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Selecting and Recognizing Volunteers

By Donna McMillion

Learning to use volunteers well in PTA's fundraising efforts may be the most important skill needed to ensure the success of fundraising events. By using volunteers effectively and expansively, we can maximize the benefits of their efforts as we achieve our important PTA mission.

What must we do to greatly improve volunteer involvement in fundraising events? The answers lie in thoughtful consideration of the following.

Clear and expanded job opportunities
One of the current trends in volunteering is that people are more inclined to commit to short-term positions than to lengthy projects. Our quest should be to maximize volunteers' time by tapping into their talent, expertise, and/or willingness to be assigned to work in any aspect of the event, whether it is on the day of the event or for some pre-event task. When you have your list of potential volunteer opportunities, develop task descriptions for each position and clearly state the expectations of the position, any special requirements or skills needed to carry out the job, and the benefits the volunteer will gain through participation. Many event chairs and committees do not take the time to set out clear directions for volunteer participation, which may create problems later on.

Selection of competent and committed event chairs
Perhaps the most important decision, after the choice of the event itself, is who will provide volunteer leadership. Selecting the right person or people for this position has nearly everything to do with your eventual success. Just some of the skills and qualities necessary for leaders of events are organizing, delegating, coaching, and listening; leaders should also be energetic, nurturing, flexible, good-humored, patient, and respected.

Recruitment and placement of the event steering committee and workforce

Once the chair(s) are selected, the next positions to be filled are the event's steering committee members. Each volunteer should be clear about the responsibilities, time commitment, authority for decision making, supervision, reports, and the evaluation of the event process. Volunteers should develop and/or receive a timeline of activities that includes deadlines and responsibilities.

Communication between one another can generally be worked out through e-mail updates or some other efficient system available to the members of the group. Finding a common preference for communication and meeting styles may become a significant factor in the selection of committee members.

Appropriate orientation and training of volunteers
When designing the orientation and training, ask "What would someone need to know to feel comfortable and competent in carrying out this position?" The answer to that question should lead you to the design of your training program. If the event has been held before, the prior year's reports will be helpful. Videotaping an event provides a particularly helpful medium for orienting new volunteers. If you have post-event evaluations, they should tell you whether volunteer participants felt prepared to do their job. Orientation and training can be enhanced every year on the basis of that feedback.

Organized management of volunteers on the day of the event
Many events involve mobilizing many volunteers on the day of the event. The following actions will help facilitate this process in the best possible fashion:

1. Have a volunteer coordinator for the day of the event. This needs to be a person who is experienced in working with large numbers of individuals for a short period of time. The volunteer coordinator must be extremely well-organized and flexible, have a tremendous sense of humor, and be able to solve problems on the spot!

2. Give volunteers their job description in advance. Be sure the description includes information such as directions to the site, time to arrive, appropriate dress, and whom to contact if they need to find a last-minute replacement.

3. Anticipate some "no shows." Have volunteers on hand who will fill in where needed.

Recognition and appreciation of volunteers
There are myriad ways that recognition can take place, some informal, some more formal. Often informal ways are more effective. Some of the best informal ways to show recognition are to put volunteers in a position that is suited to their desires and needs, as well as filling the need of the event. If they are in a position they enjoy, further recognition is icing on the cake. Throughout the planning of the event, send volunteers fun-filled updates, perhaps a candy lifesaver or small token to keep their energy high and let them know that you are grateful for their contribution of time. Include their names in your newsletters. Write a letter to the local newspaper editor. Give them photos, give them name tags, and hear their preferences.

In summary, event volunteers are the heart of our events. You will know you had a successful fundraising event if, at the end of the event, volunteers leave with upbeat spirits and feel that they have been a part of something fun and special. (This is not to say that they might feel exhausted!)

Donna McMillion is an author and fundraising consultant who presented the workshop Fabulous Fundraising Events with Great Returns and Minimal Effort at National PTA's 2001 annual convention. Her book How to Produce Fabulous Fundraising Events: Reap Remarkable Returns with Minimal Effort and diskette can be purchased at AMAZON.COM. This article is reprinted courtesy of the National PTA. For more information about fundraising, visit their website at www.pta.org.

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