Volunteer management
The volunteer management is a part of the human resource management of civil society organizations. Its task is to look after volunteer employees and to ensure that they are used efficiently. Volunteer management forms the hinge between the wishes and needs of the volunteers and the demands that the organization makes on them. It is used in particular in voluntary organizations such as clubs , charitable organizations or associations .
Volunteer management is generally responsible for planning, organizing, evaluating and evaluating volunteer work in an organization. In particular, the work of volunteer management concerns the supervision and accompaniment of volunteers as well as the mediation between full-time and volunteer employees.
literature
As the large number of concepts in Anglo-American literature shows, there are many years of experience with volunteer management in the English-speaking world. For historical and culture-specific reasons, however, these cannot be fully transferred to the German-speaking area. One of the few elaborated management models for non-profit organizations in the German-speaking area that explicitly includes work with volunteers is the Freiburg management model for non-profit organizations by Schwarz et al.
Key competencies
The skills required for volunteer management are diverse. The key competencies and areas of activity of volunteer managers can be summarized as follows:
Key competencies
- specific professional skills (knowledge of working with volunteers, goals and objectives of non-profit organizations, etc.),
- Methodological skills (project management, consulting, conducting discussions, group work, etc.),
- Social skills (empathy, ability to work in a team, confident appearance in public, etc.)
Job descriptions
- Needs assessment and planning for the development of volunteer programs
- Development of tasks for volunteers
- Recruiting and recruiting volunteers (possibly also press and public relations work)
- Conduct initial interviews with the volunteers
- Orientation and training of the volunteers
- Training and advanced training planning and, if necessary, implementation
- Care, support and motivation of volunteers
- Recognition of volunteer work
- Evaluation and assessment of volunteer programs
preparation
In preparation for working with volunteers, the relevant literature recommends dealing with various aspects, which can be summarized as central questions as follows:
- Who should be named as the contact person? How can fixed responsibilities be described? Which human resources with which qualifications may need to be freed up?
- What is the role of the volunteer in the respective programs and projects? Are they in a helper role or are they an integral part and important resource?
- How can an appreciative interaction with volunteers be cultivated?
- How can the exchange of information between all parties involved be guaranteed?
- How can the equal participation of all those involved in decision-making processes be ensured?
All relevant actors should be involved in the processing of these questions and the planning of volunteer programs, which concerns both volunteers already involved and full-time employees, the management and at least one representative of the board. The joint development of visions, guidelines and sentences for the cooperation with volunteers as well as an explicit clarification of expectations is also mentioned as helpful.
Use of media
With the ongoing expansion of the usability of collaborative media tools (such as wikis and ether pads ) and various innovations in this area, collaboration with volunteers is no longer necessarily dependent on the physical presence of all those involved at a given location. With online volunteer work, engagement via the Internet, a new way of voluntary engagement is now also finding its way into Germany, which also enables those who have previously been denied engagement.
Voluntary engagement via the internet is already widespread, especially in smaller initiatives, for example, where no premises are available, as well as in international cooperation, where the presence of volunteers 'on site' is not always possible or useful. The management of traditional volunteer organizations (especially churches, clubs and associations) approaches this area rather hesitantly, whereby the effects of usability and internet usage development are viewed as relevant and identified as a topic for future discussions. The data of the third volunteer survey already showed that the "triumphant advance of the internal [...] had a clear and lasting effect on the voluntary sector". The use of the Internet in volunteering also largely depends on the content and requirements of volunteering . and insofar as "also organizations and institutions ... can create favorable framework conditions or a positive climate for the use of the Internet and encourage volunteers to use the Internet".
Cycle of volunteer management
Like process management , volunteer management can be displayed cyclically. The organizational decision to involve volunteers and the identification of describable volunteering offers are followed by the recruitment of potential volunteers, an initial interview and matching, agreement of the volunteering as well as qualification and training, further education and training of the volunteers. If a volunteer leaves the organization, the engagement certificate and the recruitment of potential volunteers follows.
recruitment
Volunteers can be recruited in different ways. Depending on the organization, objectives, requirements and area of responsibility, volunteers can be approached via their own website, the local gazette, volunteer agencies and / or social media services. It is also possible to actively address potential volunteers via their private websites. The best advertisement for a volunteering offer , however, is verbal recommendation by the volunteers who are already active, which, however, requires successful volunteer management and good organizational framework conditions.
Initial discussion and matching
In the initial meeting between potential volunteers and a responsible employee (or the volunteer manager) of the organization, basic things are about:
- getting to know each other,
- general advice on volunteering ,
- Clarification of the motives for cooperation
- Exploration: Does the volunteer fit the organization?
- Clarification of competencies, wishes and fears,
- Matching: Which activities come into question?
- Clarification of the type and scope of the engagement,
- Arranging appointments for discussions during and after the engagement.
Engagement agreement
In the Anglo-American language area, "Volunteer Agreements" are an essential part of organized volunteer work. In the German-speaking area, these agreements between the volunteers and the organization are mainly concluded for long-term engagements that mean significant investments for the organization (e.g. training paramedics). In addition to the security that the organization will receive (whatever it is) consideration for their investment, engagement agreements also have the advantage that they also define the rights and claims of the volunteers. The following points can be agreed in engagement agreements:
Services of the volunteer organization
- regular information on the organization and provision of information materials
- Introductory events / imparting technical knowledge
- Contact person, guidance and support in engagement
- Reimbursement of expenses (e.g. tickets)
- Equipped with the necessary work materials
- Certificate of volunteering
- Insurance coverage in voluntary engagement
Services of the volunteers
- Compliance with the general duty of care
- Respect for organizational goals, models and policies
- Respect for confidentiality (e.g. with internal organization or client or customer data)
- Participation in mandatory events (e.g. safety or hygiene instruction)
- Wearing the organization symbol during the engagement (also in the form of a uniform , or stickers, patches, armbands, etc.)
- Compliance with agreed appointments
- Honesty and openness in confidential discussions
Orientation, training and guidance
Before actually starting work, the basis for successful work should be created:
- Introduction to the organizational structure and culture
- Information about the place in the organization, work processes, safety regulations, spatial conditions, material equipment
- Induction and instruction (by full-time employees as well as other volunteers ) (cf. Biedermann, 84)
Training
Volunteers, especially when they volunteer for the first time, encounter challenges that they may not be able to cope with. If they then lack social skills or required specialist knowledge / skills, the organization should give them the opportunity to take part in various educational opportunities
- Workshops ,
- Seminars ,
- Symposia,
- Symposia and
- Discussion groups (see Biedermann, 84 / Guide to Civil Society)
Support, accompaniment and motivation
The organization should support and support the volunteer throughout his / her work. He should be conveyed at all times that his work is valuable and needed (no stopgaps). This includes
- regular individual or group discussions
- continuous feedback to clarify difficulties
- the ideology that "everyone pulls in the same direction" (competencies of the volunteer and the full-time employee benefit the same goal) (cf. Biedermann, 84–85 / Wegweiser Bürgergesellschaft)
recognition
Of course, when working with the volunteer, it should be made clear on a regular basis that his or her achievements are recognized. This happens through regular feedback and confirmations. To this end, the organizations should develop a so-called “thank you culture”. This can be done in different forms:
- Participation in seminars
- Celebrations, excursions, project trips
- Honors
- Appropriate farewells as appreciation
The "International Volunteer Day" on December 5th is one of the public ways of recognizing voluntary work (cf. Biedermann, 85 / Wegweiser Bürgergesellschaft)
Certification
In some federal states it is possible that voluntary work by students is mentioned in their school reports. In some municipalities, volunteers receive proof of their voluntary work. The youth leader card ( JuLeiCa ) is a nationally recognized award , with which one is also entitled to various discounts and benefits (see guide to civil society). In many municipalities, a nationwide volunteer card is awarded for special voluntary commitment . Certification is also possible for all other volunteers, and by no means unusual. This usually takes the form of a certificate or a certificate that highlights the area of application, the tasks performed and the general cooperation of the individual and, if necessary, documents completed training courses. This evidence of voluntary commitment is important not only for applying for future voluntary work, but can also be helpful for applications in the "normal" job market.
evaluation
In order to maintain the quality of the volunteer management and to continuously improve it, a constant quality management should be carried out. This includes the ongoing review of
- the number of volunteers,
- the time required for the missions and
- the success of the engagement.
This review of the voluntary work performed as regularly as possible enables the institution to constantly compare its needs and those of the volunteers. She should regularly check whether her own wishes and demands match those of the volunteers, where something may have changed, and how requests for change can be addressed.
The results should also be used for the public image of the volunteer work, in the form of
- advertising
- recognition
- Lobbying (see Biedermann, 85)
See also
Individual evidence
- ^ Reifenhäuser, Carola / Hoffmann, Sarah G. / Kegel, Thomas (2009): Freiwilligen-Management. Theory-politics-practice. Augsburg: ZIEL-Verlag, pp. 59ff ISBN 978-3-940 562-30-2
- ↑ Serviceleader.org ( Memento of the original from April 9, 2018 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , a website from the University of Taxas at Austin, is an example of an American collection of literature on the subject
- ^ Schwarz, Peter / Purtschert, Robert / Giroud, Charles / Schauer, Reinbert (2009): The Freiburg management model for nonprofit organizations. 6th edition. Bern, Stuttgart, Vienna: Haupt-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-258-07449-8
- ↑ Rosenkranz, Doris / Weber, Angelika (ed.): Voluntary work. Introduction to the management of volunteers in social work . Juventa: Weinheim and Munich, ISBN 3-7799-0732-1 , pp. 51-62.
- ^ Reifenhäuser, Carola / Hoffmann, Sarah G. / Kegel, Thomas (2009): Freiwilligen-Management. Theory-politics-practice. Augsburg: ZIEL-Verlag, pp. 59ff ISBN 978-3-940 562-30-2
- ↑ a b c d e f cf. Biedermann, Christiane (2002): Organizing cooperation with volunteers . In: Doris Rosenkranz / Angelika Weber (ed.): Voluntary work. Introduction to the management of volunteers in social work . Juventa: Weinheim and Munich ISBN 3-7799-0732-1 , pp. 79-87.
- ^ Reifenhäuser, Carola / Hoffmann, Sarah G. / Kegel, Thomas (2009): Freiwilligen-Management. Theory-politics-practice. Augsburg: ZIEL-Verlag, ISBN 978-3-940 562-30-2
- ↑ Jähnert, Hannes (2012): What is online volunteering? In: BBE newsletter (5/2012). PDF
- ↑ cf. Jähnert, Hannes (2010): Volunteering on the Internet. A new way of volunteering. in: social work. Journal for social and socially related fields. October 2010 (born 59). Pp. 392-399.
- ↑ Olk, Thomas / Somborski, Ivanka (2012): Civic engagement of young people in an aging society - engine for a vibrant civil society = 7th civil society forum. In: Research Journal Social Movement (4/2012), p. 83
- ↑ a b c d Volunteer Survey 2009: Civil Society, Social Capital and Voluntary Engagement in Germany 1999-2004-2009. Representative trend survey on behalf of the BMFSFJ, p. 242 ff.
- ^ So also Reifenhäuser, Carola / Hoffmann, Sarah G. / Kegel, Thomas (2009): Freiwilligen-Management. Theory-politics-practice. Augsburg: ZIEL-Verlag, p. 78ff ISBN 978-3-940 562-30-2
- ↑ Jähnert, Hannes / Dittrich, Lisa (2011): Management of Online Volunteers. A manual. Berlin. S, 27ff ISBN 978-3-00-034248-6
- ↑ Jähnert, Hannes / Dittrich, Lisa (2011): Management of Online Volunteers. A manual. Berlin. S, 32ff ISBN 978-3-00-034248-6
- ↑ a b c Dealing with volunteers: ( Memento of the original from September 28, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
literature
- Reifenhäuser, Carola / Hoffmann, Sarah G. / Kegel, Thomas (2010): Freiwilligenmanagement. Theory-politics-practice. Augsburg. ZIEL publishing house
- Rosenkranz, Doris / Weber, Angelika (Ed.) (2002): Voluntary work. Introduction to the management of volunteers in social work. Weinheim, Munich: Juventa
- Schwarz, Peter / Purtschert, Robert / Giroud, Charles / Schauer, Reinbert (2009): The Freiburg management model for nonprofit organizations. 6th edition Bern, Stuttgart, Vienna, ISBN 978-3-258-07449-8 .