CoV Training Series: Volunteer Retention

1. CoV Training Series:Volunteer Retention March 20, 2013

2. Who? • Open to SMP directors, coordinators of volunteers, and interested others • What? • Topics related to VRPM; focus on implementing ACL/AoA’s VRPM policies • When? • 3rd Wed of each month, Feb 20-July 17, 2pm ET • 60 min presentation; 30 min optional Q&A and networking The CoV* Training Series • Why? • The first set of VRPM** policies is due June 2013! See the VRPM Policy Introduction for more information • Where? • Use the same web access link to join all webinars in this series. * CoV = Coordinator of Volunteers ** VRPM = Volunteer Risk and Program Management

3. Today’s Speaker Steve McCurley, VM Systems, Washington

4. Why worry about retention?

5. Why worry about retention? • Retention is more efficient than recruitment • Looking for new volunteers • Interviewing and screening • Training

6. Why worry about retention? • Losing experienced volunteers is costly • Loss of knowledge • Loss of relationships with clients and staff • Loss of financial support

7. Why worry about retention? • Losing volunteers is usually the fault of the organization - an indication of bad management.

8. So, is retention a problem for you…?

9. Volunteer Retention in USHager and Brudney, 2004 • “Of the volunteers that worked with your organization one year ago, approximately what percentage would you say are still volunteering?”

10. What percentage of volunteers that worked with you a year ago are still volunteering? • 90+% • 60-89% • 30-59% • 0-29%

11. US Retention Rates • 100% - 17% of respondents • 0% - 3% of respondents • Median: 80%

12. Retention is a lot more complex than we’d like it to be…

13. Some comments about retention: • Over time, volunteers move naturally in and out of volunteering

14. Some comments about retention: • Over time, volunteers move naturally in and out of volunteering • Programs may have very different retention rates

15. Retention Rates • 643 days (AIDS volunteers, Houston, 1993) • 2.6 years (CASA program, 2001) • 3.71 years (Community Literacy of Ontario, 1997) • 4.5 years (Volunteer Ambulance Officers, Tasmania, 2001) • 37% more than 10 years (Meals on Wheels, New South Wales, 2003) • 60% more than 10 years (UK sports clubs, 2003)

16. Some comments about retention: • Over time, volunteers move naturally in and out of volunteering • Programs may have very different retention rates • High retention rates are not always a good thing

17. It’s one small, fatal step from a dedicated, tightly organized team to a clique…

18. Basic Rules of Retention • Retention doesn’t happen in a vacuum. • Don’t waste the volunteer’s time. • Let volunteers do the work they want to do. • Thank volunteers for their efforts. • Don’t automatically assume you’ve lost a volunteer.

19. Volunteer Ambulance Officers, TasmaniaFahey & Walker, 2001 • 74% of those who had resigned indicated they would consider re-joining if asked

20. Re-connecting: • “Come back - all is forgiven. We miss you!” • Reunion party

21. Some Keys to Retention

22. Key #1 Build a friendly welcoming system • Initial contact • First days of work

23. At what point in the relationship with the volunteer are you most likely to lose a new volunteer? • First month • First six months • End of first year/end of term of commitment • Longer term

24. Answer: • None of the above

25. Hobson & Malec, 1999 • 49.3% received offer of assistance • 69.3% did not receive name of person answering phone • 26.4% were not referred to appropriate contact person • 48.7% were not asked for contact details if contact person not available • 70% of those who left contact information did not receive a return call

26. Your biggest retention problem may occur before you even see a prospective volunteer. • It may ensure that you never see them.

27. Volunteers are actually more likely than paid staff to give an impression that newcomers aren’t welcome. • Usually this is unintentional.

28. Initial Contact • Phone call • Website • First visit to agency • Interview • Orientation or training session • First day on worksite

29. Tips for Initial Contact • Train everyone on friendliness and procedures • Return contact quickly • Pay attention to what the volunteer wants to know, then to what you need to know • Explain all procedures and timeframes • Find a way to maintain contact during the Gap • Create a sense of immediate inclusion • Welcome the new volunteer and make them feel like a part of the team. Have a ceremony!

30. What retention tracking can reveal: • Volunteers who leave very quickly usually do so because they find the volunteer role very different or much harder than they thought. • Volunteers who leave later in the first six months do so because of the difference between the reality vs expectation they brought or because of a bad life or social fit.

31. Retention Tracking, continued Volunteers who leave at the end of their first anniversary or term of commitment do so because they think they’ve done what they agreed to and want something different. Volunteers who leave after a couple of years are probably reacting to other events or demands in their lives.

32. Key #2 Treating Volunteers Like Members of the Team

33. Thought Exercise: • What does your organization do that might give volunteers a feeling that they were “2nd class” team members? • What does it do to produce the opposite feeling? Tip: See PowerPoint Notes for chatted comments from SMPs during the webinar.

34. Key #3 Provide Real Recognition

36. Recognition isn’t about things, it’s about feelings and attitudes…

37. To make you envious… • At a small hospital in North Carolina…

38. Summary • Friends • Fun • Food

39. Resourceswww.smpresources.org > Resources for SMPs > VRPM Implementation > Summary List of VRPM Tools

40. CoV Training Series: Calendar of Events

41. Thank you for participating in today’s Volunteer Retention webinar!Questions, comments, and suggestions related to the VRPM project, email: vrpm@smpresource.org or call Sara Engelken: 319-272-2431. Up next… optional Q&A and networking session!

42. Q&A Session

43. Networking… Talk with your peers about ANY VRPM topic! To share a comment or question: 1) Click the pointer arrow (upper left corner) 2) Click in the appropriate box below (after any other arrows) 3) Clear your pointer arrow when done (use the eraser drop-down arrow) Tip: If the pointer arrow doesn’t work for you, click the ‘raise hand’ button. Tip: See PowerPoint Notes for chatted comments from SMPs during the webinar.