How to Develop a Volunteer Orientation
According to the Nonprofit Expert website, more than one-fourth of all Americans engage in some form of volunteer or community service, including playing in community symphonies and bands, serving at food pantries, helping with disaster relief, and working as museum docents. Volunteer work is one way that nonprofit organizations are able to accomplish their mission on relatively small budgets. In order for new volunteers to effectively serve a nonprofit organization, however, the organization must provide them with a top-notch orientation program.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Adequate seating
- microphone (depending on the size of the group)
- projection equipment
- photographs of the organization at work
- representatives of the board, clients, staff, donors, and seasoned volunteer
- volunteer application form
- volunteer job description
- system for recruiting, training, and scheduling volunteers
Instructions
-
-
1
Outline what each new volunteer needs to know about your organization as you plan your volunteer orientation program. Decide which people already involved with the organization are good communicators and can motivate and inform new volunteers with a short speech or presentation. Invite them to attend and speak for around 10 minutes each. Try to arrange for a board member, a staff member, a regular or major donor, a client, and a seasoned volunteer to speak at your volunteer orientation.
-
2
List the various activities for which your organization uses volunteers. Take pictures of each activity in progress and use them in a short slide show or PowerPoint presentation during the volunteer orientation. Make sure all the technology works well by having a practice session before the actual event.
-
-
3
Explain who is eligible to volunteer for your organization. Explain any age or educational prerequisites. Be specific about the time and responsibilities that you expect from volunteers as well as the commitments, security clearances, training requirements, perks, and potential for recognition that your organization offers. These items should be documented in a volunteer job description, which you can hand out and discuss at the volunteer orientation event.
-
4
Create a volunteer application form to be filled out and turned in at the end of the volunteer orientation. This form should ask the new volunteers for their identifying and contact information, prior experience, interests, and availability. It should also provide a place for new volunteers to sign up for any additional required or optional training sessions.
-
5
Estimate the attendance for your volunteer orientation so you can have enough seats, handouts, and refreshments. Plan some informal time for people to mix, tour the facilities, and introduce themselves. This is often planned for a half hour before the actual orientation program starts. This time is very important since volunteers often want to contribute their time and talents to an organization where they feel appreciated and where they can make new friends or add to their business network.
-
1
