Volunteer Management Program
Volunteer Management Programme
Overview
The Volunteer Management Programme comprises nine modules over a 7-day period – the 5-day Mandatory Volunteer Management Program and the 2-day Advanced Volunteer Management Program.
The Mandatory Volunteer Management Program is designed to build delegate knowledge progressively, enabling them to understand fully how volunteering opportunities are identified and volunteers recruited, supervised and effectively managed.
The Advanced Volunteer Management Program focuses on how to identify and design volunteering opportunities within their area of interest (that is, by NGO), enabling them to recruit volunteers with the skills and/or interest in the volunteering opportunity. By recruiting people who have an interest in, or skills for, specific volunteering opportunities, there is a greater likelihood of future retention, provided these volunteers are supported positively through effective supervision and management. Volunteers who are properly supervised and supported are more likely to be motivated.
Who Should Attend
The aim of the Volunteer Management program endorsed programme is to equip practicing or potential first line volunteer managers/leaders with the skills and knowledge required to manage, support and develop volunteers working in their organization.
Outcomes
The Program aims to:
- Provide the volunteer manager with practical skills for the effective management and supervision of volunteers
- Identify opportunities and implement development strategies for individual volunteers and volunteer teams
- To develop a leadership style which is participative, inclusive and effective, through use of mentoring
- Explore ethics in volunteering and volunteer management
- Provide volunteer managers with the skills, knowledge and understanding to effectively design volunteering opportunities
- Recruit suitable volunteers
- Plan effective induction programs for volunteers
- Understand and manage risk in the volunteering context
Programme Outline
| Day 1 – Supervising Volunteers – Core leadership and Management | Difference between leadership and management
Leadership style Delegation and empowerment Power and authority Accountability and responsibility Managing your own Time Effective Meeting Management |
| Day 2 – Motivating and Retaining Volunteers | Attitudes and behavior
Motivation Theory Leadership and Motivation What’s in it for Me? Use of goal setting objectives – Working together Team working Stages of team development |
| Day 3 – Supporting Volunteers | Identifying development needs
Personal SWOT analysis Continuous Professional Development Personal Development Plans Support mechanisms for development Feedback Organizational Vision and Objectives Effective Communication |
| Day 4 – Mentoring as a Leadership Approach | The mentoring environment and its application in volunteering
The Benefits Roles and responsibilities of a mentor Boundaries and confidentiality Mentoring skills and techniques, including: · Communication · Active listening · Question technique · GROW Model |
| Day 5 – The Volunteer Manager | The Difference Between Volunteer and Employee Relationships
Emotional intelligence Communicating effectively Influence and persuasion |
| Day 6 – Recruiting Volunteers | Context of volunteering
Ethics of volunteering and volunteer management Role of the volunteer manager in designing volunteer opportunities Designing roles that suit volunteers Marketing roles Recruiting, screening and interviewing volunteers Matching volunteers to roles |
| Day 7 – Induction and Training | Volunteer Agreements – Expectations
Managing Risk in a Community Project |
Learning Methodology
Learners will undertake a series of workshops, practical group work, and written exercises. Comprehensive learning materials including a Workbook will be provided as well as individual tutor support throughout the Program.
Learners will be completing an ongoing Learning Diary that forms a Personal Development Plan (PDP) and a series of structured answer questions to demonstrate knowledge and understanding.
Certification
Delegates must meet two criteria to be eligible for the certificate:
1) Satisfactory attendance – delegates must attend all sessions of the course. Delegates who miss more than 2 hours of the course sessions will be ineligible to sit the course assessment.
2) Successful completion on of the course assessment– delegates will undertake a number of assessment tasks throughout the course. These will be focused on applying new knowledge to each delegate’s own workplace environment.
* Delegates who do not meet these criteria will receive a CareerNet Certificate of Attendance.
Assessment
To be eligible for the certification you must successfully complete an assessment. Delegates who do not pass the assessment, or who do not submit the assignment, will receive a Certificate of Attendance from CareerNet.
