organizations do not exist to give
volunteers a place to volunteer. Nor do volunteers have an entitlement to participation.
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An organization cannot
manage the risks it does
not identify.
12. RISK MANAGEMENT
All volunteer involvement generates some degree of risk. The degree of risk changes from setting
to setting, depending on variables such as the nature of the work volunteers are asked to do, the
environment in which the volunteers perform their duties, the level of vulnerability of those
volunteers work with and have access to, and the effectiveness of the management systems in place
to guide and support volunteers’ efforts.
In reality, life is full of risks and in this sense, volunteer participation is no exception. Indeed, if we
needed a guarantee of zero risk, most of us would never get out of bed, drive a car, board a plane,invest our money, or allow our children out of the house. The mere presence of risks related to
volunteer involvement should be neither the focus of attention nor a cause for alarm. What
is important is how we manage those risks.
Risks must be identified and controlled. The more attention given to
risks at a conscious level, the greater the likelihood of identifying
their presence early and managing them appropriately.
Risks are usually present both in the coordination of volunteer
involvement (how the program manager(s) and agency administration organize involvement), as well
as in the work itself. The general rule is that the more demanding the work, and/or the moredirect the contact between the volunteer and the “client”, the greater the potential risk.
Volunteers are often in positions of significant risk. It is good to keep in mind that risks may also
exist even in what appear to be straightforward and relatively safe volunteer positions. For
example, youth volunteers in an after-school activity program with younger children always work
on site, in the company of adults who actively supervise the work. What is the risk you might ask?
The young children are driven home by their parents, but many of the youth-mentors have to walk
across an unlit parking lot on their way home. The parking lot is dark and isolated in the winter
months. That constitutes a risk.
Nonprofit organizations have both a legal and a moral responsibility to attend to the safety and well-
being of those they serve, those who work for them, and others who come into contact with their operations. As a result, nonprofit organizations must integrate risk management into all of their
planning and decision making activities. This applies broadly to all aspects of an organization’s
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Risk Management Assumptions
It is prudent to assume the following as you begin to think about and apply risk management:
• There are no absolutes and no guarantees in risk management. The implementation of a risk
management system cannot prevent all risks. Things can, and do, still go wrong.
• Ignoring the potential for trouble never makes it go away and often exacerbates the outcome.
• Risk management is not designed just for the extremely risk situation; it should be applied to
all volunteer activity.
• Making every reasonable effort to control risks will often avert disaster and/or minimize the
magnitude of harm that results should a risk actually materialize.
• If something does go wrong, any attempts that have been made to anticipate and prevent the
loss or tragedy through a risk management process will constitute concrete proof of diligence,and consequently reduce personal and organizational exposure to liability.
• To be effective, risk management must be a continuous process rather than a one-time project.
Rising Standards
A few recent high profile cases of abuse by people in positions of trust in nonprofit organizations
have served to dramatically raise legal standards and demands for public accountability. These
changes have arisen so quickly that organizations which have not significantly increased their
attention to risk management in volunteer services in the last three to five years, are very likely
exposing both volunteers and clients to greater risk of harm and the organizations to greater
liability. Best practices that were considered adequate just a few years ago would be judged as
woefully sub-standard if not wholly negligent by today's standards. Risk management has become
an indispensable function in the management of volunteer resources.
Risks and liabilities related to volunteer involvement are exacerbated by two associated trends.
• First, Canadian society has become significantly more ‘litigational’. In a clear pattern no
longer confined to the United States, people are suing others more often, and nonprofit
organizations are not immune from legal accountability. Organizations are being sued across
the country, sometimes specifically because of the activities of volunteers.
• Second, as resources become scarcer, organizations look to volunteers to take on increasingly
responsible positions. Economic pressures on nonprofits have lead to cutbacks and layoffs
and that means there are fewer supervisory employees to oversee performance standards
among volunteers. Less supervision invites greater risks. It is generally true that volunteer
involvement has expanded faster than resources are being allocated for appropriate
volunteer program oversight. The result is that organizations fail to keep pace with
constantly increasing legal and public accountability standards.
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As long as volunteers are confined to simple and routine chores, away from direct contact with
clients or the public, agency administration has little with which to concern itself regarding risk. As
soon as an organization chooses to assign demanding, responsible, and direct-service work to
volunteers, the consequence of error multiplies, and an obligation arises to responsibly manage
volunteers as the real workers they have been asked to become. As the employer, organizations havecorresponding ethical and legal obligations to ensure that volunteers work in the safest manner
possible, in the least hazardous environment that can reasonably be created.
The Aims Of Risk Management
The possibility of accident, injury, loss or damage is always present. But this is the case in nearly
everything we do. It is important not to ignore risks, but it is equally important not to become
immobilized by them either. What is needed is a rational, systematic approach to risk management
that reduces and controls risks as much as reasonably possible.
There are two central and distinct aims of every risk management process.
• Prevention of harm and loss must always be the first priority of every risk manager. It is
clearly preferable to keep things from going wrong in the first place than it is to deal with the
consequences of tragedies and disasters after the fact.
• Liability reduction is a close second aim of every risk manager. Given that things can and do
go wrong, even with the best prevention mechanisms in place, it is entirely appropriate to
undertake measures that reduce personal and organizational liability exposure.
Risk Management Is Not Difficult or Mysterious
Risk management may sound complicated and highly technical, but the reality is that in most
circumstances, it is neither. In fact, we all engage in risk management all of the time; we just do not
label our actions and decisions as such, and we are not as systematic about our efforts as we probably
should be.
Tremper and Kostin (1993: 4) make good sense when they say:
“ At its heart, risk management is not a new trick, and it's not something mysterious. It's an
orientation to everything you do that is highly consistent with every charitable mission. Risk
management is not just looking for trouble, it's looking for solutions that make your organizationmore effective.
Doing good offers no exemption from doing good well.
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3 A comprehensive overview of this particular model applied to volunteer involvement
can be found in the author’s risk management manual, Better Safe ... Risk Management In
Volunteer Programs & Community Service (Linda L. Graff, 2003).
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Risk Management Means Much More Than Buying Insurance
One of the most prevalent and most serious risk-related errors made by nonprofit executives
(boards and senior staff) is to think that risk management is synonymous with buying
insurance and that buying insurance somehow manages risks. Not only are these assumptionsinaccurate. More importantly, they actually serve to increase risks rather than decrease them!
Risk management involves identifying risks and then setting about to control them. There are
hundreds of ways that organizations can control risks - implementing strategies, policies, boundaries,
workplace changes, etc., that prevent things from going wrong or lessen their severity if they do.
Insurance is merely the financial bandaid that is applied after a risk has actually materialized
and the organization is facing a financial obligation as a result. Buying insurance neither
diminishes the likelihood that a risk will materialize nor lessens the potential magnitude of
harm should it do so. In fact, the focus on insurance more typically diverts decision makers
from doing due diligence.
This is not to say that organizations should not purchase insurance. On the contrary. But to assume
that insurance is either the best or only response to risk is foolhardy at best, and negligent at worst.
Using A Risk Management Model
The essence of risk management is planning and prevention. The aim is to anticipate risks in
advance and then take conscious and appropriate measures to control or reduce those risks to a
tolerable level. While we all engage in risk management at an unconscious level all of the time, a
deliberate and systematic approach works best, and following a risk management model can prompt
us through the right steps at the right time to ensure appropriate risk identification and management.
There are many risk management models available to support an organization’s risk management
program. The one we favour and which is in widespread use throughout SJA is relatively simple
four-step model that also offers useful guidance about four distinct approaches to risk control.3 A
full explanation of the model is beyond what we can include in this handbook, but Councils and
Units are strongly urged to implement some form of organized risk management in connection with
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Creating A Risk-Aware Culture
Enlisting help in the risk identification and management process is critical to early detection and
effective control of risks. Develop a positive organizational culture about risk management that both
empowers and rewards all personnel for risk identification, reporting and control initiatives.
HOW
How To Create A Risk Aware Culture In Your OrganizationTO
Communicate: Create opportunities to talk about risk. Help volunteers understand that risk is
a normal part of doing business. Help them to become conscious of risks in their day-to-day
environment. Encourage identification and reporting of risks wherever volunteers work
throughout the organization. Make sure that employees feel comfortable reporting risks related
to volunteer involvement. Communicate that risk management creates a safer workingenvironment for all.
Educate: Enhance risk identification skills through ongoing training, case conferences, in-
service sessions, supervisory meetings, performance reviews, etc. Help volunteers to
understand the full range of risk control options available in their own area of the workplace,
including the small things that everybody can do to increase safety. Help them to know what
issues should be reported, and to whom.
Appreciate: Reward everyone who identifies and reports risks. Make risk management a
competency area and build it into the volunteer performance management system. Announce
successes, publicly acknowledge and reward volunteers’ efforts to make the workplace and theorganization’s services safer for everyone. Attention to risk management and good risk
reduction ideas could become the basis of a special annual volunteer recognition award.
Implement: People need to see that their efforts bring results. Follow up on all suggestions.
Implement risk control strategies and report back to the risk identifier on actions that have
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“Volunteer services enhance the programs and services offered to military families and foster
community awareness, pride and ownership of the MFRC. Volunteers are carefully recruited,
selected, trained and supervised and work in partnership with Centre staff. Our philosophy of
involvement includes appropriate orientation, opportunities for personal and professional
development, and ongoing recognition. We value the collaboration of volunteers and encouragetheir input in the planning of MFRC programs and activities.”
(The Military Family Resource Centre. Retrieved from:
http://www.mfrc-ncr.org/english/Volunteer.html on September 17, 2002)
“In the decades to come, volunteers will be woven into the fabric of BLM, playing a key role in
protecting the health of the public lands and providing better service to our publics. Volunteers will
be vital stewards of the public lands by serving as BLM team members, providing innovative ideas
and key resources, and serving as ambassadors in their local communities.”
(Bureau of Land Management, quoted in McCurley and Lynch, 1996: 17)
“The mission of Community Care Peterborough is achieved through active participation of the
community. Community Care values the involvement of volunteers in providing high quality services
to clients, enabling them to live more independently in their own homes.”
(Community Care Peterborough. Retrieved from:
Http://www.communitycareptbo.org/our_volunteers/our_volunteers_right/html on September 17,
2002)
“ In two major ways the Green Giant Company recognizes and accepts its responsibility to
participate substantially and responsibly in the society of which it is a part. Its first responsibility
is to exhibit social responsibility in all of its own business activities. Additionally, Green Giant is
committed to acting with its expertise, personnel, influence, and financial resources to aid in solving
societal problems and in improving overall life-quality, especially so in the communities where it
operates. This commitment recognizes that one of the company’s most valuable assets is its own
personnel. Therefore, to carry out this commitment, Green Giant encourages its company and
subsidiary employees to participate in community and civic affairs with their personal time and
talents.”
(The Green Giant Company, quoted in Steve McCurley
“Volunteer Recruitment Campaigns. Retrieved from:
http://www.casanet.org/program-management/volunteer-manage/vlrccamp.htm on September 17,2002)
This last one from the Burlington, Ontario Parks and Recreation Department is put into use as an
impressive part of their recruitment publicity and surely helps prospective volunteers to feel that
volunteering for this organization would be both worthwhile and appreciated:
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“Volunteers, and the contributions they make through volunteering, significantly enhance the quality
of life, community spirit, and leisure time opportunities in Burlington. Volunteers are a valuable
human resource requiring and warranting support and encouragement to maintain and develop
their skills and to ensure their continued involvement in the provision of leisure opportunitiesthroughout the City. The Parks and Recreation Department will continue to develop and provide
support for volunteers and volunteer groups to ensure their continued involvement in leisure services