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Volunteers - How to Motivate them
Volunteers are the heart (and hands) of any organization. Most big non- profits like the Red Cross and Salvation Army would not be able to function without their volunteers. It goes without saying that smaller community organizations, with smaller budgets and fewer hands need to take extra good care of the people who come to volunteer their skills and time.
Here are some ways you can ensure you keep your volunteers motivated and energized.
1. Find out why each member joined the group and be sure their needs are being met. You can do this formally via a membership form or meeting or even while chatting casually with each of them. For new volunteers, try to assign them tasks that they can complete easily. For larger projects ensure that you provide them with the necessary coaching and guidance.
2. Get suggestions from your volunteers. Have a suggestion box if you have a standard meeting place or if you meet up more informally encourage people to speak with you about their ideas. Be prepared to implement some of them or do not ask for suggestions! Better yet, get the person who made the suggestion involved in planning how to implement the initiative if possible.
3. Have meetings only when they are needed. Often times organizations feel that they need to have a meeting to discuss little details. Meetings may be held late into the night or on weekends, taking volunteers away from their families. Try to be sensitive to this and keep your meetings short. Try to do a conference call whenever possible. And remember the purpose of your meetings.
4. Delegate responsibility and let your volunteers know you have confidence in their ability. Try to match people's skills to the work that needs to be accomplished not the other way around. For example - you may have someone on your team with great graphic design skills who could create flyers, posters and t-shirt designs for your volunteer organization.
5. Have a special event where you celebrate your volunteers. Wear your logo and award each person with an award or certificate to acknowledge their contributions. Present them with a token of appreciation such as gift certificates. You can get local businesses to donate these to save on costs. Don't ignore any members of the group and be sure to acknowledge everyone's talents.
Most important of all, share the purpose of your organization with your volunteers. Explain why you are here and how important their contribution is. When the going gets tough, your mission and purpose will bring your volunteers together and motivate them to keep going!
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