Retention of Volunteers

Communication is a key factor in retaining volunteers. By keeping everyone well informed, your program will function more efficiently and your volunteers will feel more involved.

Be sure to use volunteers in areas that enhance their interests and skills. This will make the job more interesting for the volunteer and in turn, they will be more effective. Before jumping into any activity, identify what tasks need to be done, and what the requirements are. Will the task require technical knowledge, a certain kind of personality or the use of a car? How much time will be required?

A successful volunteer organization is usually led by someone who knows how to delegate responsibilities. Work needs to be distributed evenly so no one person feels overburdened or ill used. This will prevent burn-out later on. Encourage active volunteers to recruit "new blood" to work with them.

Motivation

Why are people motivated to volunteer? Many parents get involved to help their children. Once these volunteers feel a sense of accomplishment, they realize their contributions are worthwhile and necessary for successful programs.

Ways to motivate volunteers

• Recognize and reward volunteers for their contributions.
• Train volunteers to be effective and encourage them with positive reinforcement.
• Be positive and enthusiastic.
• Make projects a "team effort."

Respect and Appreciation

The success of a group is determined by how well the people involved see their responsibilities affecting the program in a positive way. The volunteer who feels appreciated will continue to work and be productive. Praise is the easiest and quickest way to encourage someone. Saying "Thank you" can be the same as a Gold Medal!