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Outline
of Topics on this page:
Volunteer
Needs
Volunteer
Agreements
Volunteering
On a Project: A Three Step Process
Volunteer
Needs
Webster defines a volunteer as “one
who serves of his or her own free will.” In order to tap and
nurture the desire to serve you must know what volunteers need, and
you must consistently meet those needs. Here is a list of needs for
you to consider. When your chapter meets these needs, you will build
and maintain your membership. A handout for exploring how well your
chapter is doing on these issues can be reached at: "http://members.aol.com/resourcei/MPI/handout4.html"
1. The need to belong.
All of us have a need to belong; to be a part of some group or organization.
This is especially important to volunteers. This need must be addressed
by providing tangible evidence of belonging and opportunities to experience
this sense of connection. Being on a committee, getting phone calls,
being mentioned in a newsletter, being invited out to lunch for no
reason, all meet this need for belonging.
2. The need to be involved in significant work or “a
good cause”.
People generally don’t volunteer unless they feel they are supporting
or contributing to some cause they in which believe. This need must
be addressed by providing opportunities to acknowledge this “cause”
and specific, consistent feedback on what is being accomplished. Helping
one's career grow is a good cause, but making a difference in the
careers of others or improving the way your industry functions is
better. People need numbers, ie. how many, how much, how long in order
to know that their efforts make a difference. Generating and reporting
the information of what is being accomplished is one of the roles
of the leader.
3. The need to feel that one's contribution is important.
In addition to knowing that the cause is meaningful, volunteers need
to know that they, as individuals, play an important and vital role
in what is being accomplished. This need is met by providing opportunities
to demonstrate and acknowledge their importance. This is especially
necessary for those whose tasks seem menial. Give awards and recognition
more than once a year. Get members to tell you what they are doing
well, where they are succeeding, what they wish they knew earlier.
Create a way to acknowledge and share their success with other chapter
members. A 'Success Tip' moment from a member at each meeting is a
good way.
4. The need to choose one’s own level of commitment.
One of the biggest fears of many volunteers is that they will be asked
(and even pressured) to do more than they want to do. This fear creates
an inevitable resistance to participation with the volunteer suspiciously
viewing every future request. During a personal interview with each
new new member, identify the number of hours per week or month they
wish to be involved. Certain organizational levels of expectation
are appropriate but it is necessary to know what works best for the
individual. The leader's job is to make sure no one is over worked
- except the leader, of course.
5. The need to feel appreciated.
This need seems obvious and yet is too often overlooked. Organizations
tend to get caught up in daily routine and problems. Special emphasis
and regular times of acknowledgment must be created to reinforce on-going
participation. Primarily this is about saying, 'Thank you,' as often
and as regularly as possible. Thank everyone for everything they do,
in private and publicly. Sincere, direct appreciation for attendance
can be just what an individual is needing to return. Just being 'glad
to see you' makes a big difference. or month they wish to be involved.
Certain organizational levels of expectation are appropriate but it
is necessary to know what works best for the individual. The leader's
job is to make sure no one is over worked - except the leader, of
course.
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Volunteer
Agreements
1. I agree to say “yes” only when it truly works
for me to do what is requested.
This supports everyone in saying what is true and in being responsible.
It is important that you be clear with yourself about your agreements,
so that when you say yes, it’s a clear yes and when you say
no, it’s a clear no. One of the things we have discovered about
people who volunteer is that they sometimes don’t have a satisfying
experience because they feel guilty if they say “no”.
Guilt and worry are a waste of energy. We give people permission to
say “no” and feel guilt-free, and therefore, the freedom
to say "yes" when that is appropriate.
2. I agree to keep my word - to do what I say I will do.
The purpose of this agreement is to support you in getting past the
“I don’t want to’s” and do something just
because you said you would. It is here that you need to realize the
importance of keeping your word, even though it’s a lot easier,
more comfortable, more convenient, and even reasonable sometimes not
to do so. Your organization operates best when everyone lives up to
the commitments they take on. This is a measure of the integrity you
bring to the organization and upon which the organization is built.
3. I agree to participate 100% in whatever assignment I undertake.
We encourage you to use your volunteer work as an experience of completely
enjoying and winning for yourself. Winning simply means that you will
do 100% of what you set out for yourself to do, and will experience
great satisfaction in that process.
4. I agree to create satisfaction for myself from my participation.
Your organization is committed to having you experience satisfaction
and fulfillment from your participation. It is up to you to be responsible
for creating that experience of satisfaction. There is a tendency
in this world to look outside for satisfaction, validation and appreciation.
You have the opportunity to discover that those experiences come from
within - that you are the creator of your experiences.
5. I agree to be in full, open and honest communication and
to do so in a responsible way.
A key ingredient in having your purpose and the purpose of your organization
fulfilled is full, open and honest communication done in a responsible
way. By responsible we mean saying what you believe, without blaming
someone else for the way you feel or the way things are. It is powerful
to acknowledge that you are responsible for your own perceptions and
to be willing to communicate feelings, thoughts and attitudes in this
way. Whenever something is “bugging” you and you don’t
know what to say, say that. Whenever you don’t communicate how
you feel, you leave a barrier in the way of having your involvement
be as meaningful as possible.
6. I agree to acknowledge and respect the contributions, talents,
efforts and dignity of all who participate.
We are all a part of what makes our organization work. We can respect
that part of each person that is drawn here to serve and to share
themselves. It is valuable for each individual to acknowledge others
with whom they participate. This is an opportunity for you to practice
acknowledging, supporting and empowering other people and to notice
the difference that your acknowledgment makes in the experience of
everyone.
7. I will complain only to someone who can do something about
it.
This is about being responsible for our upsets and the necessity of
communicating in order to resolve any conflicts. The real question
is whether we are truly willing to have our upset resolved, whether
we are willing to let go of our upset or to hang on to it. It may
sound unreasonable to think we would rather be right about something
than to resolve it successfully. When we sincerely want to resolve
our upset, what works is to talk to the person who can do something
about it. Otherwise, it’s gossip and it does not serve the organization
or ourselves. In fact, gossip can be very damaging to relationships
and organizations. For your organization to function cleanly and clearly,
in a way that serves its purposes, it needs to be free of any of the
clutter that gossip causes. We ask that you be vigilant about this.
It is sometimes easy to allow gossip to happen around you. If you
become aware of yourself or someone else gossiping, you can support
the your organization by requesting responsible communication.
8. At any time that I do not understand what I am to do, I will do
whatever I need to do to get clarity for myself.
This may seem obvious, and yet, it seems to warrant attention because
sometimes it is the obvious that tends to get overlooked. We want
you to take care of yourself and have your time and work here be enjoyable.
If there is confusion about something, we want you to get the answers
you need. It is no fun walking around in confusion or uncertainty.
Feel free to ask if there is something you do not understand. A wise
person once put it this way: “You don’t have to hang out
in the dark, when the light switch is within reach!”
9. I agree to be willing to notice when I want and need information
and support, and I will ask the appropriate person for it.
This goes along with what we just talked about. Make sure that you
have all the information, support and acknowledgment that you need
for your participation here to be the best. Sometimes people experience
difficulty in asking for the support and acknowledgment they want
out of life. There is great strength in learning to take care of yourself
by expressing your needs and being responsible for getting the support
and acknowledgment you need. There is support and acknowledgment available
for you here. Please ask.
10. I will continually notice what is happening and at any
time I notice something that is not working, I will communicate that
appropriately.
We really invite all of our volunteers to “own” our organization.
This means that you are really willing to be responsible for the larger
organization, beyond your own particular area of activity. It is important
to understand that your own area will not work well if the larger
organization is not working. We encourage all participants in the
organization — Board, staff and volunteers — to know that
they make a difference in the overall quality of our organization’s
work. We ask for your support in this way. We cannot solve a problem
unless we are aware that a problem exists.
11. I agree to communicate any broken agreements to my team
leader or to the volunteer director and to do whatever it takes to
be complete.
We already mentioned that guilt and worry are seen as unnecessary.
This agreement simply supports everyone in being alright at all times.
The mind will sometimes take even the most minute items and use them
for guilt and worry, but that need not be. By simply acknowledging
what’s so (that you didn’t do what you agreed to) you
can be complete on that issue and not have to carry it around to possibly
creep up as guilt or worry or invalidation. Know that your team leaders/volunteer
director are available to you to help your participation here be successful
for everyone.
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Volunteering
on a Project: A 3-Step Process
1 - Clearing
2 - Doing
3 - Completion
Volunteering involves more than just doing a task. It involves a way
of being. Volunteers bring an extra enthusiasm to their work that
truly makes a difference and accounts for the phrase “volunteers
add that special touch.” The following 3-Step Volunteer Process
supports volunteering as an experience of joy, satisfaction and caring.
It provides the opportunity to extend (and therefore experience) a
sense of belonging, contribution, and being of value.
The first step is clearing. Clearing is simply acknowledging whatever
concerns, worries, etc. that may be going on with you at that moment.
It may be any type of emotion or consideration, such as frustration,
guilt, resentment, joy, sadness, anxiety, enthusiasm. Whatever it
is, it is influencing the volunteers' attitudes and thus, their behavior.
By simply acknowledging one's thoughts and feelings, misunderstandings
can be discovered and corrected, appreciations can be acknowledged,
problems solved or hurt feelings mended. Being aware of the purpose
of the organization and the difference that every volunteer can make
serves as a catalyst for creating constructive, fulfilling experiences.
This first step actually creates a foundation of caring that makes
the other steps more successful.
The second step is the actual doing of the task. This may involve
typing "thank your" letters, answering the phone, setting
up tables, assisting at a fund-raiser or phoning the other volunteers.
Of the many tasks available, they are all part of what it takes to
support an organization in fulfilling its function. The caring with
which these things are done is what really makes it enjoyable for
the volunteers to participate. No matter what the task, the doing
of it can be done in an atmosphere of appreciation and contribution.
Being specific about the steps involved and the criteria for success
reduces potential conflicts and mistakes.
The third step is completion. This is the time to reflect on the experience
of the volunteer activity and communicate what was done well and what
could be improved. It is a time to make any suggestions you have,
share anything that didn’t work about volunteering and acknowledge
what did work. This assists volunteers in letting go of anything that
might get in the way of fully participating next time. Completion
is very valuable in all areas of our lives. By being complete each
moment, we can enjoy each moment without carrying around our past,
unresolved conflicts to cloud the future.
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