Retaining volunteers through long training periods
Abstract
Volunteers serving in the administration of welfare, advocacy, religious outreach programs, health agencies and prison settings all may need to undergo extensive training before active service. Consequently, many will never complete the training and will “drop out.” This effective practice offers suggestions for retaining volunteers through lengthy instruction, with ideas shared on the CyberVPM e-mail discussion list on April 28, 2006.Issue
Finding volunteers willing to make a time commitment for a long training period can be difficult, and even when they do sign on, the drop off rate is oftentimes high.Action
Steps to take include:
Add variety to the training
Try cutting the training time requirement, switching up the length and frequency of the training sessions, and bringing in new and interesting speakers.
(Shared by Anne Marie Vastano, Volunteer Coordinator, YWCA of Richmond, VA, vastano@yahoo.com)
Maintain contact and acknowledge volunteer efforts and goals
Keeping them "on task" during the time they are not with you might be a way to keep them engaged. As a volunteer, knowing that you, indeed, are needed, especially after a long training program is essential. Whether it's through email, a quick note via snail mail about their progress or even a text message on their cell phone, touching base and reminding them that you are counting on them might be a good way to keep their eye on their/your target and keep them around after training.Also, keep reminding them why they are there, why they agreed to join the program. You might be doing that already, but it never hurts to remind them of the bigger picture and not let them get bogged down in the minutia of training.
(Shared by Robbin D. Davis, Volunteer Coordinator, Oklahoma Museum of History, Oklahoma History Center, (405) 522-0754, rdavis@okhistory.org)
Condense training to large blocks over a shorter time span
Our training used to be one night a week for 12 or 14 weeks, however I have changed that to weekend workshops. Training now takes place over two weekends, 12 hours of training each, usually two weeks apart. I have found that many volunteers find it easier to carve out a couple of weekends than an on-going commitment over three months. It also means that volunteers go from application to active service in a shorter time span.(Shared by Jesse Bowen, Volunteer Resources and Grief Support Programs, Prince George Hospice Society, Canada, (250) 563-25510, jbowen@hospiceprincegeorge.ca)
Context
Volunteer managers would be wise to consider the framework of training and retention for these types of positions as demonstrated by the following comments:At the time when people call to volunteer, they are feeling excited and motivated. Weeks later after completing an extensive volunteer training, that excitement can dissipate.
(Shared by Anne Marie Vastano)
I think a lot of people start volunteering with the best of intentions, thinking they have the time and are committed to doing it. But as we all know, things pull us in different directions and it begins to get hard to get everything done. Remember, we volunteer directors aren't so much competing against each other for volunteers, but we're competing with families, work, hobbies, church and so on, for our volunteer's time.
(Shared by Marjorie Moore, Community Outreach Specialist, Minds Eye Information Service, Belleville, IL, mgmoore@oblatesusa.org)
A number of people want to do the work but don't have a realistic idea of what that means. And no matter what I say in the interview, the reality of what this work entails doesn't hit home until they are in the training process. I actively promote that our training is part of our screening process and I have found that to be very effective.
(Shared by Jesse Bowen)
Outcome
Self-selection of volunteers naturally occurs -- those not fitted to the position drop out, while those who stay are usually of the right constitutional make-up.According to one volunteer manager:
"I have found that the ones who usually drop out are the ones that I would probably have to refer to other positions or agencies anyway. Occasionally we lose a potential volunteer who I was really looking forward to having on board, but it isn't that often."If you can reframe the drop out rate from they are just volunteers, what can you expect to this is part of the screening process to find excellent volunteers who will hang in for the long run...you will find yourself feeling less discouraged..." (Jesse Bowen)