Refresher training for volunteers is important

Better volunteer training

Photo: Pixabay

Refresher training for volunteers is important.

Refresher training is an often forgotten part of keeping volunteers happy and productive.

That was driven home to me when I was on a call the other day with a client. They were asking how to do something in the volunteer management software, Better Impact. I’ve been fully trained in Better Impact, but my training was almost two years ago and there were so many areas I couldn’t help them with because, not using it all the time, I simply didn’t remember how parts of it worked.

Remembering details of a software program, of course, is a minor issue. Imagine this, you volunteer at a shelter for those without homes. Amongst other things, you are trained on how to administer Naloxone, the anti-overdose medication. Three months down the road, you are faced, for the first time, with a situation where the medication is required. How much do you think you’d remember?

Too often, we feel guilty about asking volunteers to take more training – especially training they’ve done before. They give enough of their time as it is, we think. I understand, most of the training we have volunteers take isn’t life-or-death. A lot of it, though, is serious enough that it needs to be top of mind for volunteers.

Also, volunteers want to do a good job. They want to feel like they are an effective and efficient part of the organization. To have that feeling, they need to be comfortable with all aspects of their role, even those they don’t do that often. That means refresher training.

So what does refresher training include? Here’s what I recommend.

Understand your audience’s needs

The first stage of any training plan is understanding who your audience is and what level of training is required. Consider what knowledge volunteers already have on the topic. How long ago did they have their last training session on this topic? Are there common mistakes they are making that you need to factor in? Are there portions of their roles that they rarely need to perform, but are important when they are needed, like the Naloxone? Is there any training that they are actually asking for?

Review your existing content

Once you’ve decided what areas need refresher training, take stock of your existing content to understand if there are elements that you can repurpose or reuse in your refresher training, or gaps that need to be filled. While your refresher training should cover all the basics, it can also be used to challenge volunteers (which has the added advantage of making the training more interesting), so be willing to add more advanced skills to the mix.

Create new content

Think of new content for your refresher training that adds to your key messages. Again, new information on top of the necessary basics will make volunteers see more value in the training, and you’ll have fewer volunteers complain about taking it.

Decide on your delivery method

The best fit will depend on a few factors, including number of volunteers to be trained, organizational setup and your training budget (if you have one). Face to face training is a great option if the volunteers perform most of their role on site or if there are hands-on elements required as part of the training. A bonus to this type is that it allows for open discussion, which builds community amongst the volunteers.

The downside, of course, is the inconvenience for volunteers and the cost to you, especially if you’re hosting refresher training sessions on a regular basis. Online sessions, such as over Zoom or other video conferencing platforms, solve those problems, but aren’t appropriate for any hands-on learning.

A third option is video training, or e-learning. This works really well for quick reminders or if you have a lot of people who need the training but aren’t all able to come together at the same time. The disadvantages are that it doesn’t work for hands-on learning, for building community, or for information that changes often.

There isn’t one right way. Use whichever method best suits the specific training you are focused on at the time.

Schedule your course

Once your content is ready, all you need to do is get it on the schedule. Refresher training works best if it is held on a regular basis but with various days and times to allow for different people’s schedules. For example, you could have the training every month, January being in the morning on a Saturday, February in the early afternoon on a Tuesday, and March being in the evening on a Thursday. That way everyone gets an opportunity to attend.

Don’t talk yourself out of refresher training

It can be life-or-death. Even if it’s not, though, doing it makes sense. The better trained volunteers are, the greater the impact on your mission, and the more satisfied volunteers will feel about their role. 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.

The art of writing grant proposals to support volunteer programs

Successful grant proposals

Photo: Pixabay

It's important to be clear, concise and follow the guidelines when writing a grant proposal.

Volunteer program budgets are small and too few leaders even try writing grants to supplement them.

Whether they need money to improve technology, provide training or start a new initiative, studies have shown funders are willing to step up, but a well-written application is essential. Funders receive far more applications than they can support, so a clear, compelling and well-organised proposal can make all the difference.

Start with knowing what funders want. Before sitting down to write, learn about the funder. Read their guidelines carefully and research what types of projects they’ve funded in the past. Just as we want volunteers who match our values, funders want to support projects that align with their priorities. If your proposal feels off-topic, it’s less likely to be successful.

Most funders look for:

• Alignment with their mission—If a funder prioritizes community health or the environment, show how your proposed project contributes to that goal.

• Clear impact—Funders want to know their money will make a difference. Be specific about how what you’re asking them to fund will impact the community.

• Organizational readiness—What’s your capacity? Can you deliver what you’re promising? Funders look for signs of strong leadership, good planning and responsible financial management.

• Sustainability—No one wants to fund something that falls apart once the grant ends. Be ready to explain how your program will continue even after the money runs out.

There are a few key components you need to include when writing grants. While every funder has their own application format, most will expect you to address the following areas.

1. Executive summary or overview

This is the first section and sometimes the only one decision-makers read in detail. Use it to provide a clear, engaging summary of your program, your goals and how the funding will be used. Aim for clarity over cleverness. Although it is the first thing the funders will read, it should be the last that you write.

2. Organizational background

Briefly describe your organization’s mission, history,and accomplishments. Keep it concise and focused on why you're a good candidate for their support.

3. Statement of need

This is where you explain the problem your project addresses. Data and storytelling meet here. Use statistics to back up your case but also include stories that bring the issue to life. Describe the people or community you serve, why the work is important, as well as issues with the status quo.

4. Project description

Now dig into the details of your volunteer initiative:

• What exactly are you proposing to do?

• Who will be involved?

• What are the goals and expected impact?

• How will this make your overall program more successful?

Show that you’ve thought through the logistics and have a solid plan. Include a timeline and mention any partnerships that strengthen your work.

5. Budget and justification

Be realistic about what the project will cost. Break the budget into broad categories (e.g., staff time, training, technology). Most importantly, explain why each item is necessary. If possible, show what other funding sources will contribute, including in-kind support or matching funds.

6. Evaluation and impact

Funders need to know how you’ll measure success. Outline the metrics you’ll use to track progress, and how you’ll collect that information. Don’t go overboard. Choose a few meaningful indicators and explain how they connect to the stated goals.

7. Sustainability

Show you’re thinking beyond the grant period. How will the impact continue once this funding ends? Will you seek other grants, build internal capacity or develop new partnerships? Even if you’re not certain, funders appreciate evidence of long-term thinking.

Here are a few extra tips.

• Follow the instructions exactly. Don’t ignore word limits, formatting rules or deadlines. Many applications are dismissed before they’re even read simply because they don’t follow the rules.

• Use plain language. Avoid jargon or acronyms that outsiders may not understand. Aim for clarity and impact over clever writing.

• Be specific. Vague phrases like “we will engage the community” don’t mean anything. Say how you’ll do it, who will be involved, and what you expect to happen because of it.

• Back up your claims. If you say training volunteers increases program impact, share data or give a real example. If you say there’s a gap in services, provide evidence.

• Proofread carefully. Typos and inconsistencies can make your application seem rushed or unprofessional.

• Get a second opinion. Ask someone outside your organization to read your draft. They can spot things you’ve overlooked and help you gauge how clear your message is.

Writing grants can be hard. The funding, though, will have a ripple effect throughout your organization and on your mission, both in the short- and long-term. With careful planning, engaging storytelling, and attention to detail, grant writing can help secure the resources needed to strengthen and grow your mission. It’s not glamorous work but it’s a powerful tool to turn a good idea into reality.

If you need some extra help, I’ve got a general template on the “Resources” page of my website. Good luck.

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

You may not know it but you are likely making a difference to others

You are making a difference

Photo: Contributed

You may not realize that people are looking to you for inspiration.

Have you ever wondered if you’re really making a difference?

Day after day, you do everything you can to support those who support your cause. But still, some volunteers don’t show up for their scheduled shifts, often staff don’t see the value of volunteers and the executives cut your budget again. It’s so easy to see the challenges and the steps forward can seem very tiny.

But, I’d like to tell you a story about someone making a difference.

Many years ago, when I lived in Victoria, a friend kept bugging me to hike with her to the top of Mount Finlayson in nearby Goldstream Park. The view from the top was supposed to be spectacular.

Understand, I’m not a hiker by any stretch of the imagination. However, she nagged and pestered and finally got me to agree. We set a day and time and on that sunny, warm Saturday morning, I drove to the parking lot at the bottom of the trail to meet her, only to get a message saying she was called into work and couldn’t come.

There I was, all psyched and ready to go. So, I thought I might as well do it and then I could get her off my back. And off I went.

Did I mention I’m not a hiker? About 20 minutes up the trail, I realized I had made a very stupid decision. It was hard. Hiker or not, though, I do have my pride and not far ahead of me was a heavy-set woman in a red shirt who was huffing and puffing even more than I was.

I looked at her and thought to myself “When she quits, I’ll quit!”

You can probably figure out what happened. She didn’t quit. She huffed and puffed her way right to the top of the mountain, with me, cursing and stumbling along behind her. The view from the top was spectacular.

But that’s not the real story. After a drink, a snack and a long rest, I started back down. When I reached the parking lot and was unlocking my car, a young woman came up to me and said, “Excuse me. I just wanted to say thank you.”

I must have looked as confused as I felt because she said, “You see, I didn’t want to go on the hike. My boyfriend talked me into it. I was going to quit but I saw you up ahead of me. You were obviously struggling too so I decided that when you quit, I’d quit. And I’m so glad you never did because the view up there is priceless and I’m so proud of myself for making it all the way. Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you.”

Then she turned and walked away.

And I stood there, stunned. It was only as I was driving home that it struck me. I never thanked the woman in the red shirt. She had no idea she carried people with her to the top of Mount Finlayson. Her courage and perseverance gave courage and perseverance to two other people—maybe more.

We often never hear about the difference we make in other people’s lives.

This work is hard. Your struggles and efforts as a leader of volunteers may not seem to make much of a change but I can assure you they do. What looks to you like a tiny step causes ripples that can lead to a tidal wave of change for people you may never meet.

You are likely never to hear about the volunteer who left an abusive relationship because your encouragement in their role gave them self-confidence. Or the staff member who started a different job and put in policies that they had learned from you. Or any of the hundreds, or even thousands, of other actions, thoughts or emotions your work fostered with the people you deal with and with the people they deal with.

You are a powerful force for good in the world, even if you don’t see it. Any time you start wondering if what you’re doing is really making a difference, remember the woman in the red shirt. Like her, you have no idea how many people you are carrying to the top of a mountain. It’s no wonder you feel tired all the time.

And, in case you are curious, I could hardly walk for a week after that climb and I never did it again. But it was worth it.

Keep making a difference, we need you.

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

Creating a culture of excellence in your volunteer program

A culture of excellence

Photo: Pixabay

Committing to a culture of excellence is important for any organization, especially one with volunteers.

From program delivery to community outreach, from communications to advocacy, volunteers are responsible for so much in the running of our organizations.

Can you imagine your organization without volunteers? Creating a culture of excellence in your volunteer program elevates your ability to retain volunteers, attract new ones, raise awareness of your mission and ultimately, increase your impact in the world.

During my many years working with social impact organizations, I’ve observed four key focuses that contribute to a culture of excellence:

1. Mission focus

2. Volunteer focus

3. Systems focus

4. Performance focus

First, the mission focus. There is a reason your organization exists. There is a need out there that it was created to fill. Filling that need is the mission. The organization must fully align the volunteer program with its mission for it to be truly useful. There’s no point in having volunteers do tasks that don’t contribute to the organization’s purpose.

Photo: Contributed

Culture of excellence components

Having a mission-focused culture can help you attract more volunteers, retain the existing ones and build a strong reputation in the community. Here are some questions to help you develop a mission focus:

• Do all the tasks you assign volunteers have a direct impact on your mission? If someone asks, can you specify exactly how those tasks help, and why they’re important?

• Are the volunteers themselves aware of the impact they are having on the mission? Can they articulate their impact?

• Is the mission at the centre of all policy decisions? Is it core to discussions around changes to program procedures?

One level down from the mission should be the volunteer focus. A strong volunteer focus means that your team members feel purposeful, heard, and appreciated. This creates a positive culture that contributes to productivity and retention.

• Do you provide training and feedback to the volunteers so that they can do their very best? Do you know what makes each of them unique? Do you know what situations they thrive in? And do you make sure they’re placed in those roles?

• Are you doing routine volunteer surveys? Do you provide opportunities for volunteers to give feedback on their volunteering experience and on the program as a whole?

• How, and how often, do you express your appreciation for their service? Do you use all four appreciation “languages”, each to the appropriate volunteer?

The third focus should be on your systems. Systems are all about how things get done. The interaction of component parts that help us reach our goals.

Organizations that make a real, sustained impact walk a fine line between flexibility and structure. Questioning the status quo develops flexibility. Paying attention to processes improves structure.

Build your systems around achieving your mission and supporting volunteers.

• Does your organization rely on set systems to accomplish its goals? Or are things more ad hoc?

• Do you have your systems documented? Do volunteers know where to access them? Or whom to ask? Are they followed consistently?

• Do volunteers know the proper places and spaces for proposing changes to your systems? Are they comfortable doing so?

Finally, focus on performance. Researcher and author Brene Brown describes performance standards as “making sure her team knows what done looks like.”

She sets clear expectations of what she envisions for the completed project, then allows the team to tackle it. Is this true for your organization?

• Are you clear about details and expectations? Do volunteers sometimes get confused? When things aren’t done to a set standard, do you communicate that?

• Do volunteers know exactly what would happen if the ball was dropped? What the impact on the mission would be if something wasn’t done, or wasn’t done properly? Would they be comfortable coming and telling you if they realized something went wrong?

• Is progress toward the goals communicated regularly? Do you remember to communicate with all the volunteers within the organization? (I’ve been guilty of this in the past—communicating often with the people in the same location as me but overlooking some of the volunteers who work remotely. While it wasn’t intentional, it had the effect of making them feel less seen and appreciated.)

A culture is the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterize an institution or organization. It’s how people – staff, volunteers, clients and other stakeholders – feel about your organization.

Committing to a culture of excellence can be challenging and it can take some time to fully implement, but the rewards are enormous.

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