Volunteer policy
Why?
Before even thinking about recruiting volunteers an organisation
needs to ask itself the crucial question: 'Why are we doing
this?' The answer should be a positive one and definitely
not 'because we can't afford paid staff'.
There are many positive reasons why organisations seek to
involve volunteers. They can:
- Help with the delivery of the organisation's core services.
- Provide the image and legitimacy for the organisation,
particularly helpful in its request to the public for money.
- Bring a diversity of skills, talents, expertise and experience
to the organisation and a different perspective to that
of paid staff.
- Provide community outreach and access, acting as door-openers
and power brokers.
- Provide an element of passion and enthusiasm sometimes
absent from the workplace.
- Be innovative and risk-takers as their livelihoods don't
depend on the next promotion.
- Volunteers can provide continuity during times of high
staff turnover.
For some organisations the prime reason for involving volunteers
is to help the organisation fulfil its function and carry
out its work; for others the involvement of volunteers is
almost an end in itself. The important thing is for organisations
to answer this question for themselves. See the case study:
why the RSPB involves
volunteers.
Whatever the reason or combination of reasons, the answers
to 'why?' must come before the recruitment drive!
Writing the policy
A written volunteer policy is the next logical step. It
can provide details of what the volunteer can expect from
the organisation and what the organisation can expect from
the volunteer. A good policy explains the principles underpinning
the involvement of volunteers and gives guidance on the practical
issues of recruitment, support and management.
Stormy seas
Despite the best of intentions and the most well thought-out
systems, problems will crop up. Some organisations use formal
grievance and disciplinary procedures to deal with volunteer
difficulties; others have developed less formal mechanisms
for resolving disputes.
Whatever systems are put in place the best advice is to plan
in advance and avoid being caught on the hop. A rushed policy
is almost always a bad policy. For more information on conflict
go to http://www.voluntarymatters3.org/
conflict_management/introduction/index.html.
Find out more about other volunteer issues and examples
in the In more depth section.
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