Recruitment

The recruitment component is essential to staffing your ministry. It consists of the vehicles by which you attract potential volunteers to your ministry. Most Center would not be in existence if it wasn't for the volunteers who make the work we do possible. The creativity, money, planning and time put in here will pay off in the end. The efforts put in here are long-term verses short-term payoffs.

Screening

The screening component is composed of the vehicles by which you screen those who express interest in volunteering. We all know that not everyone who expresses interest in counseling is necessarily "right" for the job. Good screening processes, paperwork, and procedures help to put each person into the right position in the ministry.

Training

The training component is broken down into three smaller components: basic volunteer training, on-the-job training and in-services training. Each training component is essential to the equipping of volunteers as well as the retention of volunteers over time.

Supervision

This component includes the day-to-day supervision of your in-office, helpline and prayer chain volunteers. Your supervision should answer four important questions that all volunteers ask:

What am I supposed to do?
Will you let me do it?
Will you help me when I need it?
Will you let me know how I am doing?

If your supervision answers these questions your volunteers will be very happy and they will volunteer over a longer period of time.

Evaluation

The component address, in a formal way the fourth question (listed above) asked by volunteers: Will you let me know how I am doing? Formal evaluations should occur at least yearly. The evaluations should be based on volunteers' job descriptions and what they were taught in training. Evaluations need not be complicated or drawn out but should be a scheduled, integral part of any volunteer program.

Feedback and dialogue with volunteers about client interaction should be a regular, ongoing event in your Center. Don't wait for a yearly evaluation to give volunteers correction or positive feedback. Let them know how they are doing on a regular basis. Keep short accounts and never be stingy with your praise of volunteers.

Appreciation

We all like to know that our efforts are appreciated. Especially when we are not getting paid for the job we are doing. Motivation for volunteering is different for each person. Appreciation takes into account the various motivations for volunteering and addresses those motivations both individually and corporately. An artful thank you can go a long way in encouraging and retaining volunteers.

Volunteer Web Sites

Click here for some helpful web sites that deal exclusively with volunteer issues!