What’s the secret to a good volunteer-staff relationship?
Your comment has been added and is now awaiting moderator review, comment approval will take 1 to 3 business days.
One of the most daunting aspects of volunteering can be giving a volunteer independence to work alone. However, if you can do this effectively, not only will you save yourself a lot of time but you will make the volunteer process more rewarding. Many volunteers agree that the secret to a good volunteer-staff relationship is being supportive but giving the volunteer freedom.
This video looks at things to think about when you are running programs and involving volunteers – including the importance of strong communication. How do you indentify what projects can be independently managed by a volunteer? How do you know when a volunteer is ready to take on extra responsibility? Experienced volunteer managers address these questions.
SYN is a youth-run media organisation that provides broadcast and training opportunities for young Australians.
Read a transcript of this video
Watch this video in an accessible YouTube player
Transcript
SYN (syn.org.au) – SYN is a youth-run media organisation that provides broadcast and training opportunities for young Australians.
Narrator: One of the most daunting aspects of volunteering can be giving a volunteer independence to work alone. However, if you can do this effectively, not only will you save yourself a lot of time but you will make the volunteer process more rewarding. Many volunteers agree that the secret to a good volunteer-staff relationship is being supportive but giving the volunteer freedom.
Dan Pejic (SYN president): I like to think that the best thing a staff member can do is to be there to support the volunteer, but not in any sort of overly involved way. I think it is a really strong thing, when you have a paid staff member who's there, that the volunteers know that that's the person they can go to if they sort of need assistance, and that person can provide assistance to them. But it is not a position where they feel like they are constantly being monitored or watched by the staff members, and constantly, I guess, being dictated to.
Jonathon Brown (Education and training manager): To take control of a project where it is not needed – that's probably one of the worst things that a staff member can do. I understand that, at times, staff members do need to step in where they have the skills and experience but micromanaging can be one of the worst things in a volunteer organisation because it disempowers volunteers.
Narrator: To help a volunteer work autonomously it is important to assess the risks and keep open communication with your volunteer. So, how do you identify what projects can be independently managed by a volunteer?
Joe Toohey (Express Media general manager): I think it's always important, that volunteers are able to be working in some way with a staff member, or somebody who is going to be there around say more than a day a week, or someone who can keep that sense of continuity going and knows where this project fits into the bigger picture. I think there is a lot of, obviously there is a lot of small projects that sometimes you can have a volunteer run or that a volunteer might take the lead themselves and want to run that project. And I think in those instances, normally, it just requires a bit of a check in and every now and then with that volunteer.
I think that the sort of projects that I think lend themselves to volunteer are ones that are exciting but not beyond the scope of how long you think that volunteer is realistically going to be there for. So, five year fundraising projects are probably not going to be best suited to a single volunteer, whereas a project – maybe to improve the way talks process is run at SYN for example – can be something that not only will that volunteer be able to see that project out from start to finish , that volunteer will actually probably know better than a lot of staff members the best way to manage that process because they are around it all the time.
Narrator: Another challenge you might face is working out when a volunteer is ready to take on extra responsibility.
Joe Toohey: I think when a volunteer is looking to take on more work or take on more responsibility – generally that volunteer is coming to you with that. Sometimes, assuming that the communication is open between you and the volunteer and that that process is working really well, sometimes in conversations with that volunteer and making sure you are doing 3, 6, 12 month – how ever long the volunteer is with you – making sure you are doing those really regular check ins with the volunteer to see how they are going and sometimes in those conversations new opportunities can come up .
Narrator: Giving a volunteer independence to work on a project alone doesn’t need to be scary. Just remember:
- Manage the risk
- Put a structure in place
- Negotiate a timeline
- Keep communication open
And of course always acknowledge the hard work of your volunteer.
Credits
Writer and Producer: Emma Sharp
Director: Steve Varley
Camera Operators: Brianna Piazza and Magda Makowski
Sound Operator: David Valkenet
Editor: Mike Young
Title Design: Caspian Pantea
Music: 'All Night Long' By the Frowning Clouds
Special thanks:
- Tahlia Azaria
- Joe Toohey
- Dan Pejic
- Ashleigh Briggs
- Michael Sarlo
- Mandi O’Brian
- Harley Hefford
- Jonathon Brown
- Vince Bufalino
- Patrick Bridges
- Mawrgan Shaw
- Clare Wynne
This video was made possible with the support of: The Youth Affairs Council of Victoria, The Victorian Volunteer Portal and the Victorian State Government.
Comments
No comments have been made on this story, add yours below!