USATF Volunteer Web viewUSATF Volunteer Toolkit. USATF ... you are going to want your recruitment strategy and message to appeal to ... An effective job description establishes a base

USATF Volunteer Toolkit“There are not enough hours in the day to get done what needs to be done. If only we had more staff

resources.”

How to find How to keep

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION 2

WORKSHOP GOALS 4

CREATING A VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT PLAN 4

WHY DO PEOPLE CHOOSE TO VOLUNTEER? 5

SOME FACTS ABOUT VOLUNTEERING 8

ASSESSING YOUR ASSOCIATION 10

USATF EXPERT VOLUNTEER DESCRIPTION BACKGROUND/INSTRUCTIONS 11

SAMPLE RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES 15

WHERE TO FIND VOLUNTEERS? 16

TRAINING AND ORIENTATION 17

VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION 18

EVALUATING YOUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM 20

CLOSING REMARKS 21

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USATF Volunteer Toolkit

CHECKLIST FOR RECRUITING AND RETAINING VOLUNTEERS 22

IntroductionThank you for your service to our sport – We hope your involvement continues for many years! USATF relies heavily on volunteers, but finding them and keeping them creates many challenges for all of us. To remedy this we must create a strategic approach to recruiting and retaining key talent.

Our aim with this handbook is to provide a framework to identify, recruit and keep talent.

Again, thank you for your dedication to our sport!

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Workshop GOALSProvide realistic framework for a volunteer recruitment/retention program

Understand challenges currently being faced by Associations

Provide tools for Associations to use to recruit

Solicit feedback from participants and then provide additional follow up materials

Creating a Volunteer Recruitment Plan

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Why Do People Choose to Volunteer?The three main rewards people get from volunteering are: satisfaction of seeing the results, the feeling of doing good and meeting people.

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Planning

Assess needsDevelop Job DescriptionsDevelop a Strategy

Recruiting

Decide where to recruitFind volunteersScreen/select

Training

Develop orientaion Assign mentorsDevelop materialsTrain volunteers

Management

Communicate regularly with volunteersRecognize volunteer effortsEvaluate your volunteers

Evaluation

Design evaluationEvaluate dataDecide on next steps


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“Because I was asked”“It helps my career”“I wanted to give something back"“I wanted to be associated with something positive and successful”

The Do's

“I was never asked"“I’ll be overburdened with work”“I don’t know how to get involved”“I don’t have the skills required"

The Do Not's


Social science research tells us that volunteers generally are motivated by three main principles…

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Self-ServingCareer

Challenges

RelationalFriendship

BeliefsPassion for a

causeEnjoy serving


Because people volunteer for different reasons, you are going to want your recruitment strategy and message to appeal to people who are motivated by one or more of the three main motivators.

Jot down some ideas on the next page on how to recruit and craft your message to each of the three motivators.

Self-Serving“I want to volunteer because I want to work in sports and need some career development”

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Beliefs“I want to volunteer because I want to provide opportunities for our youth”

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Relational“I want to volunteer because I want to meet new people and make new friends”

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Some Facts about Volunteering

• Women volunteer at the highest rate at 29.5%

• 35-44 year olds are the most likely to volunteer at 31%

• Americans volunteered almost 8 billion hours, an estimated economic value of roughly $171 billion

• About 41.6 percent of volunteers became involved with their main organization after being asked to volunteer, most often by someone in the organization.

• About 42.1 percent became involved on their own initiative—that is, they approached the organization.

• People with a higher level of education are more likely to become volunteers-Double your efforts with college students.

(Sources: 2012 Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, Corporation for National and Community Service)

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First, we need to assess our needs…..

Where do you need help?

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Planning


Recruiting


Training


Management


Evaluation



Assessing Your AssociationArea of Association Activity We need help with…. Who could help us Who’ll ask them?

Administration Member application processing

Marketing Creation of plan

Youth

Masters

Event Promotion

Web/IT

Communications

USATF EXPERT VOLUNTEER DESCRIPTION BACKGROUND/INSTRUCTIONSAn Overview

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We develop job descriptions to help us articulate the most important outcomes we need from an employee performing a particular job. We develop job descriptions as a communication tool to tell coworkers where their job leaves off and the job of another employee starts.

We develop well-written job descriptions to tell an employee where their job fits within the overall department and the overall company. We develop well-written job descriptions to help employees from other departments, who must work with the person hired, understand the boundaries of the person's responsibilities

Our goal is to find and keep the brightest, most competent, flexible, reliable, multifaceted volunteers we can find. A job description causes the supervisor and employee performing the job to agree on the responsibilities and scope of the position. An effective job description establishes a base so that an employee can clearly understand what they need to develop personally, and contribute within your organization. Develop job descriptions to provide employees with a compass and clear direction.

Preparing Job Descriptions

Each employee has an important role in this process. The following steps outline how each of us should work with our supervisor to develop a complete and accurate job description.

Each employee should prepare his or her job description using the format provided below Focus on the facts - do not overstate or understate duties knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics; Refrain from side issues. The description should be only of the job itself. Job performance, wages, complaints, relationships with co-

workers, etc., are not relevant to this activity; No job description should exceed one page in length. The bulk of the description is in the “Duties and Responsibilities” section, which

should have not more than 10 bullets that accurately depict the details without delving into day to day detailed tasks. Remember that your input is critical; however, establishing the boundaries of the job is a management decision and your supervisor may

add, delete or modify duties, knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics.

USATF ASSOCIATION JOB DESCRIPTIONJOB TITLE: LAST UPDATE: EXEMPTION STATUS: DEPARTMENT:SUPERVISOR: TIME COMMITMENT:

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BASIC FUNCTION:

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

QUALIFICATIONS:

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

NON-PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

PREPARED BY:APPROVED BY:

JOB DESCRIPTION ELEMENTS:

JOB TITLE:

This is the descriptive title assigned to the job description.

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LAST UPDATE: The date helps to keep track of the latest version of a job description.

DEPARTMENT:

Names the organizational department.

SUPERVISOR:

Indicate to whom the employee reports (by title, not by name)

BASIC FUNCTION:

A brief narrative description of one to three sentences summarizing the positions general responsibilities.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

A detailed narrative (or bulleted list) of the positions duties and responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS:

A detailed listing describing the educational, work experience levels, certifications or any other special skill required to do the job successfully. With hard to fill positions or complex job qualifications, it is sometimes a good idea to include equivalencies for some experience or education.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Detail the physical demands of the positions such as: lifting up to a certain weight, etc.

NON-PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Detail the non-physical demands of the position such as the need to work at non-traditional hours, or long hours of continuous concentration, travel requirements, etc.

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Developing a Recruitment StrategyOnce you have determined your Association’s needs and created specific job descriptions, it’s time to develop a volunteer recruitment strategy. We first need to answer a few questions:

Who will be qualified for and interested in the position? Who will be able to meet the time requirements of the position? Where will you find these people? What motivates them to serve? What is the best way to approach them? Remember: specific messages are needed for

specific audiences. There isn't one blanket recruitment message that will successfully entice all potential volunteers

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Planning


Recruiting


Training


Management


Evaluation



The best recruitment tool is word of mouth!

Sample Recruitment Strategies Email Campaign to current member base

Example: Develop our youth into tomorrow’s stars! Help create programs for our children to stay active and healthy! Training provided. To receive more information about being a part of the nation’s premier track and field organization contact ……[email protected]

Running Specialty Store CampaignUse and post the job description above and take with a recruitment message to running stores. Ask employees or ask to post the job description and ad.

Bring a Friend Social NightHost a local social event and encourage current officers to bring a friend. Make it Fun!

Post ad on Association Website as main bannerExample: “Change the life of a child-Become USATF!”

Libraries and Volunteer Referral Services. Be sure to register your volunteer opportunities with existing volunteer referral services in your community such as volunteer centers and university student volunteer centers. Your community library and city web site may also distribute listings of local volunteer opportunities.

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Where to find Volunteers?

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COLLEGES

Business School-Contact dean to post job descriptions-Target leaders of key sports degreesCollege Track TeamAthletic Department

RUNNING STORES

Employees are runners!Post volunteer job descriptionCreate Volunteer ad poster

MEMBERS

AthletesMasters runnersClub rostersContact coaches

SOCIAL MEDIA

Tweet it, Post it, Share it!Create job description-post on LinkdIn


Training and OrientationVolunteers who are prepared and supported throughout their service are more likely to volunteer again. One of your first opportunities to do this is with a successful orientation and followed up with training sessions.

In planning any orientation or training, consider this: “What do volunteers need to know to feel comfortable and competent in carrying out their tasks?”

Some items that should be included in orientation

A brief overview of your Association and mission of USATF History of the issues, current status, current business plan and upcoming events Outline of the tasks/responsibilities they will be doing All relevant materials (i.e. Association Manual)

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Planning


Recruiting


Training


Management


Evaluation



Volunteer RecognitionIt’s all-too-easy to take volunteers for granted. To keep everyone enthusiastic and refreshed we should check that we haven’t overloaded anyone and keep providing feedback to them. It is important to give people variety and don’t leave anyone in the same place/role for too long. Constantly acknowledge volunteers, formally and informally. Remember, a simple ‘thank-you’ is sometimes all that is required. Your Association should also use its website to highlight the work people are doing.

In general, people stay involved because:

• They feel valued

• The feel their contribution is respected

• They feel part of the group and do not feel excluded from decision making

• They feel a sense of pride from their contribution

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Planning


Recruiting


Training


Management


Evaluation



Volunteer Recognition Tactics

Easy/Everyday Ways

• Use email to send thank you letters• Send postcards to thank after an event• Send a birthday card• Post pictures of volunteers on Association website• Provide goodies – Shirts, water bottles, etc• Recognition lunch

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More Involved ways

• Volunteer of the Month• Sponsor a volunteer happy

hour• Celebrate milestones• Write a letter to the volunteer’s

employer

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it, is like wrapping a present and not giving it

-William Arthur Ward

Evaluating Your Volunteer ProgramYou need to have regular communication with your peers on the overall volunteer experience. A semi-annual survey to all of your volunteers will provide some insight into the current state of their enjoyment with your Association.

Some other questions to ask or to think about:

• What recruiting benefits are you using to recruit potential volunteers? Do you have a length of service program or an incentives program?

• What is your current turnover rate?• What are other Associations doing to recruit and retain talent?

Be open to change and to learning. Remember that you will experience successes and failures, but having a plan and sticking to it will greatly increase your chances for finding and keeping top talent.

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Planning


Recruiting


Training


Management


Evaluation


Closing RemarksConsider creating a Volunteer Manager Position within your Association who is responsible for the:

Determining what volunteers you need and why Writing job descriptions Planning the recruitment strategy Preparing recruitment materials Organize training of volunteers Keeping volunteers engaged and motivated

Checklist for Recruiting and Retaining Volunteers

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1) Assess your Associations needs2) Appoint a volunteer manager3) Write role/job descriptions4) Develop a recruitment strategy5) Screen/interview potential volunteers6) Onboard/Train/Mentor new volunteers7) Manage and evaluate performance8) Reward and Recognize9) Make changes as necessary10) Review these steps regularly

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Documents

USATF Volunteer Web viewUSATF Volunteer Toolkit. USATF ... you are going to want your recruitment strategy and message to appeal to ... An effective job description establishes a base