Brief strategic plans help you meet goals

One-page strategic plans

Photo: Pixabay

I’ve spent the last few weeks working on my strategic business plan for 2025.

I have a tool I use, a one-page strategic plan, that I’ve modified from other examples out there. Most of the ones I’ve seen are either quite complicated, trying to fit in all the details of a five year plan onto a single sheet of paper, or very limited, only allowing two or three goals.

The one I’ve come up with is a lot simpler and allows significant scope. I realized it would probably be just as useful for putting together a plan for your volunteer program for 2025.

Why, you might ask, do you need to have a strategic plan just for the volunteer program? Isn’t the plan for the organization good enough? If you’ve ever seen the strategic plan for your organization, you likely have noticed how little attention it gives to volunteers. It may give lip service to the need to keep the program strong, but actual, actionable goals are few or non-existent.

Former U.S. president Dwight Eisenhower famously said “…plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” That includes for volunteer programs.

Planning out the year forces you to take a close look at how your program is actually doing and where it can improve. It gets you into a “big picture” mind frame. Planning also instills the discipline of coming up with annual targets for the program and actionable SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound) goals to help you reach those targets. It makes sure your goals and actions are aligned with your mission and values.

Those goals may change over the year but the act of sitting down and coming up with them can give you a clear direction to move in.

Too often, our plans are vague. “We need to get more volunteers!” How many more volunteers? With what skills? When do we need them by? And, really, do we need more or do we just need to utilize the ones we have better?

It’s those questions that a good strategic plan can answer.

Why a one-page strategic plan? Once you’ve seen as many strategic plans as I have, you quickly realize why. The large, complex, multi-page documents that many plans turn into tend to be put in a binder and placed on a shelf somewhere. They’re dragged out at the next annual general meeting and everyone wonders why the goals weren’t met. Often, it’s decided it just needs more detail. I’m sure you can guess how effective that is.

A one-page plan, on the other hand, can be posted above your desk, where you see it every day. It reminds you to keep working toward one or more of the goals listed. Basically, it helps you stay on track. It also gives you the opportunity to revise the plan if and when things change.

For example, one of your goals may have been to approach the local factory to set up a corporate volunteer program. In April, however, the economy took a downturn and the factory laid off half its workers. It may not a good time to approach them about supporting employees to volunteer. That goal will have to be postponed or replaced. Having the plan in front of you allows you to do that in real time.

The plan itself isn’t everything, though. Part of the strategic planning, though not of the plan itself, are the actions you need to take to accomplish the goals. Whether you type these up in a document or enter them into project management software like Asana or Monday (both of which have free versions), it’s important to know what actual steps you need to take. I’ve seen it a lot where a goal isn’t met simply because no one knows how to get going on it, so it never actually gets started.

By working out at least the first couple of actions, you can build momentum that will carry you through the project. The more actions you can write down at the beginning, of course, the easier and faster it will be to achieve the goal.

With all that in mind, I created a one-page strategic plan template for volunteer programs. If you’re interested in trying it out, let me know and I’ll email it to you.

Now’s the perfect time to think about your plans for next year. The template has instructions on it, as well as examples to help you get started. If you have any questions about it – or suggestions to make it better – please let me know. If you need help working through it, I’m happy to hop on a complimentary call to get you going.

I want us all to have an amazing 2025.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.

Volunteers becoming a force to be reckoned with

Importance of volunteers

Photo: Contributed

Today (Dec. 5) is International Volunteer Day.

The U.N. estimates the world-wide number of volunteers at more than 862 million per month. That’s at least double the population of every country in the world, with the exception of India and China. It’s more than 21 times the population of Canada. And every month. (Volunteers) should be a force to be reckoned with

So, why aren’t we? Why, even in the organizations that depend the most on volunteers, are we often a bit of an afterthought? How many organizations include the volunteer program in their strategic plans or have volunteer professionals on their boards of directors and trustees? How many actually consistently and thoughtfully invest in their (volunteer) programs?

Too often, the leader of volunteers has that portfolio added to an already over-flowing schedule, or the role is assigned to someone with little or no experience or training. As I’ve often said, the leader of volunteers is a leadership role.

The person in that role leads more people than almost anyone else in the organization. Yet it’s often relegated to being dealt with off the side of someone’s desk.

That’s the perception in organizations that depend on volunteers. How, then, does the greater community perceive volunteers and leaders of volunteers?

It’s important to have a day acknowledged in the international arena but, really, how many people outside the sector have ever heard of it? Is it any more known than, say, Feb. 10 – International Day of the Arabian Leopard? Or Aug. 11 – World Steelpan Day? Raising awareness of the importance of volunteers (and other issues) is critical, but in trying to raise that awareness, we often talk, post and blog to people who are already aware. Basically, we’re shouting into an echo chamber.

For volunteers to become a force to be reckoned with, we need to get our voices heard outside the sector.

How? I have a few ideas:

• See if you can publish blogs or articles in online news magazines or in other general interest publications. I reached out to our local online news site, Castanet and it now publishes this weekly column.

• Rather than just speaking on podcasts aimed at the sector, reach out to ones that have a broader audience.

• Talk about your volunteering or your volunteer program to everyone, not just those you want to recruit. I need to get better at that myself.

• Join an advocacy group that is petitioning your government to prioritize volunteerism or talk with your government representative about ways to promote volunteerism.

• Hold recruitment drives in places like malls or libraries where you can be seen by, and help educate, the general public.

• If nothing else, put a sticker in the window of your vehicle bragging about being a volunteer.

These are ideas just off the top of my head. There are bound to be far more ideas that I haven’t thought of yet. The point is to think about where and how we can be seen by people who don’t already see us.

In what other ways can we make volunteers and volunteerism a force to be reckoned with?

• Educate our own organizations.

• Give presentations to the board about the benefits of investing in the program.

• Sit down with the executive and discuss the importance of having a volunteer engagement professional leading the volunteers.

• Hold workshops for other staff who interact with volunteers so they learn the value that volunteers bring to the organization.

We know volunteers are a force to be reckoned with in this world. How do we get other people to give us that recognition?

So, on this International Volunteer Day, what are you doing to get the word out?

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.

The keys to a successful volunteer information session

Recruiting volunteers

Photo: Pixabay

One of the key steps in recruiting volunteers is to hold an information session.

It gives you the chance to showcase your program in front of people who are already somewhat interested, and it also gives you the opportunity for a bit of pre-screening. People who don’t show for the session are unlikely to show up for a shift.

As the information session may be the first direct contact a potential volunteer has with your organization, it’s important that it’s done well. That takes planning.

Here are a few tips:

Volunteer applications—before or after?

I’ve seen it done both ways, and both have their advantages and challenges. If someone has already filled out an application form, it’s easier to contact them to provide logistical details. This can be super helpful if the location or time changes unexpectedly.

The downside is that someone may not feel comfortable completing an application until they know more about the organisation and what they might be doing. Whether you choose to have them do it before the session or just before it ends, think about how you can deal with the challenges that come with that choice.

Pre-session communication

No matter if you are directly contacting people who have already expressed interest, or putting out posts on social media, take some time to think about what the attendees will need to know. Who, what, why, where, when, and how.

Who might be interested? What will the event provide and why would they want to come? Where will it be held (online meeting platform or physical address)? When is it to be held, and for how long? How do they sign on or find the proper room?

Also, ensure that you mention if there are accessibility limitations, or if latecomers will be rebooked for a different session.

The presentation itself

Remember, you will be speaking with people who, just by being there, have expressed an interest in volunteering with you. You need to change interest to desire to action.

• Inspire them. Talk about the impact that they can make in the community. Hey, everyone wants to be a hero! Tell specific stories about the good that volunteers with you have done. Talk about your organization’s vision and mission. Don’t just read off the wording, make it come alive for them.

• Inform them. Show them the opportunities that you have available, and how each contributes to the cause. Explain about what training, support and perks that volunteers receive. In other words, what they get for their investment of time and talent. Tell them what a typical shift looks like. Show them how to sign up.

• Involve them. If at all possible, have them participate. If you’re meeting in person, do a tour of your facility, for example. If you’re meeting online, ask them questions. “How many meals do you think we serve each year?” or “What attracted you to this organization?” The more that an attendee participates, the more connected they will feel to the organization, and the more likely it is they will sign up.

Prepare to answer questions

Take some time before the session to think about what questions a potential volunteer might ask. This gives them trust in your knowledge and leadership, as well as gaining a deeper understanding of your program and its volunteer roles. It also give you more confidence during the session. If you don’t have the answer to a specific question, say so, and tell them when you will get back to them with the answer.

Provide engaging hand-outs

Before the session ends, provide the attendees with materials to take away with them such as flyers and impact reports. In them, highlight the positive outcomes of volunteering with you. Indicate what roles are currently available, time commitments, and other information to help the attendees make an informed decision.

Remember to mention the value that you provide the volunteer, not just what you are looking for from them. These are all things that you touched upon during the presentation, but with more detail or testimonials from current volunteers.

Remember to follow-up

The most common mistake I’ve seen when recruiting volunteers is to lose touch with people who show interest. Even if they don’t sign up with you right away, promptly follow up with them to express gratitude for their participation.

Provide any additional information they may have requested, let them know how to get in touch if they have any questions, and reiterate the positive impact they can have by joining your volunteer team.

Volunteer information sessions are a valuable part of the recruitment process. They give you a chance to inspire, inform and involve people who have already shown that they care about your cause. Done well, they can be the final nudge required to have someone start their volunteering journey with you.

Try it. Good luck, and let me know if you need help.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.

Volunteers and the U.N.'s sustainable development goals

Sustainable volunteering

Photo: Contributed

The past two years, I’ve written columns about upcoming trends in volunteering.

When I reviewed the one from last year, I realized most of the trends I mentioned are still moving through, with only one significant addition that I see coming—awareness and recognition of volunteers and the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.

2026 is the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development.

The fact the U.N. General Council specified “for sustainable development” in it’s declaration was, according to U.N. development program administrator, Achim Steiner, “a call for U.N. member states to make volunteerism an integral cog in their development pathways to drive forward the global goal.”

The 17 goals, in case you haven’t seen them recently, are:

1. No poverty

2. Zero hunger

3. Good health and well-being

4. Quality education

5. Gender equality

6. Clean water and sanitation

7. Affordable and clean energy

8. Decent work and economic growth

9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure

10. Reduced inequalities

11. Sustainable cities and communities

12. Responsible consumption and production

13. Climate action

14. Life below water

15. Life on land

16. Peace, justice and strong institutions

17. Partnerships for the goals

Can you name one of the goals that isn’t supported by volunteers? I can’t.

Therefore, governments that are focused on achieving those goals need to start paying significantly more attention to the work volunteers provide to the process. With the high cost of living in many countries, many people no longer have the time to spend volunteering. They are now having to work multiple jobs, or care for family members at home rather than have them in daycares or care homes. That leaves the organizations that work toward the Sustainable Development goals scrambling for help.

Governments need to do more than pay lip service to the value of volunteers. Concrete action needs to be taken to make it easier for people to volunteer. Schemes such as “mandatory volunteering” are heavy-handed and generally ineffective. We need to find and implement more creative solutions.

Back in January, I suggested governments provide tax receipts for time donated, in much the same way they do for money donated. I’m not sure how well such an idea would work but it would certainly be better than what is being done now, which, in Canada, is little more than patting us on the head and telling us what a nice job we’re doing.

But what I really want to focus on is what we, as leaders of volunteers, can do to initiate action at the government level.

Get together with some of your colleagues and brainstorm creative ways government can support volunteering in a specific, actionable way. There are a lot of us, and we are smart people.

I’ve suggested one solution. What ideas can you come up with? Consider being part of the International Association for Volunteer Effort’s series of global dialogues to plan for 2026. It is hosting a number of online conversations to discuss questions like:

1. What action is required—and by whom—to increase recognition of the value of volunteering made by all types of volunteers?

2. What needs to be done to ensure that governments in all parts of the globe provide not only the rhetoric of support, but the financial investment that enables volunteering to flourish?

3. What must change to address power dynamics and ensure that a diversity of voices of volunteers (women, young people and other marginalized groups, formally or informally organized) play a key role in shaping an enabling environment for volunteering?

4. What needs to be done to generate the necessary investments to enable volunteers to fulfil their potential?

Here’s the link to the IAVE website for more information or to sign up if you’re interested: https://www.iave.org/iyv26-global-dialogues/

Talk to your federal government representative directly about what ideas they have for supporting you and don’t let them brush you off. Find out from them what exactly you need to do to make the ideas a reality. Gather petitions? Bring on larger organizations like Volunteer Canada or the Royal Voluntary Service? Try to get them to commit to taking specific action themselves, like speaking with other representatives about the ideas.

Lastly, thank you. I know I’m asking you to do more, but thank you for all the work you currently do to support one or many of the U.N’.s sustainable development goals.

Without your dedication and leadership, we would be moving a lot slower toward the better world we all want.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.