Volunteer Engagement Training Program - Enroll in all six courses and earn a certificate!
Who this training is for: both new and experienced volunteer managers can benefit from this series and learn about the new way to approach Volunteer Engagement!  All sessions in this training series will be held virtually.

Join us as we renew our commitment to engaging volunteers in our communities through a new and improved Volunteer Engagement Training Program series.  

How do we transition from a top-down, HR-based framework (that focuses primarily on organization needs) to a new framework that integrates both a focus on the VE (volunteer needs) and a focus on equity and inclusion (community needs)? We have a new model for that!  

It's called supportive environments for effectiveness and it's woven throughout each module.  

Our goal for a new model is that we weigh the organization, the community, and the volunteers equally in our planning and decision-making. A true balance must be struck between the efforts of the organization to accomplish its mission and the experience of the volunteer to fulfill the individual—all of this in service of the larger community. 

• Shouldn’t Community Needs (being inclusive, solving problems, and accomplishing mission) come first or at least be equal? 
• What if we focused on assets and skills rather than needs or deficits? Our goal is to bring out the best in our volunteers while accepting their desires, skills, and time to get great work done for our organization and our community. 
• This should and can be a very delicate dance of simultaneously prioritizing all of these spheres—finding a place for the volunteer in front of you, serving the needs of clients, striving for equity, and being good stewards of resources, including staff time. 
• It all must be interwoven toward a common goal.  

Module 1 – Establishing the Framework  
Tuesday, November 9, 2021, from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

In this module participants will learn to: 

• Describe volunteerism and its role in civic life today  
• Apply a volunteer-centered framework to volunteer engagement 
• Identify elements of volunteer engagement  
• Explore barriers to and motivators for volunteer engagement 

Module 2 – Planning for Volunteer Engagement 
Tuesday, November 16, 2021, from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

• Start planning for how and where volunteers fit in our organizations: 
• Describe the many steps of volunteer engagement 
• Learn how to conduct a Volunteer Engagement Assessment 
• Consider risk when deciding how to engage volunteers 
• Identify resources and support needed to effectively engage volunteers 

Module 3 – Opportunities and Outreach
Tuesday, November 30, 2021, from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

In this module participants will learn to: 

• Acquire tools to get the volunteers you need in the door: 
• Examine trends in volunteerism and how they might inform opportunities and outreach 
• Develop position descriptions with a Volunteer Experience lens 
• Explore targeted recruitment concepts and consider potential audiences 
• Develop an Outreach Strategy 

Module 4 – Intake and Onboarding
Tuesday, December 7, 2021, from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

In this module participants will learn to: 

• Create systems to screen, place, orient and train volunteers: 
• Define techniques for screening, interviewing, and matching volunteers with positions. 
• Describe the difference between and importance of orienting and training volunteers and staff. 
• Design effective volunteer orientation. 
• Assess training needs and design training to equip volunteers and staff. 

Module 5 – Supervision and Support 
Tuesday, December 14, 2021, from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

In this module participants will learn to: 

• Provide tools and strategies to ensure volunteers feel supported, effective, and appreciated: 
• Articulate the benefits of supporting and supervising volunteers.  
• Design and implement strategies for volunteer supervision and support.  
• Explore causes of and options for addressing volunteer performance problems. 
• Identify effective ways to reward and recognize volunteers. 

Module 6 – Evaluation
Tuesday, December 21, 2021 from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

In this module participants will learn to: 

• Examine strategies for figuring out what is and isn’t working: 
• Build a foundation for evaluating volunteer engagement. 
• Recognize the difference between program evaluation and stakeholder evaluation. 
• Explore impact statements, mutual feedback, and stakeholder satisfaction surveys to improve outcomes for volunteers, staff, and the organization as a whole. 
• Wrap up the training program and reflect on learning goals.