Volunteers Retention Plan

Section 1. Developing a Plan for Involving

Volunteers

Why should you engage volunteers?

Why should you plan?
Who should develop the plan?
How do you plan the involvement of volunteers?

"Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in
your spare time."
Marion Wright Edelman, founder of the Children's Defense Fund, is a strong believer in the
importance of service to others, and she's not alone. In 1995, approximately 93 million
Americans, or almost half of the adult population, volunteered. The hours spent each years by
volunteers on different projects would take over nine million full time employees to equal.
Most nonprofit organizations rely on volunteers in varying degrees for a lot of the work that they
do. The jobs done by volunteers are as varied as the people who do them. A volunteer might be a
high school student who takes care of children in the nursery during Sunday morning service;
she might be an accountant who offers to help the director apply for tax-exempt status; or he
might be a retired gentleman who cooks up lunch every day at the local soup kitchen.
Regardless of the actual tasks they do, however, all of these volunteers have at least one thing in
common: The time, energy, and resources they bring are critically important to an agency's (or
program's) success.
Because of the enormous amount of help available potentially from volunteers, an important
question for program directors and volunteer coordinators is, "How can we best tap into this
resource?" In this chapter of the Tool Box, we will try to answer that question.
In this section, we will give an overview of the important components of an effective volunteer
program from start to finish. The following three sections will go into detail on some of the more
complicated aspects of planning for volunteers.

Why should you engage volunteers?

Maybe you're not sold on the merits of volunteers, at least for your organization. "Volunteers are
too much trouble," you might think; "they're not reliable; it takes too long to train them, and once
you do, they just leave. Also, we're liable for their actions--that's a problem that we just don't
need right now. It's easier to do our work with paid staff."

Despite these challenges, however, consider some of the different advantages of using volunteers
as part of a thoughtfully developed plan.

Volunteers save money. This obvious advantage of volunteers can be a lifesaver for some
organizations. The "dollar value" of volunteer time in 1997 was $13.74 per hour. Many
organizations, such as the Red Cross, function almost entirely on volunteer labor--and by doing
so, they can to do a lot of very good work without a lot of money.
Volunteers bring needed skills. Many volunteers have specialized knowledge such as computer
programming, advertising, or conflict mediation that your organization occasionally needs, but
not often enough to hire someone to do the work full-time. A volunteer who donates his or her
skills on an "as-needed" basis can be the perfect complement to your office staff.
Volunteers bring renewed energy and excitement. Even the most dedicated people can get burnt
out working on the same thing when they are doing it 40 (or more) hours a week. Volunteers
can bring a fresh perspective and enthusiasm for the work. This can help revitalize staff, and
may help move projects in exciting new directions.
Volunteers increase community ownership. The more community members are involved in your
project, the easier it will be to gain support for your work. Also, by using volunteers from
throughout the community, you can be sure that your goals are "in tune" with what the
community wants, and not just what organization members think they want.

Simply put--involving volunteers helps you do (and do well)-- what you set out to do.

Why should you plan?

Why should you plan the involvement of your volunteers? As with anything else your
organization does, planning your volunteer program will help it run more smoothly and easily.
Additionally, a well-developed plan helps stop potential problems before they start. That way,
you can have all of the advantages of volunteer help without most of the headaches.
For example, above we talked about some of the problems of having volunteers, such as liability,
a lack of reliability, and a tendency of volunteers to not stay long with a given organization. By
planning, you can take these problems into account: the organization might take out insurance
against liability; consequences of being unreliable can be decided upon and written down to be
given to volunteers; and ways to keep good volunteers can be discussed and put into practice.

Who should develop the plan?

Your organization's plan for volunteer involvement will touch many people, so it's often best to
include many voices when designing it. Some of the key players might include:

Organizational leaders, such as the director or key board members.

Staff members. These are the people who know best what work needs to be done, so their
involvement is vital. Also, by involving staff members in the planning process, you help alleviate
fears that volunteer workers might replace them.

Prospective volunteers. If your organization already has volunteers, or you know whom you
would like to recruit, ask them to help develop the plan. That way, your plan is sure to be
developed in the volunteers best interest, as well as in the interest of agency staff.

For example, a prospective volunteer might say that she would love to work at your agency--but
only if there is child care available during the training sessions, because her husband works when
the training is scheduled to take place. Without her suggestions, staff members of the
organization might not have thought about the need for child care, and could have lost several
very good volunteers.

If your organization doesn't already have one, you might consider appointing a volunteer
coordinator or director. This person, who often reports to the director, may be a staff member,
or could be a volunteer himself.

Typical tasks of a volunteer coordinator:

Recruits volunteers
Communicates with different departments and program coordinators to find out what needs to
be done and how much volunteer time is needed to do it
Educates staff on the roles and responsibilities of volunteers
Interviews and screens potential volunteers
Takes charge of volunteer orientation and training
Expresses volunteer opinions and ideas to other staff members, and facilitates collaboration
between volunteers and paid staff members

Smaller organizations, groups which need fewer volunteers, or those whose future is uncertain
may find that a volunteer coordinator is unnecessary for their purposes. For them, the duties
usually assumed by the coordinator can be split among other members of the organization in
ways that make sense for the organization.

How do you plan the involvement of volunteers?

First of all, use the principles of strategic planning. Strategic planning is a process of determining
how to get from "here" (where we are now) to "there" (where things ought to be).But planning
for the involvement of volunteers will have important steps of its own. These steps are listed
below. These are especially applicable for organizations having the resources and need for a
comprehensive program for volunteer involvement. Smaller organizations, or organizations that
rely less heavily on the use of volunteers, may want to adapt the plan suggested below, or might
simply pick the parts which make most sense for their organization.
Essential steps of an effective volunteer program:

Have reasons and a rationale for wanting volunteers

Develop job descriptions
Recruit volunteers
Screen potential volunteers

Conduct orientation of volunteers

Train volunteers
Supervise volunteers
Retain volunteers
Evaluate volunteers
Recognize efforts and achievements

Let's go through these one by one.

Have a rationale and reasons for wanting volunteers.
You may have several reasons for wanting volunteers in general, and other reasons for asking for
the help of specific people. It's important that you can articulate these; you might even want to
write them down. When a potential volunteer asks, "Why do you need volunteers?" or "Why do
you need me?" you should have answers ready.
These are two different questions, and should be thought about separately. First, what is your
rationale for your organization having volunteers in general? To increase the quality or amount
of services you provide? To increase community involvement? There are many good reasons for
welcoming new volunteers into your agency; which are true for you?
Some examples of different rationales include:

"We think community involvement is really important to helping us stay on track."

"We want every child in our community to have caring adults to talk to, and we're a long way
from that goal."
"Volunteers can help us reach our goal of financial independence."
"We believe that by using volunteers, we can establish a network of tutors who can significantly
reduce the illiteracy rate in our city."
"Our organization wants to become financially independent, and none of us have the first idea
of how to do it."

Your rationale doesn't need to be terribly specific, and it isn't meant to be unchangeable. As your
organization grows and develops, so will your need and reasons for having volunteers.
Along with the general rationale behind your program, you need a good idea of what you want
volunteers to do. What skills are needed? Do you just need warm bodies to help clean up the
park after the local arts festival, or do you need people with specific talents, such as experience
with newsletter layout, or public speaking skills? If you don't have distinct reasons for having
volunteers, your program may reflect that. Volunteers may feel unneeded--and eventually, they
may feel like leaving.
Develop job descriptions.
Now that your organization has decided exactly why it wants volunteers, you may want to write
a formal job description. This is unnecessary for some tasks, especially those that are one-time
events, such as passing out water to runners at your annual 10K run. But for more involved jobs

that are longer term, a written description is an excellent way to explain the details to potential
volunteers. It also shows that your office is professional and well-organized --the type of place
where people want to work. Also, this is a good way for you to think even more clearly about
how many volunteers you need and what you need them for.
A volunteer job description, much like the description of a paid job, should include the
following:

Title
Rationale/Purpose
Nature of job/Responsibilities
Qualifications
Time requirement
Proposed starting date (and, if applicable, end date)
Boundaries: Authority invested in position, reporting relationships/supervision
Benefits

Recruit volunteers.
The next step in the process is to find the people you need--and convince them that they need
you, too.
Recruitment is covered in the next section of this chapter, so we won't go into too much detail on
it now. The two main components of recruiting, however, are worth mentioning here.
First, find out what potential volunteers want. What do they want to do? What things will make it
easier for them to do that? What will make your agency more attractive? One excellent way to
find this information is to conduct a needs assessment with potential volunteers.
Susan Ellis, an expert in the field of volunteer management, offers some advice. She writes,
"Divorce, single parenthood, and caregiving to aging parents are only a few factors to which
successful volunteer programs will adapt. Volunteer opportunities that respect people's limited
time, welcome children to come along, and meet the social needs of adults to make new friends
of both sexes (not to mention safer ways to meet a potential date!) will be the ones that attract
today's volunteers."
Second, find ways to tell potential volunteers how volunteering for your agency can give them
what they want. Recruiting can take place in many different ways: volunteers can tell their
friends about the organization; you can have informational meetings; ads can be placed in the
local paper; and there are many, many other possibilities. It's up to your organization to choose
the recruitment tactic (or tactics) that make most sense for your program, budget, and needs.
Screen potential volunteers.
A well-run recruitment effort should dig up many people offering their services to your
organization. That's terrific, it's just what your organization needs. But some of these people may
not be appropriate for your agency, or for the job they offer to do.

Why not? Well, some of them may not be suited for the job they apply for, and others may
actually pose a threat to your agency. Additionally, as with paid staff members, your
organization is legally responsible for what volunteers do while they are on the job.
Organizations (and, in some states, individual executives and board members) are responsible for
the actions committed by their volunteers while working.
What does this mean? Well, if a volunteer is going to the store to get paper for the newsletter,
runs a red light, and hits someone, she may be personally liable for the accident. However, the
person she hits could choose to sue the organization she works for as well, hoping that the
organization is richer than the individual.
Here's another example: if a volunteer has a history of molesting children, you don't want him or
her to run the childcare center at your clinic. First of all, the children may be at risk. And as with
the situation above, the parents of any child who is harmed at your clinic may choose to sue the
organization for allowing such a person to work with children--even if you didn't know about his
or her history. In this case, too, most states have laws that forbid a person with a history of
molestation to work with children--and again, even if you didn't know the person's history, you
would still be breaking the law.
Screening volunteers is a good way to minimize these risks. For example, if the position involves
a lot of driving, you might want to ask about a candidate's driving record. If it turns out she has
had several speeding tickets in the last year, you might decide that a different job would be more
appropriate.
Different agencies choose to screen volunteers in different ways. How you choose to screen your
volunteers is especially dependent on what the volunteer will be doing, how much responsibility
he/she will have, and the duration for which the volunteer will be working. Some of the most
common screening tools include:

A written application
An interview with organization staff members and/or volunteers
Letters of reference
Essay questions can tell you more about the person as well. These may be part of the written
application form, or may be offered individually. Some typical examples include, "Why do you
want to work for our agency?" and "What are the values that guide what you do?"

Essay questions can also be tailored to the job a volunteer will be doing. For example, a crisis
counseling hotline essay question might be, "What would you tell someone who calls and says
that her boyfriend never listens to her, and doesn't seem to care about her feelings?"

Criminal checks, which are done through the police department, are called for in some cases,
such as when the volunteer will be working with children.
Some organizations ask that the volunteer sign a work agreement, usually with the director of
the organization or the volunteer's supervisor, which lays out what the volunteer will and will
not do.

Conduct orientation of volunteers.

When you have chosen volunteers from your pool of candidates, the next thing to do is explain to
the new volunteers the basics of the organization, its philosophy, and what they will be doing.
For larger volunteer programs, those that require extensive training, or those that will include a
long time commitment with the agency, this often takes the form of a formal orientation session.
These generally lasts for an hour or two and includes a tour of the facilities, and introduction to
important staff members. Volunteers are often given copies of written materials (for example, a
volunteer training manual, or brochures describing the group's work).
Less formally, someone in the agency might introduce a new volunteer to others in the office,
show him around, get him started working, and offer to answer questions as they arise.
Train volunteers.
More complex tasks may require extensive training of volunteers. For example, Headquarters, a
crisis-counseling center in Lawrence, Kansas, requires over 100 hours of training before
volunteers speak with clients. Other types of programs, too, might have long training programs
before volunteers actually go into the field.
Supervise volunteers.
Even though volunteers aren't on the payroll, you won 't want to leave them to their own devices,
without any sort of supervision and direction. Many people look on their volunteer experience as
a time to learn, and gently delivered constructive comments can help the volunteer to grow.
Further, what your volunteers do will certainly reflect back on your organization as a whole, so
it's important that someone (the volunteer coordinator, if you have one, or perhaps the director in
a smaller organization) keeps tabs on what people are doing.

In Summary
Volunteering can be a tremendously rewarding experience, both for the individual who offers his
time and for the organization to which he gives it. Many people are willing to help out, if they
feel that their contributions will be well used and useful. By developing a plan of action for
involving volunteers, you will be better able to tap into this rich resource.
Contributor
Jenette Nagy

Print Resources
Ellis, S. J., & Noyes, K. H. (1990). By the people: A history of Americans as volunteers. (Rev.
ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Herman, R.D. (Ed.). (1994). The Jossey-Bass handbook of nonprofit leadership and
management. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Morrison, E.K. (1994). Leadership skills: Developing volunteers for organizational success.
Tucson, AZ: Fisher Books.
Online Resources
Independent Sector is a national leadership forum, working to encourage philanthropy,
volunteering, not-for-profit initiative and citizen action that help us better serve people and
communities.
Service Leader offers guidance on all aspects of managing volunteers, as well as advice on
becoming a volunteer. A virtual (online) volunteering link is also offered.
Community Building Institute at Xavier University features success stories that focus on
volunteer involvement in building community.
Network for Good helps nonprofit organizations reach new audiences through Internet
strategies. You can recruit volunteers online using a volunteer match database.
VolunteerMatch is a nonprofit, online service that helps interested volunteers get involved with
community service organizations throughout the United States.
Idealist, a project of Action without Borders, posts volunteer opportunities around the globe.
Topical discussion boards include a volunteering focus.
The United Nations Volunteers Program supports human development globally by promoting
volunteerism and mobilizing volunteers. A practical toolkit, Measuring Volunteering, is
available in Adobe Acrobat format.
The International Association for Volunteers offers training and information to encourage and
strengthen volunteering worldwide.

Checklist for such Stage

You understand the advantages of volunteers:

They save money

They bring needed skills
They bring renewed energy and excitement
They increase community ownership

___You understand that a plan for volunteer involvement will help the program run more
smoothly
___You have involved organizational leaders, staff members, and prospective volunteers in the
planning process

___You have considered the advantages of a volunteer coordinator/director

___You have reasons and a rationale for wanting volunteers
___You have developed job descriptions
___You have recruited volunteers
___You have screened potential volunteers
___You have conducted an orientation for volunteers
___You have trained your volunteers
___You understand how to supervise volunteers effectively, and do so
___You understand how to retain volunteers
___You have evaluated volunteer efforts
___You continuously recognize volunteer effort and achievements
Tool 1: Appplication Form

The following form can be filled out by new volunteers and signed by both the volunteer and his
or her supervisor when the volunteer begins working.
(Adapted from Leadership skills: Developing volunteers for organizational success.)

APPLICATION FORM

Agency Name__________________________________________ Date______________

Volunteer Information
Name:_________________________________ Social Security Number:_____________
Address: _______________________________ Date of Birth: ____________ Sex: ____
Home phone: ________________________ Work phone: ________________________
Organization represented (if applicable): ______________________________________
Current occupation: _______________________________________________________

Previous volunteer experience: ______________________________________________

Applicable professional experience: __________________________________________
Applicable educational experience: ___________________________________________
Particular interests or hobbies: _______________________________________________
Why would you like to volunteer here?________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
What type of service would you prefer? _______________________________________
Please indicate the days of the week and hours you could serve:
Day: _____________________ From: ___________________ To: _________________
Day: _____________________ From: ___________________ To: _________________
Day: _____________________ From: ___________________ To: _________________
Day: _____________________ From: ___________________ To: _________________
Time limit commitment: ___________________________________________________
Do you have a current driver's license? # _____________ Chauffeur's? # ____________
Do you have transportation? ______________ Could you furnish it for others? ________
Do you have minimum automobile insurance required by law? _____________________
In case of emergency, please notify: __________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________ Phone: ________________

For office use only:

Interviewed by:____________________________ Date: __________________________
Comments:

Tool 2: Blank Job Description

VOLUNTEER JOB DESCRIPTION

Oganization:_______________________________________________________
Title:
Purpose:
Responsibilities:
Qualifications:
Time requirement:
Proposed starting date:
Proposed ending date:
Boundaries:
Benefits:

Example 2: Mock job description

HEALTHY MOTHERS, HEALTHY BABIES PROJECT

VOLUNTEER JOB DESCRIPTION

Title: Garden coordinator/teacher
Purpose: Start and take responsibility for agency garden; teach mothers about gardening
Responsibilities:

Teach weekly class on advantages and "how-tos" of gardening to new and expectant mothers
Coordinate the planting and upkeep of a demonstration garden at the agency

Qualifications: A green thumb; gardening experience; comfortable talking in front of people

Time requirement: Class is two hours a week; additional time in the garden (variable,
depending how much help you get)

Proposed starting date: May 15

Proposed ending date: Mid-September (approximate; after harvest time)
Boundaries: n/a
Benefits:

A share of vegetables grown

Use of agency tools, seeds, and other supplies
Volunteers are granted complimentary membership at the YMCA
The knowledge that you can help mothers and their young children lead healthier lives

Section 2. Recruiting Volunteers

Chapter 11 Sections

Section 1. Developing a Plan for Involving Volunteers

Section 2. Recruiting Volunteers
Section 3. Developing Volunteer Orientation Programs
Section 4. Developing Training Programs for Volunteers

Main Section
Checklist
Examples
Tools
PowerPoint

What does it mean to recruit volunteers for your organization?

Why might you recruit volunteers?
When should you recruit volunteers?
How to recruit volunteers: some basic steps

What does it mean to recruit volunteers for your organization?

Recruiting volunteers means asking people to work in your organization without pay. You can
recruit them formally (asking them to fill out application forms, offering them a job title, etc.) or
informally (by asking your sister to help build an agency float, for instance), or anything in
between.
You might need volunteers for a specific task at a specific time, or in a much more general role,
for any help they can give. Recruitment does not have any set time limits -- you might recruit for
a certain event, for a certain block of time such as six months, or for an indefinite period. It is
helpful to seek volunteers who reflect the diversity found in the community, and who have ties
with other community groups or agencies.

Although volunteers work without pay, they do it to receive something no one does things for
no reason. Some reasons that people might be willing to volunteer include:

Someone asked them. Most people respond when someone tells them theyre needed.
They care deeply about the issues your organization addresses, and/or about social change.
They have personal experience of the effects of your organizations issues, and want to do
something about them. Former gang members, for example, might want to be involved in an
effort to reduce and prevent youth violence.
They are motivated by their view of the world because of religion, ethics, politics, philosophy,
etc. to try to improve the quality of life in their communities.
They seek the external recognition and internal good feeling that may come with volunteering.
They feel a need to pay back society for help or opportunities that were extended to
them. Successful people who grew up poor in minority neighborhoods often return to those or
similar neighborhoods as volunteers with youth, to try to reach children or adolescents who
might have the same potential they had.
They have untapped skills that they can use by volunteering with your organization.
They want experience and/or training in your field of work. They might want to try out the work
to see if its a career possibility, or they might want the experience as a credential for another
kind of job.
They actively enjoy the kind of work that their volunteering entails: its fun for them.
They enjoy the social situation, and value the contacts with other volunteers, participants, and
staff members. This is often true for people who dont work outside the home, and dont have
the daily social contact that such work brings with it seniors, stay-at-home mothers, etc.
It makes them feel needed and useful.

Recruitment, as the military will be the first to explain, is a sales job. Unlike military recruiting,
however, volunteer recruiting offers no guarantee that someone will stick as a volunteer just
because shes signed up. Your sales job has to accurately point out the advantages of
volunteering with your organization, so that people will not only be eager when they begin, but
will stay enthusiastic and continue to volunteer for a long time.

Why might you recruit volunteers?

To give your organization the power to do more work

To reduce the burden on paid staff members
To give your group a larger, more diverse membership
To increase awareness and understanding of your organization through your recruiting as well
as through the work the volunteers do
To get as much done as possible within the confines of your budget
To act together to achieve a shared purpose

When should you recruit volunteers?

Anytime is a good time to recruit volunteers, but you might step up your efforts when:

You have upcoming products, events, etc., with which you will need special assistance.
You are expanding your organization's services.

Your staff has become smaller or is not able to handle the amount of work you do.
You are holding an annual "volunteer drive."
During National Volunteer Week or any official national day/week that corresponds to your
organization mission (e.g., a coalition that works to reduce tobacco usage might increase
volunteer efforts before the Great American Smokeout).
You need volunteers to staff a booth at a fair, hand out leaflets at a demonstration, help on a
school field trip, etc.

How to recruit volunteers: Some basic steps

Research sources of potential volunteers in your community

Determine the makeup of your community, and its community sectors. Some community sectors
include schools, churches, neighborhoods, businesses, service organizations and clubs, youth
groups, senior groups, media, grassroots groups, etc. Having a thorough understanding of the
sectors in your area will help you to be aware of who is available as a volunteer in your
community. It is essential if you wish to target your recruiting to a specific population.
Learn who is interested in volunteering in your community, and who might be interested
specifically in volunteering for your program. Determine:

Why current volunteers volunteer (both for your organization and for others)
What motivates them
How they were recruited
What their demographics (age, sex, income, etc.) are

You might do this by simply asking current or potential local volunteers, or by looking for
information from local and national studies on volunteers. Check with local researchers or a local
volunteer center to see what data are available on volunteers in your community.
Plan and implement your recruitment strategy

Think about potential volunteers as consumers. There are a lot of ways motivated individuals can
give their time and talents in any particular community. Decide what your agency offers that is
special and might draw in potential members. This step might include implementing a
recruitment strategy. Your strategy might include:

Defining target groups to recruit

Defining particular people within each target group
Defining a specific strategy to recruit both the target groups and the individuals within the
groups
Implementing the strategy
Evaluating the strategy

Finding volunteers

When looking for potential volunteers, brainstorm different ways to reach the greatest number of
people. Some ways to find potential volunteers might include:

Hold an annual appeal for volunteers that is modeled after traditional fund-raising drives.
Set up booths at local art fairs, carnivals, etc.
Write letters to the editor in the local newspaper, or ask if you could write a guest column.
Broadcast a PSA on a local radio or television station.
Use personal contact with current volunteers and staff. (This is the primary way people become
involved in volunteer activities).
Ask current volunteers to participate in a presentation to another group that they are involved
with (e.g., the Rotary Club, a church singles group, the health class at a volunteer's high school).
Ask for help from existing volunteer agencies, local scout groups, the National Honor Society, or
other bodies at least part of whose mission is community service.

In addition, consider posting notices at:

Laundromats
Grocery stores
High schools
University dorms, student unions, cafeterias, and academic buildings
Houses of worship
Recreation centers and sports clubs
Community centers
Performing arts centers
Post offices
Drug stores
Doctors offices, hospitals, and health clinics
Libraries

Remember that both everyday experience and well-documented research suggest that the best
way to recruit a potential volunteer is to make personal contact. Ideally the contact should be:

Face-to-face (a phone call is second best with a personal letter falling third)
With someone the volunteer knows, likes, and respects

It is usually helpful to make a very specific request with a smaller request as back-up when the
first option is not possible. (If you cant volunteer regularly, can we call on you to help when we
have a mailing to get out?) A follow-up call or letter can be very helpful for those who are
uncertain.
If people are uncertain, you may not want to push them too hard unless you feel strongly that
theyd make good volunteers, and are simply nervous about the prospect. Its not good for the
volunteer or your organization if you talk him into something that he really doesnt have enough
time for, or that as hes told you he really isnt good at or doesnt want to do. A potential
volunteer may really care about your work, and may be a terrific person, but if he doesnt have

the time, energy, or talent for the volunteer job youre suggesting, its better for everyone if he
doesnt accept it.
Convincing potential volunteers to become active volunteers

Once youve made contact with potential volunteers, and theyve shown some interest, you have
to complete the sale by convincing them that volunteering with your organization will be a
good decision for them. Some things you can do toward that end:

Invite potential volunteers to meet staff members and other volunteers and get a real "feel" for
the organization.
Invite volunteers to observe and/or try out the volunteer job theyre interested in, with help
from a staff member or experienced volunteer.
Write a letter to potential volunteers either a general letter, if you are recruiting a large
number of people, or a warm, personalized note. Both types of communication should explain
what your organization does, why you need help, and why you need their help in particular.
Be flexible in scheduling, so that volunteers can work the hours that are most convenient for
them, can work when their friends are working, and/or can work with particular staff members
or participants.
Show that you take volunteers seriously. Ask volunteers to sign a contract to work for a specified
amount of time and to find replacements for themselves if they cant make a scheduled
volunteer commitment. Provide coordination and supervision for volunteers, so that they can
improve their skills and performance. Emphasize how important their contribution is to the
organization.

As weve discussed, people need reasons to volunteer. Some ways to give them those reasons
include:

If you can, show that volunteering with your organization offers both tangible and intangible
rewards. You may, for instance, be able to offer both a professional credential and internal
fulfillment. (Well train and certify you as a trained community mediator, and youll have the
satisfaction of providing a real community service helping people learn how to resolve
conflicts peacefully and equitably.)
Pick specific volunteers for specific jobs that you know theyll like and be good at.
Offer volunteers their choice of jobs, or, let the volunteers create their own job descriptions.
Offer both initial and ongoing training and supervision.
Provide opportunities for volunteers to assume leadership roles in particular projects or
situations, and encourage and help them to expand their skills.
Ask current volunteers to describe the benefits and satisfaction they get from volunteering, and
compile their responses to give to potential volunteers.
Include volunteers in any social activities lunches, lunchtime card games, after-work
gatherings, etc. that occur when theyre volunteering.
Hold Volunteer Appreciation celebrations, and give volunteers small gifts for completion of each
contracted period of service (often a year, but its up to the individual organization.)

Building a diverse group of volunteers

A diverse group of volunteers can broaden the range of opinions and ideas to which your
organization has access. They bring knowledge of the cultures and circumstances of the
population groups they come from, so that your organization will have a better understanding of
those groups, and be better able to relate to them. Furthermore, they enrich the organization with
their perspectives and the variety of their experiences and backgrounds. A diverse group of
volunteers also makes possible heightened cultural sensitivity within the organization, and allows
for the kinds of interchanges that make it possible for people with very different backgrounds to
understand, respect, and cherish one anothers differences as well as their similarities.
By encouraging diversity in your organization, you also increase its appeal; different ethnic and
racial populations are much more likely to respond if they believe that your group has members
who share a similar heritage.

Recruiting members of specific populations

In promotional materials, conversations, etc., explain how your organization's goals are in
keeping with the interests and beliefs of a particular potential volunteer's background and
beliefs.
Highlight the achievements of volunteers from different cultural groups in your local newspaper.
Do what you can to make your organization accessible for people for whom English is a second
language. For example, if your organization is in an area with a strong Hispanic community,
consider writing brochures, newsletters, etc., in Spanish, and hiring Spanish- speaking staff (or
actively recruit Spanish-speaking volunteers!)
Actively recruit a diverse paid staff.
Make your agency an appropriate, comfortable place for potential volunteers to "check out."
Offer opportunities for families to volunteer together.

Possible barriers to be aware of when recruiting from specific populations:

Many potential volunteers may speak English as a second language or not at all.
Many potential volunteers whose socioeconomic status is low might like to volunteer, but are
unable to afford related expenses, such as travel costs and child care.
Potential volunteers from some ethnic groups, such as African-Americans and Hispanics, are
often particularly sensitive to screening, particularly if they perceive the screening process to be
a means of excluding them. If your agency does use an extensive screening process, make sure it
is used both fairly and flexibly, and explain the meaning of each step of the procedure.
Some of the things your agency does might seem strange to some ethnic groups, and will need
additional explanation. For example, it may seem alien to some groups of potential volunteers
to volunteer outside of their own church or faith.
Some organizations or meetings may be located in places that are not wheelchair accessible,
and assistance may not be available for blind or hearing-impaired volunteers.

In Summary
Volunteers may be the backbone of your organization, or they may simply make it possible to do
an extra mailing or get the office clean. Whatever the situation, its important to take them
seriously, recruit them as if you were recruiting paid staff, and treat them as an integral part of
your organization. If you think carefully about what you want volunteers to do, explain
accurately what the job entails, and provide some reasons for their wanting to volunteer, youll
have no problem finding good people to help you, and to spread the word about your
organization and its volunteer opportunities to the community.
Contributor
Jenette Nagy

Print Resources and Videos

Bock, Kathy (1990). Volunteers: The hands, head, and heart of a shepherd's center. Retirement
Research Foundation.
Fisher, James C., and Cole, Kathleen M. (1993). Leadership and management of volunteer
programs. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Furano, K., Roaf, P. A., Styles, M.B., and Branch, A.Y., (1993). Big Brothers/Big Sisters: A
study of program practices. Philadelphia, PA: Public/Private Ventures.
McCurley, Steve, and Vineyard, Sue. (1988). 101 tips for volunteer recruitment. Downers
Grove, IL: Heritage Arts.
Roaf, P. A., Tierney, J.P., and Hunte, D. E., (1994). Big Brothers/ Big Sisters: A study of
volunteer recruitment and screening. Philadelphia, PA: Public/Private Ventures.
Schindler-Rainman, Eva, and Lippitt, Ronald. (1974). The volunteer community. Fairfax, VA:
NTL Learning Resources.
Vineyard, Sue. "Basic volunteer management training packet." Heritage Arts, phone (708) 9641194 fax (708) 964-7338.
Wilson, Marlene. "Recruiting and interviewing volunteers." Video and Audio Cassettes.
Volunteer Management Associates. To order, call (800) 944-1470; for inquiries, call (303) 4470558.
Monthly, Bimonthly, or Quarterly Publications
Citizen Participation and Voluntary Abstracts
Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations
And Voluntary Action (ARNOVA)

Route 2, Box 696

Pullman, WA 99163
(509) 332-3417
Staff Leader
Aspen Publishers
7201 McKinney Circle
P.O. Box 990
Frederick, MD
(800) 638-8437
Grapevine
1807 Prairie Avenue
Downers Grove, IL 60515
Phone: (708) 964-1194
Fax: (708) 964-7338
A free catalog, "Volunteer Marketplace," is available on request.
The Journal of Volunteer Administration
Association for Volunteer Administration
P.O. Box 4584
Boulder, CO 80306
(303) 541-0238
Organizations
Kansas Association of Nonprofit Organizations
P.O. Box 780227
400 North Woodlawn, Suite 212
Wichita, KS 67278-0227
(316) 685-3790
fax (316) 686-1133
Association for Volunteer Administration
P.O. Box 4584
Boulder, CO 80306
(303) 541-0238
Center for Creative Leadership
P.O. Box 26300
Greensboro, NC 27438-6300
(919) 288-3999
National Training and Information Center
810 N. Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago, IL

Checklist

You understand what it means to recruit volunteers for your organization

___You understand why you should recruit volunteers
___You know when you should recruit volunteers
___You are familiar with the basic steps to recruit volunteers
___You researched sources for potential volunteers in your community
___You planned and implemented your recruiting strategy
___You found volunteers
___You convinced potential volunteers to become active volunteers
___You understand the challenges and benefits of recruiting volunteers from varied cultural and
ethnic groups
___You understand why you should recruit people from different groups to be volunteers
___You know the ways to recruit members of specific populations

Example 1: Sample Flier

Kansas Teens Against Drugs

Founded in 1989, the Topeka chapter of Kansas Teens Against Drugs is one of the sixteen
student-run Kansas chapters. We are dedicated to reducing the number of our peers who drink
alcohol or use other drugs, including tobacco. Our activities include running peer support groups,
compiling and distributing information about the legal and health consequences of drug usage,
sponsoring "drug free" events, and many other tasks.
However, we can't do it alone. Please help us make Topeka a safer, healthier place for its youth.
Currently, we need help with the following:

Facilitators to help with peer support groups

Transportation to and from group meetings, events, etc.
Light clerical work, including help with a group newsletter
And much, much more!

If you have time and are willing to help, please call us or stop by our office today. Our phone
number is (913) 272-2001, and we are located at 1200 Jackson Avenue in Topeka. Thank you for
your help.

Example 2: Sample Letter

December 12, 1999
Dear Ms. Roberts,
The Salina AIDS Project needs your help.
You hear about AIDS on the news, and you see pamphlets at the doctor's office. But maybe the
reality of the problem in Salina hasn't ever really struck you. If not, you're one of the lucky few
in our community.
In 1994, there were 98 reported cases of AIDS in Salina - a 200% increase from 1990. Experts
agree that it is highly likely that this community wide problem is going to get worse in the next
few years, affecting almost every Salinan, either directly - through contracting the disease or
having a friend or loved one contract it - or indirectly, through skyrocketing medical costs for all
of us.
Our organization is involved with HIV/AIDS prevention education, care for those who have
contracted the disease, and counseling both for AIDS patients and their families. However, our
staff is small and our resources are limited, creating a long waiting-list for many services.
That's where you come in. We need volunteers in many areas, and are particularly needing help
with the following:

Volunteers to cook and deliver meals to AIDS patients and their families
Drivers to take AIDS patients to doctor's appointments, shopping, etc.
Office volunteers to help with light typing and clerical work
Volunteers to work at booths at community events that will increase AIDS awareness as well as
recognition of our agency

If you have time and are committed to making a difference in Salina, please return the enclosed
postcard today, or call our office at 825-9065. Any assistance you can give us will be greatly
appreciated: please, don't hesitate to respond because you think you don't have enough time. We
need any support you can give to us.

Sincerely,
Anastasia Seaga, Director

Salina AIDS Project

P.S. Another easy way to sign up to help prevent AIDS in Salina is to stop by our booth at the
Mid America Music Festival this weekend. Come support the arts and while you're there, come
talk to a member of our staff!
Tools

Tool 1: Tips for Recruiting, Retaining, and Recognizing Volunteers

Research sources of potential volunteers in your community

Don't forget schools, churches, neighborhood groups, businesses, service organizations and
clubs, youth groups, senior groups, media and grassroots groups.
Define target groups to recruit

Ask current members why they volunteered, what continues to motivate them, and how they
were recruited as you begin to map out your recruitment strategy.
Get your message out there

Never underestimate the power of simply letting people know that you need their help. Try
holding an annual appeal for volunteers, set up booths at local fairs, write letters to the editor,
and ask current volunteers to make an appeal on your behalf to local civic clubs. Also consider
posting notices at all the places community members regularly visit (grocery stores, post offices,
the public library, etc.).
Encourage diversity

Remember that promoting diversity within your organization will broaden the range of opinions
and ideas to which your organization has access. Try highlighting the achievements of volunteers
from different cultural groups in your local newspaper, offer families opportunities to volunteer
together, and actively recruit a diverse paid staff.
Welcome volunteers into your organization

Taking time up-front to make sure that volunteers feel genuinely welcome is the first step toward
keeping them involved. Try pairing volunteers with paid staff. Encourage paid staff to take the
time to answer volunteers' questions and get to know the person.

Challenge volunteers

Brainstorm about the possible tasks volunteers could perform within your organization. Listen to
volunteers' interests and assess their abilities. Then provide volunteers with opportunities that
meet them where they are. Volunteers who feel successful and have an opportunity to stretch
their abilities are more likely to hang around and to serve the organization well. With this
approach, everybody wins!
Appreciate and respect volunteers

Remember that volunteers are giving generously of their most precious resource-their time.
Communicate your appreciation and respect by inviting volunteers to be part of the decisionmaking process when appropriate and honoring the constraints on their time.
Celebrate!

Make sure that your organization recognizes the invaluable work of volunteers by
acknowledging the important contributions they make. Try an annual awards luncheon, feature
volunteers in your organization's newsletter, or partner with the media to highlight the work of
local community members in the newspaper on or television.

Tool 2: Volunteer application form

FITCHBURG SAFE & HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOOD COALITION

Building Safer Neighborhoods: A Cooperative Response

"Offer To Help"
Name: ____________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Address: __________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Phone Number -Home: _____________________Work: ____________________
I would like to continue to be involved in the issue(s) of:
( ) Violence in the Community
( ) Violence in the Schools
( ) Violence in the Family

( ) I would like to be involved in my neighborhood

-Thank You-

Tool 3: 101 ways to give recognition to volunteers

by Vern Lake, Minnesota Department of Public Welfare
Smile Put up a volunteer suggestion box Treat to a soda Reimburse assignment related
expenses Ask for a report Send a birthday card Arrange for discounts Give service stripes
Maintain a coffee bar Plan annual ceremonial occasions Invite to a staff meeting Recognize
personal needs and problems Accommodate personal needs and problems Be pleasant Be of
use in an emergency situation Provide a baby-sitter Post an Honor Roll in the reception area
Respect their wishes Give informal teas Keep challenging them Send a Thanksgiving card to
the volunteer's family Provide a nursery Say "Good morning" Greet by name Provide good
pre-service training Help develop self-confidence Award plaques to sponsoring groups Take
time to explain Be verbal Motivate agency VIPs to converse with them Hold rap sessions
Give additional responsibility Afford participation in team planning Respect sensitivities
Enable to grow on the job Send newsworthy information to the media Have wine and cheese
tasting parties Ask client-patient to evaluate their work-service Say "Good afternoon" Create
pleasant surroundings Welcome to staff coffee breaks Enlist to train other volunteers Have a
public reception Take time to talk Defend against hostile or negative staff Make good plans
Commend to supervisory staff Send a valentine Make thorough pre-arrangements Persuade
"personnel" to equate volunteer experience with work experience Admit to partnership with
paid staff Recommend to prospective employer Provide scholarships to volunteer conferences
or workshops Offer advocacy roles Utilize them as consultants Write them thank you notes
Invite participation in policy formation Surprise with coffee and cake Celebrate outstanding
projects and achievements Nominate for volunteer awards Have a "Presidents Day" for new
presidents of sponsoring groups Carefully match volunteer with job Praise them to their
friends Provide substantive in-service training Provide useful tools in good working
conditions Say "Good night" Plan staff and volunteer social events Be a real person Rent
billboard space for public laudation Accept their individuality Identify age groups Provide
opportunities for conference and evaluation Maintain meaningful life Send impromptu fun
cards Plan occasional extravaganzas Instigate client-planned surprises Utilize purchased
newspaper space Promote a "Volunteer of the Month" program Send a letter of appreciation
to employer Plan a recognition edition of the agency newsletter Color code name tags to
indicate particular achievements (hours, years, unit, etc.) Send commendatory letters to
prominent public figures Say "We missed you" Praise the sponsoring group or club Promote
staff smiles Facilitate personal maturation Distinguish between group and individuals in the
group Maintain safe working conditions Adequately orientate Award special citations for
extraordinary achievements Fully indoctrinate regarding the agency Send Christmas cards
Be familiar with details of assignments Conduct community-wide cooperative, interagency
recognition events Plan a theater party Attend sports events Have a picnic Say "Thank
you" Smile

Tool 4: If you want my loyalty, interest, and best efforts, remember that:
By President J. Donald Philip, Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan

I need sense of belonging, a feeling that I?m honestly needed for my total self, not just for my
hands, not because I take orders well.
I need to have some sense of sharing in planning our objectives. My need will be satisfied only
when I feel that my ideas have had a fair hearing.
I need to feel that the goals and objectives are within reach, and that they make sense to me.
I need to feel that what I'm doing has real purpose or contributes to human welfare; that its
values extends even beyond my personal gain, or hours.
I need to share in making the rules by which, together, we shall live and work toward our goals.
I need to know in some clear detail just what is expected of me: not only my detailed task, but
where I have the opportunity to make personal and final decisions.
I need to have some responsibilities that challenge, that are within the range of my abilities and
interest, and that contribute toward reaching my assigned goal, and that cover all goals.
I need to see that progress is being made toward the goals we have set.
I need to be kept informed. What I'm not up on, I may be down on. (Keeping me informed is one
way to give me status as an individual.)
I need to have confidence in my superiors, confidence based upon assurance of consistent fair
treatment, on recognition when it is due, and trust that loyalty will bring increased security.
In brief, it really doesn't matter how much sense my part in this organization makes to you. I
must feel that the whole deal makes sense to me. I would add, hopefully, the whole deal makes
sense to everyone involved: the client, staff, volunteer and you.

Section 3. Developing Volunteer Orientation

Programs

What is an orientation program?

Why should you have orientation programs?
What kind of orientation should you give?
How do you run orientation programs?
What information should you cover during an orientation session?

If your group is like many others, you depend on your volunteers for many things. Their jobs
may range from doing the agency taxes to taking care of children, or from licking stamps to
running career fairs. Whatever jobs they do, however, one thing is almost always true: your
organization needs volunteer help to function effectively.
We've discussed how to recruit new volunteers, but once you've got them in the door, your work
has only just begun. Your volunteers need to be received like guests and shown around the
organization. You need to carefully explain what's happening (and what might happen), because
if the coast looks dark and unwelcoming, the new recruit might turn around and walk right back
out that door.

To help welcome new volunteers into the organization, some groups hold orientation programs
to start new volunteers on the path of becoming seasoned veterans.

What is an orientation program?

First, let's think for a moment of what we mean by orientation. Even though we might not think
of it this way, orientation truly starts at our initial contact with the new volunteer.
When you speak to a prospective volunteer over the phone, or when you meet that person for an
interview, orientation has already begun. You are giving your recruit a sense of what your
organization is all about. More than that, you are communicating something crucial about:

The way your organization does business

Your attitudes toward the outside world
Your seriousness of purpose
Your sense of humor
Your general expectations about the content of the job
Your general expectations about the way in which the job should be performed

You communicate much of the information in this initial orientation non-verbally, and you may
not even be aware that you're doing it. But this "informal" orientation is important because your
recruit's first impression of you and your organization will be based on it. Scientific research
exists that suggests first impressions are formed very quickly, and that once established, those
impressions are hard to get rid of.
You probably wish to supplement this implicit orientation with more explicit and formal
instruction in which you will systematically communicate certain general information about your
organization and the job. That formal instruction is what we mean by an orientation program,
and that is the focus of this section.
We will discuss why your organization should hold an orientation program, how to design and
present orientations that make the most sense in your circumstances, and finally, how to evaluate
what you've done.
Before we go any further, an important distinction to make is that an orientation program is not
the same as a training program. A training program, as discussed in the next section, goes into
great detail about how to do a specific job--information that is usually over and above what
you're trying to get across in an orientation session.
For example, a program in which volunteers tutor people for literacy might have a training
program with several different sessions. These sessions could explain how to best teach people to
read and give an overview of phonetics and adult learning.
An orientation program, on the other hand, would take place before this training. It would tell
new volunteers how long the program has been in existence, where they will be doing the

tutoring, who they will be tutoring, what is expected of them, the benefits they can expect to
receive, et cetera. It should not, however, teach them how to teach.

Why should you have orientation programs?

What are some of the advantages of a structured orientation program?

Imparting knowledge. The orientation program will help new volunteers learn about your
organization and its mission and goals, and it may instruct the volunteer on policies and
procedures in your organization.
Increasing confidence. An orientation program can make future volunteers more comfortable
and confident in their work by helping the volunteer better understand what the agency does,
and may help him or her see the purpose of what he or she is doing.
o For example, Vaiju, a second grade teacher, signs up to help collect donations for a local
community task force a bit hesitantly, as she is not used to asking for donations.
However, after the orientation session, she understands that the donations she will be
collecting will help make sure some local children will have enough clothes to keep them
warm in the winter months ahead. After understanding the goal and her part in it, she
sets aside some of her usual reserve, and becomes an excellent champion for the cause.
Increasing enthusiasm. Volunteer orientation is an important part of maintaining the motivation
and enthusiasm that caused people to want to help to begin with. A positive orientation session
affirms people's decisions to work for your organization. It reminds them that what they are
doing is worthwhile, and shows them that your organization is the place to help.
Avoiding future problems. By explaining important information from the start, you save time
and energy that would be spent on questions, misunderstandings, and misconceptions.

What kind of orientation should you give?

Orientation programs, as defined above, vary widely in terms of length, structure, method of
delivery, and amount of detail. They can range from one-on-one casual conversation in the
corridor, to highly structured classroom sessions in large groups lasting several days. So which to
choose? Some criteria in making decisions about your orientation program:

The number of people who need to be oriented right now

The number of people available to do the orienting (and their available time and expertise)
The complexity of the job to be performed
The prior experience of the new volunteer in performing that job or a similar one
The presence (or absence) of an orientation program that someone else may already have
established

Larger organizations, or those that have many volunteers, will generally have a more formal
orientation program. This might take place over an hour or two and is often a requirement for
becoming a volunteer. It might take place during the recruitment phase of your volunteer
program, or on the volunteer's first day on the job.

Smaller groups who employ volunteers on one-time assignments, such as helping cook at the
annual fundraising chili feed, may orient new volunteers individually. In these cases, the
volunteer director or another member of the organization may simply show the new volunteer
around, and (for simpler tasks) show him what he'll be doing.
This section will talk primarily about larger, more official orientation programs. Many of the
ideas that follow, however, can be easily adapted to smaller, less formal situations.

How do you run orientation programs?

Again, this will depend on your organization's needs. But here are some things to consider in
coming up with a solution that meets your group's needs.
Decide what you want to accomplish with your orientation program. When new volunteers leave
after you have completed the orientation, what should they know? What should they be prepared
to do? It sometimes helps to write down these goals. Then, you can plan how you are going to
reach them.
Decide how large and formal you want the orientation to be. Will you recruit many volunteers
together, or only one or two at a time? Will new volunteers have to come at a specific time for
the orientation program, or will it be a part of the their first day? How much time and how many
resources do you want to devote on the program?
There are no set answers to these questions. It's up to your organization to answer them in ways
that make the most sense in your circumstances.
Decide who will be responsible for the orientation of new volunteers. The responsibility for
orientation may fall to the volunteer coordinator (if you have one), it can be split between two or
more people, or different individuals can take on the task at different times. However, if you are
planning on having a more formal orientation program, or one that will probably be repeated, it
often makes sense to have one person in charge of the orientation. That way you can be sure that
the orientation program is consistent and that new volunteers hear the same things. Also, it's
human nature to get better at things the more we do them. Practice may not always make perfect,
but it certainly helps!
Get the word out. A brilliant and well-executed plan won't do much good if you don't have an
audience. Posters might help, and postcards sent out as a reminder of the orientation session can
be very helpful for busy people who might have forgotten to write the date on their calendar.
Arrange the logistics of the situation, especially when you're hosting a more formal orientation
session. Will the meeting room be free when you need it? Do you have enough copies of the
volunteer manual for everyone who is supposed to come, plus a few extras? Enough chairs? Is
the meeting area accessible for people with disabilities? The devil is in the details, so try not to
get caught unaware!

Be sure you have taken care of everyone's physical comfort when they arrive. Is the room too
cold? Too hot? Do they need something to drink, and do they know where the bathrooms are? If
people are physically uncomfortable, they will have a hard time listening to you and participating
in the discussion and activities. And when they are uncomfortable, most people become less
open to new ideas, both of their own and those of other people.
Even if you can't do much, you'll probably find that there are some basic comforts everyone will
find important, and you will want to take care of them before the meeting. Some possibilities
include:

Soft lighting
Comfortable chairs
Access to restrooms
Making sure the temperature is comfortable for everyone
Taking breaks when the orientation goes on too long
Refreshments (at an absolute minimum, you'll want to be sure there is water available)

Set people at ease. Often, orientation sessions are made up of people who don 't know each other,
and they may be a bit shy about really getting involved in the discussion or asking questions-even important questions that everyone needs to hear the answers to.
Icebreaking activities can be used to alleviate this tension, and the person in charge of the
orientation program may choose to use one if the participants are uncomfortable.
Cover the information you have decided is important for the orientation session. Evaluate what
you have done.

What information should you cover during an orientation session?

A lot of different things might be appropriate, depending on the size, goals, and functions of your
organization.
Some of the items that are more commonly discussed include:

A description of your organization's programs, the community you serve, and your
organization's relationships in the community.
The structure of your organization, including an introduction to key staff members and an
explanation of their roles.
What is expected of the volunteers, including a general overview of the jobs they will be doing.
A brief history of your organization. Help them understand your organization's mission, policies
and main goals, as well as how the volunteer can contribute.
An explanation of your organization's policies, rules, and procedures.
A tour of the facilities. Make sure you show the volunteer offices, phones, rest rooms, parking,
et cetera.
The volunteer training schedule, if one exists.
The volunteer evaluation and performance review system.

Volunteer benefits. These may be tangible, such as free membership in a nearby gym or free
coffee and doughnuts for breakfast. But the job also has more abstract benefits, such as
personal growth or the opportunity to obtain new skills. For example, a group helping to build
low-income housing may teach volunteers the basics of construction--a skill they will be able to
use throughout their lives. A mentoring relationship might give the mentor the satisfaction of
having helped a young person succeed in school, or having opened his protg's eyes to new life
possibilities.
Emergency procedures, such as where to go in case of a storm, where to find the first aid kit,
and related information, should always be explained.

An orientation session should be a time to make new volunteers feel welcome and part of the
group. Any orientation, formal or otherwise, should close with a sincere expression of
appreciation and welcome.
Written materials for new volunteers

It is often helpful to have some orientation materials in writing. These can range from a one-page
tip sheet to a full-length orientation manual. The more complex the job and orientation, the more
complex the material should be. (One variation of this, in large organizations, is to include one or
more instructional videos, describing the organization and how it works.)
Some organizations have orientation manuals (sometimes called personnel manuals or policy
manuals) which are given to new recruits, or at least made available to them. If your organization
is large or formal, such as an established agency, school,or church, you might consider
developing something comparable. Such development can take place over time, with new
policies or other information being added gradually, possibly in a loose-leaf binder format.
Loose-leaf binders are particularly good because new information can be inserted in its proper
place and outdated information removed.
Warning: Written orientation materials should supplement, not replace, face-to-face orientation.
More personalized orientation can deal with topics that printed materials do not address. It can
also communicate which points in the written material are just there for the record, and those
which really need to be followed to the letter. Most importantly, of course, talking with someone
can answer questions and allay any fears the new volunteer might have.
Information that might be covered in a volunteer manual:

Copies of publications such as brochures, articles, et cetera, that have been written or produced
by the organization
Staff and volunteer directory
A list of the Board of Directors
Record keeping forms and paperwork
Reimbursement policy
Termination procedure
Dress code
Scheduling changes
Insurance (if necessary)

Grievance procedure
Definitions of technical terms and jargon used by your organization
Information on client rights, confidentiality, legal restrictions, etc.
Volunteer promotion opportunities
Use of agency facilities, equipment, and services
A written copy of information discussed during the orientation

Evaluating your orientation

At the end of your orientation session, you want to know how well it went and if new volunteers
learned what you hoped they would. Give yourself some credit for taking the time to orient new
members--but remember that the fact that you are providing orientation does not necessarily
mean it is valuable to them.
An evaluation component should normally be built into any orientation you deliver. It can be as
simple as asking newly oriented members to rate the clarity and value (or other aspects) of the
orientation, either right after the orientation, and/or at some time in the future. Evaluation could
also involve observations of orientation sessions by other staff, or measurement of some aspect
of job performance directly related to the orientation. For an example evaluation form, see the
Tools at the end of this section. The next and last step once your evaluation data has been
collected, is to use it in practice. Use what you've learned from orientation feedback to
strengthen your orientation program, and make it the best program possible.
Orientation is ongoing

Your organization will experience the natural process of change over time, which means that
volunteers will need to be kept aware of changes in the organization. The larger and more
hierarchical your organization, the more this is true.
In other words, orientation is an ongoing process. It does not end with an orientation session, but
rather in a real way it continues as long as a member is part of your group. How can this ongoing
orientation best take place? As before, this will depend on the nature of your particular group,
and especially on its size. Here are some options open to you:
Developing an orientation manual (see above), and making it someone's job to update it
regularly.
Holding "general staff" meetings on a periodic basis for everyone in the organization regardless
of function. Use these meetings to present new policies, procedures, developments, and to
answer questions. This is also a good place to get useful feedback from your volunteers.
Distributing an organizational newsletter, which can accomplish some of these same purposes
via print. Remember that none of this is in any way a substitute for clear day-to-day
communication with your volunteers. But these more formal structures can be used to
supplement that communication, and to provide added insurance that all your volunteers are "on
the same page."

In Summary
Community organizations often depend on a constant influx of new volunteers to survive and
thrive as they try to obtain their goals. To do so, however, it is important that your new
volunteers understand that you really are welcoming them with open arms. By skillfully
managing orientation programs, you are effectively institutionalizing that welcome and making
sure that everyone who wants to help will understand what they are doing and why they do it.
Ultimately, you are showing your volunteers how important their help is to the organization.
Making sure they understand their positive impact on the organization is one of the best ways to
make sure that the volunteers you orient today remain dedicated volunteers in the months and
years to come.
Contributor
Jenette Nagy
Bill Berkowitz
Eric Wadud

Online Resources
Independent Sector is a national leadership forum, that encourages philanthropy, volunteering,
not-for-profit initiatives and citizen action that help us better serve people and communities.
Volunteers of America is one of the nation's largest and most comprehensive charitable nonprofit human services organizations. Founded in 1896, today Volunteers of America is active in
more than 220 cities and towns in 37 states. Our community-based affiliates offer programs that
serve those most in need, including abused and neglected children, homeless individuals and
families, the frail elderly, youth at risk, people with developmental and physical disabilities and
chronic mental illness, and ex-offenders returning to society, among many others.
Creating an Orientation Manual for Volunteers was developed in Canada by The Volunteer
Centre Society of Camrose and District.
A Guidebook for Working with Volunteers, by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, provides a
step-by-step look at the mechanics of initiating and running a volunteer program. Techniques,
alternatives, and samples are offered for use and adaptation.
Print Resources
Furano K. et al, (1993). Big Brother/Big Sister: A study of program practices. Philadelphia, PA:
Public/Private Ventures.
Haines, M. (1977). Volunteers: How to find them? How to keep them! Vancouver, BC: The
Vancouver Volunteer Centre.

Herman, R. D. & Associates. (1994). The Jossey-Bass handbook of nonprofit leadership and
management. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
McCurley, S. (1986). 101 Ideas for volunteer programs. Downers Grove, IL: Heritage Arts.
Morrison, E. (1994). Leadership skills: Developing volunteers for organizational success.
Tuscon, AZ: Fisher Books.
Roaf, P. A. et al, (1994). Big Brother/Big Sister: A study of volunteer recruitment and screening.
Philadelphia, PA: Public/Private Ventures.
Checklist

You know what an orientation program is

___You know what you can communicate during an orientation session.
___You know why you should have orientation programs
___You know what kind of orientation should you give
___You understand how to run orientation programs
___You know what information you should cover during an orientation session
___You know about written material for new volunteers
___You know how to evaluate your orientation
___You understand that orientation is an ongoing process

Example: Sample Table of Contents from a volunteer training manual

Peace by Peace: Reducing youth violence--a little at a time

Volunteer information manual

Letter from the President

Peace by Peace mission and vision statements

Current programs and activities

Past accomplishments

Record keeping forms (examples)

12

Directory of partner programs

15

Volunteer and staff directory

18

Board of Directors

22

Grievance procedure

25

Termination procedures

26

Definitions

28

Information from Orientation session

30

Tools

Tool 1: Orientation evaluation form

This form can be given to new volunteers at the end of the orientation session to determine how
well the session went from the volunteer's perspective.
Volunteer Orientation Session Evaluation Form

You do NOT need to put your name on this form.

Date of orientation session:
Facilitator/Orientation leader:
What are 3 things you learned about the organization from this session?
1.
2.
3.

What did you like about most about today's orientation?

What did you like least about today's orientation?

What would you recommend for future orientation sessions?

What additional information would you like us to know?

Section 4. Developing Training Programs for

Volunteers

Why should your organization have training programs for volunteers?

Who should train new volunteers?
How do you develop training programs for volunteers?
Principles of adult learning

Many volunteers are charged with complicated tasks that take a lot of understanding and
knowledge to do properly. Sometimes, your organization will get lucky and someone with
perfect training will show up and be ready to offer their talents for just what you need: an
accountant offers his services to help with payroll; a social worker offers to talk with people who
have just lost their homes in a terrible flood.
Unfortunately, this is not always the case, nor is it even often the case. Many times, wellmeaning people will offer to help your organization, but are lacking many of the skills you need
most. A man comes in to be a "big brother," but has no experience with young people. Women
sign up to help and support women who have been raped after a "Take Back the Night," march,
but have little idea of what that entails. In situations like these, when you need many people with
the same skills, your group might want to have some sort of formal training program. Because,
while enthusiasm for your cause is fantastic, it needs to be gathered and focused to truly meet
your organization 's objectives.

Does this mean you will always need to have training programs when you use volunteers?
Absolutely not! There is a lot of good work that can be done with minimal or no training. Selling
drinks at a concession stand, running the nursery at the annual meeting, and helping to clean up
the church grounds after the annual bazaar are times when volunteer help can be used with very
little training required.
This section, then, isn't really geared towards those types of volunteer efforts. While such
volunteers probably will need some type of orientation, as discussed in the last section, formal
training isn't really going to be necessary for their purposes.
This section has been written for organizations in which at least some of the volunteers do work
that requires more extensive training. Examples of these kinds of volunteers include peer and
crisis counselors, volunteer health workers and teachers. If your group has volunteers like these,
let's continue.
In this section, we will discuss the advantages of a formal training session, decide who should
conduct the training, and explore different ways to train volunteers. We'll also include a
discussion of the principles of adult learning, to help ensure that people are really getting what
you hoped out of the training sessions.

Why should your organization have training programs for volunteers?

Sometimes your organization doesn't really have a choice; volunteer training is an absolute
necessity. To be a lifeguard, for example, a volunteer will have to be trained in CPR.
But, for many groups, the decision whether or not to have a training program is not so clear-cut.
Some of the issues to consider when deciding whether or not to have a training program include:

Training helps new volunteers get to know the people, the program, and the job quickly and
efficiently.
Training your volunteers establishes that there is a minimum competency that all volunteers are
expected to obtain.
Many volunteers see training as a benefit of being part of an organization. Training teaches
them skills that may be helpful to them elsewhere, and may even help them get a paying job.
Training publicly acknowledges a necessary level of proficiency. By training your volunteers, you
are making the statement that the organization is professional and capable of doing important
work and doing it well.
Some organizations use training as a "weeding out" technique, making sure that volunteers who
have signed up will be likely to live up to their commitments.

Who should train new volunteers?

Once your organization has decided that it wants an official training program for volunteers, you
should next decide who should run it. Of course, this will depend greatly on your situation: how
many volunteers need to be trained, how much training they need, and the resources you are able

to put towards training, to mention just a few of the variables. So it will be up to you, or another
member of your organization, to decide what makes the most sense.
Some organizations have a director of training as a member of the staff. This makes particular
sense for organizations that do trainings year round for moderate-sized or large groups of people.
An organization may also have someone on staff for whom one of their duties is to coordinate
new volunteer trainings.
If your organization has a volunteer coordinator or director, he or she will almost always play a
role in training sessions, and may take charge of the trainings in smaller organizations.
Other volunteers are often an integral part of training, although they rarely run the programs. In
smaller organizations, the entire training might take place by one volunteer shadowing another
for a few days; for larger, more formal trainings, volunteers can give trainees an important
perspective on "what it's really like."
Incorporating volunteers into training programs has benefits for the volunteer trainers as well as
for the organization and trainees. As training director Lisa Rasor puts it, "We encourage
experienced volunteers to be trainers because that's one way for them to refresh their skills and to
feel more connected to the agency -- to have more of a stake in what's going on."
If no one in the group excels at the task for which you are training volunteers, you might even
want to go outside of the group to find someone to run the training. This could be someone you
hire on an ad hoc basis -- or would he be willing to offer his services for free?

How do you develop training programs?

As with any other plan you will develop, there are certain steps to developing a training program.
Decide what you want to teach volunteers

Why are you training volunteers? When new volunteers finish training, what should they know?
And just as importantly, what do they want to know? Both the trainer and the trainees will have
goals for the training program; it's important that the trainer develop a training program that
focuses on both of these. It might even help the person doing the training to write these goals
down. If the trainer doesn't have clear ideas of what volunteers should leave knowing, chances
are the volunteers will leave the training session pretty confused.
Typically, a training session will try to impart four things to new volunteers:

What to do: What is expected of them as new volunteers? What will their responsibilities be?
How to do it: It's one thing to tell someone to "pour cement for the porch," but if you don't
explain how to do it, things will likely be very messy indeed. Explaining how volunteers can best
accomplish their tasks is the crux of training, and will probably take up the largest chunk of time.
What not to do: Are there certain things volunteers are not allowed to do? For example, should
they not talk about clients, for the sake of confidentiality? Are there situations in which they

should automatically call for staff backup? Training should make a volunteer's (and the agency's)
limits very, very clear.
What to do in an emergency: if the volunteers had an orientation before training began, they
will have already heard this information, but it's worth going over again. The location of the first
aid kit (and possibly some first aid techniques as well) should be known by everyone, as well as
what to do in a fire or a severe storm.

Decide how you will teach them

What kind of training program do you want to give new volunteers? Simpler possibilities are
good for smaller organizations, simpler tasks, and groups that don't have the resources for a full
training program. Two such possibilities are the use of the "buddy system" and shadowing. In the
"buddy system," a new volunteer works with an experienced person at first, and the experienced
person answers questions and makes suggestions. Shadowing is very similar, but the new
volunteer is more passive, and watches more than she takes action at the beginning.
For a larger group of people, more challenging work, and groups with sufficient resources, a
more extensive training plan is often more appropriate. This may take a few hours, a few months,
or anywhere in between. The amount of material to be covered and the resources available
should be your guide.
[Note: The following steps are specific to a larger, more formal training plan. Smaller training
programs may be able to adapt them to their needs.]
Write a budget for your training

Trainings can be done fairly inexpensively, but they are rarely free. Typical expenses include
equipment or room rental, trainer fees, staff time, food and beverages, and supplies.
Decide what materials you would like to use that will fit into your budget

You may find videos, workbooks, recorded material, web pages, or other materials helpful.
Depending on the type of training you are doing, you should be able to find helpful materials
from national clearinghouses, organizations similar to yours, or other sources.
Get the word out

Send a note out to new volunteers reminding them of the times and places of training sessions.
Also, be clear about how much time training will take. If your training is particularly long, ask
for written or oral confirmation that they will be able to make all (or most) of the training
sessions.
Make sure all of the logistics have been worked out before each training session

That is, that the room is empty and prepared; there are enough chairs; the speakers know what
time to show up, and similar details.

Pay attention to the physical comfort of trainees

This is the first thing you should do when people arrive. Is the room too cold? Too hot? Do they
need something to drink? Do they know where the bathrooms are? If people are physically
uncomfortable, they will have a hard time listening to you and participating in the discussion and
activities.
Set people at ease

When trainings begin, people may be shy about getting involved in the discussion or about
asking questions. Understand this nervousness and try to find ways to reduce it. A comfortable
learning environment can help put people at ease (it's hard to be really uncomfortable on a soft
sofa, for example), as can icebreakers.
Start training!

Once you have completed your preparations and are certain that the participants will be relatively
comfortable, it's time to get to work! Before you write up your lesson plans, however, it can be
helpful to understand how adults learn best. Understanding certain ideas and techniques,
sometimes called "principles of adult learning," can help in developing a highly effective training
program.

Principles of adult learning

Adults must feel a need to learn. It's important that they understand the relevance of what is
being taught to what they will be doing. For example, if the trainer is explaining group dynamics
to a group of people who will be health educators in local clinics, she will probably have a better
audience if the trainees know they will be talking to groups, and not just doing one-on-one
counseling. If trainees understand that, the information automatically becomes useful, not just
another lecture they need to sit through before they can get to the "real work."
Allow adults to share their previous experiences and relate them to the present situation.
Everyone likes to feel that they have something to bring to the discussion; by relating past
experiences to the current topic, your trainees will not only feel that they have something to add,
but will also have a better understanding of the subject being discussed. It's no longer academic
to them -- it's something they have experienced, something they know.
People learn better when lessons are centered around solving problems. Instead of a lecture,
presenting a problem and helping trainees find the answer is a much more effective way of
teaching. People like to puzzle things out and by presenting a problem, you ask people to think,
not just passively accept what they are told.
Training should be interactive. You should lecture very little when training adult volunteers, and
you should supplement your lectures with other methods as much as possible. Studies show that
we retain only 20% of what we hear in a lecture setting, so consider incorporating discussions,
observations, role-playing, demonstrations, and writing into your training program.

Balance support with challenging the learner. This is a delicate balance, which will come more
naturally with experience. Try to convey to the trainee -- through words of encouragement,
written policies, or other methods -- that he or she will always have the support necessary to do
the job well. At the same time, however, challenge the volunteer to take on more complicated
tasks as confidence and understanding grow.
Urge volunteers to use their creativity. Encourage suggestions, ideas, and improvements that the
trainees might come up with, both to improve the training and to improve the program or
organization as a whole. Since most trainees are probably new to the organization, they will
certainly see things differently than people who have been there a while. Be sure to take
advantage of their enthusiasm and fresh points of view!
Remember that people aren't the same. People learn in different ways, and may respond better to
different approaches. The trainer should pay attention to how people are responding and try to
modify the training accordingly.
Develop lesson plans

Now that you understand the principles of adult learning, it's time to write lesson plans. These
are very helpful in keeping you on task, keeping an eye on the time, and making sure you cover
everything you have intended to cover. A lesson plan may cover several hours of training time: if
your training has been broken up into several (or many) different time slots, each one may have
an individual lesson plan. A shorter training may only need one lesson plan; if your training is
taking place over a large chunk of time (for example, at a weekend retreat), different ideas may
be separated into different lesson plans, much like a grade school teacher might do for his
different classes.
Individual lesson plans should state:

The learning objectives (i.e., the intended result of the lesson). For example, "At the end of this
lesson, trainees will be comfortable talking about condoms in front of a small group of peers,
and will know current slang terms for them."
The time allotted for each activity. Although there are no absolutes, this is usually fairly short -typically under an hour. That way, trainees don't have time to get bored and are kept on their
toes by constantly changing activities.
A detailed explanation of each activity.
Ways to evaluate trainee understanding. For example, a quiz at the end of the lesson, asking
trainees to do something based on what they learned.
A list of resources needed to carry out the activities (e.g., markers, workbooks).

Evaluate trainees

Evaluation is a very important last step in your training program. By doing a simple evaluation,
you will be able to learn what trainees learned and understood from the training. Some
possibilities for evaluation include:

Field testing. Give them the chance to demonstrate what they have learned under careful
supervision
Small group evaluation. Gather trainees to talk together about what they gained from the
training
Pre-test/post-test score comparison. The same test is given to trainees when they enter and
when they finish training. This is particularly helpful when you want trainees to get a lot of facts
out of the training session, and it can also be useful when you are uncertain of the knowledge
trainees originally bring to the classroom. For example, a group training to become AIDS
educators might come to a training session with widely different levels of knowledge about HIV.
A pre-test/post-test allows the trainer to understand what trainees already know (and modify
the training program accordingly), and also how much they learn during the sessions.

Keep in mind that evaluation is a two-way street. Trainees should have the chance to give you
feedback as well. At the end of the training (or possibly, at the end of specific lessons), you
should give trainees the chance to give you specific and anonymous feedback. Then, you should
be sure to incorporate this feedback in to future trainings, to make sure that your organization is
constantly improving, that your volunteers are as well-prepared as possible, and that they will
remain happy and productive at your organization. A blank form that trainees can use to give
feedback can be found in the Tools at the end of this section.
Celebrate the end of training, but remember that training should be ongoing

Especially if the training has been long or very challenging, you might want to celebrate the
successful completion of training. Some groups even give awards such as certificates of
achievement or gift certificates to further recognize the occasion.
After the certificates have been passed out and the crumbs swept up, however, training is still not
over. Training often continues for as long as the volunteers work at your organization. Annual
retreats, classes, or conferences may all serve to refresh and enhance a volunteer's knowledge.
Sometimes, these trainings are mandated to renew certification (as in First Aid certification).
They may also be given sporadically, as new information or techniques become available.
The important point to remember is that volunteers, like paid staff, can benefit from additional
training as they continue at their jobs. And, by giving additional training, you show volunteers
how valuable they are to your organization. Training offers the chance to grow and change
within the organization; volunteers don't need to leave the group to find new challenges.

In Summary
Teaching new volunteers the skills they need to function effectively as part of your organization
can be difficult work. By creating a training plan, however, you can cut down on potential
headaches while making sure volunteers have the most comprehensive, effective learning
experience possible. And, in the long run, your work will pay off in the form of skillful
volunteers who really are making the goals and dreams of your agency happen.
Contributor

Jenette Nagy

Print Resources
Ellis, S. J., & Noyes, K. H. (1990). By the people: A history of Americans as volunteers. (Rev.
ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Furano K. et al, (1993). Big Brother/Big Sister: A study of program practices. Philadelphia, PA:
Public/Private Ventures.
Herman, R.D. (Ed.). (1994). The Jossey-Bass handbook of nonprofit leadership and
management. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Morrison, E.K. (1994). Leadership skills: Developing volunteers for organizational success.
Tucson, AZ: Fisher Books.
Roaf, P. A. et al, (1994). Big Brother/Big Sister: A study of volunteer recruitment and screening.
Philadelphia, PA: Public/Private Ventures.
Online Resources
Independent Sector is a national leadership forum that encourages philanthropy, volunteering,
not-for-profit initiative, and citizen action that help us better serve people and communities.
Volunteers of America is one of the nation's largest and most comprehensive charitable nonprofit human services organizations. Founded in 1896, today Volunteers of America is active in
more than 220 cities and towns in 37 states. Our community-based affiliates offer programs that
serve those most in need, including abused and neglected children, homeless individuals and
families, the elderly, youth at risk, people with developmental and physical disabilities and
chronic mental illness, and ex-offenders returning to society, among many others. Each year,
more than 1.4 million people are served by Volunteers of America.
Volunteer Manual and Training Curriculum for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive
Health Counseling/Education is from Volunteer Now.
Developing Accredited Training for Volunteers is from Volunteer Now in Northern Ireland
and is a useful guide to developing a well-structured training for volunteers.
Checklist

You understand why your organization should have training programs for volunteers
___You know who should train new volunteers
___You know how to develop training programs

___Decide what you want to teach volunteers

___Decide how you will teach them in the training
___Write a budget for your training
___Decide what materials you would like to use for the training
___Get the word out about the training
___Consider the logistics of the training
___Pay attention to physical comfort during the training
___Set people at ease during the training
___Develop lesson plans for the training
___Evaluate trainees
___Celebrate the end of training
___You know the principles of adult learning
___You understand that training is an ongoing process

Example 1: Counseling training program

Lisa Rasor is the former volunteer training coordinator at Headquarters Counseling Center in
Lawrence, Kansas. Headquarters is a nonprofit, 24-hour crisis counseling and community
information telephone and walk-in center. All counselors at the center are volunteers, and the
center does three 100-hour trainings per year.
My name is Lisa Rasor. I'm the outgoing training director at Headquarters Counseling Center.
I've been a training director for two years, and before that I was a volunteer. I have been a
volunteer counselor and volunteer trainer since 1988. So, for the past ten years, I've been
involved with Headquarters Training.
All of our volunteers first go through a screening process where they attend an informational
meeting to learn more about the agency and the types of services we provide. Then, if they're still
interested in volunteering, they sign up for a volunteer interview. This is like a job interview but
more informal. The prospective volunteer will also fill out an application that is pretty much
unlike any other. Prospective volunteers [write] about their experiences and values, so it's a way
for us to get to know them better, and to see what kinds of experiences they have had.

The interviewers, who are usually experienced volunteers, will review the applications. There
will be a 30--60 minute interview of the prospective volunteer, and then all of the interviewers
get together and select applicants who will be in the next training group. Usually we don't have
to turn away a lot of people. A lot of times, after the informational meeting and reading over the
application, the prospective volunteer will say, "This is way too much time," or, "This is not for
me," and so they'll screen themselves out. What we're looking for is someone who is interested in
learning and who is able to learn basic counseling and communication skills.
[We are looking for volunteers] who are at a stable time in their lives. If they're overwhelmed
with school, work, or family obligations, or they just moved here and they're still settling in, or if
they've recently been very, very depressed or suicidal themselves, maybe it's not a good time
right then for them to be a volunteer [at Headquarters]. We're not saying that [they could never
volunteer], but right now things are overwhelming or too recent to really get involved in an
intensive training program. We don't want training to overwhelm someone.
After the group is selected, all of the group members are invited to become volunteers. We'll
start with a group of between fifteen and twenty-five people. There are fifteen five-hour training
sessions, and each session builds on the previous one. Plus, they do readings from the handbook,
and weekly 3.5 hour observation shifts.
The first session is devoted mainly to getting to know each other, a more detailed explanation of
the training program, and what they'll need to do. [We work on] getting comfortable and making
a group out of fifteen strangers. We do that with various group-building exercises. Then
everybody signs an agreement to keep the information learned in training and from the center
confidential.
I think it's important that every single training session has no wasted time. We don't want people
sitting around feeling like their time is being wasted. I plan every session out basically to the
minute. At 4:00 we begin, we start "check in" which we do every week. Basically it's how people
are doing, how are they feeling, what 's been going on in their lives. We do "check in" from 4:00
to 4:30. 4:30 to 5:00 is when we talk about what happened on their observation shifts the
previous week. Then, there's a ten-minute break to sign up for the next observation shift from
5:00 to 5:10, and it continues like that. It really is planned out. It is an intensive learning
experience, and we're immersing people in it each session.
Each session is set up to meet certain goals, and, for the most part, I think we succeed. The
overall goal [is] having the trainees feel comfortable and competent with the skills and the
information to work counseling shifts at Headquarters. We are looking for a certain competency
of skills, and we will work extra with somebody to achieve that level. We want people who use
our services to [find that] basically whoever answers the phone is going to be competent, caring,
and helpful.
I would say [the best part of training] is seeing the changes that people go through when they
participate in the program. Not radical personality changes, just the opening up of people's
worlds, and seeing the connections people make with each other. I've seen lifelong friendships
develop in training. The one thing we all have in common from the beginning is that we're in

training to because we want to help in some way. Starting from that commonality, we're creating
community among these people.

Example 2: Sample lesson plan

A blank version of this form can be found in Tools.
STD/AIDS Peer Educator Training Program

Lesson 3: Familiarity with condoms

Learning Objectives
At the end of this lesson, trainees will:

Know how to correctly use a condom

Be comfortable using and discussing condoms

Demonstration
The trainer will demonstrate the correct manner in which to use a condom. (S)he should
encourage questions from the audience.

10-15 minutes
Will need condoms and model penis or banana

Condom race
Trainees are broken into two teams. Team members break into pairs; one person of the team
must properly put a condom on the model and take it off, while the other explains what (s)he is
doing. If the pair makes a mistake, they must do it again. The team that finishes first wins. This
exercise also serves as an evaluation of whether or not trainees learned the important parts of
condom usage.

20-25 minutes, depending on number of participants

Will need enough condoms for each pairs, plus a few extras
Will need 2 model penises/bananas; possibly a prize for winning team (condoms, red ribbon
pins)

Discussion
The trainer should facilitate a discussion of what just took place. People's feelings (e.g.,
embarrassment, nervousness) when demonstrating the condom should discussed, and the trainer
should underline the fact that the condom is simply a method of preventative medicine, and
should be no more embarrassing to purchase or discuss than any other kind of medicine.

30-45 minutes
Chairs should be placed in a circle, so all participants may look at each other

Homework
The trainer should ask that before the next session, all the trainees should demonstrate condom
usage to a friend or family member to become more comfortable.

Will need condoms for all trainees

Tool 1: "Icebreaker" activities

This activity was suggested by Lisa Rasor, Former Director of Volunteer Training at
Headquarters Counseling Center, Lawrence, KS
Forced choice exercise
In this exercise, the facilitator puts signs in three different parts of the room. The facilitator will
ask the trainees if they would consider themselves a listener, a talker, or a doer. Those are the
only three choices, so it's a forced decision -- you have to choose one of those areas. Sometimes,
trainees might say, "Well I can be any of those." But, they still have to choose just one
possibility.
The groups that gather in the different areas will talk about why they chose that area over the
other ones. The participants may be surprised to find that they have much in common with the
other trainees.
Additional forced choice questions include:

Do you consider yourself compassionate, just, or philosophical?

Are you a realist, an optimist, or a dreamer?
Are you punctual, serious, or spontaneous?
Do you consider yourself adventurous, creative, or idealistic?

Tool 2: Lesson plan form

This form can be copied and filled out with your own lesson plans. A completed version can be
found under Examples.
Lesson ___________________________________:
Date:
Learning Objectives
At the end of this lesson, trainees will:

Information and activities:

Activity
Explanation
Time
Materials needed

Tool 3: Trainee evaluation form

Trainee Evaluation Form

In the interest of anonymity, we ask that you do NOT put your name on this form.
Training Session Title:
Session Presenter/Facilitator:
Date:
On a scale of 1--5, with 5 being most useful, how useful did you find this information?
1

On a scale of 1--5, with 5 being excellent, how well presented was this session?
1

What did you like most about this training session?

What did you like least about this training session?

What would you change about the training session?