Volunteers: The Orientation Process

The purpose of the orientation process is to give volunteers the knowledge, skills and attitudes that will allow them to work productively towards the goals of the organisation. It may, set out like this, seem like a lot of work. Remember that the more effort you put in at the start to ensure that your volunteer workforce feels well-informed and valued, the more likely they will fully commit to achieving the organisation's objectives.

The amount of orientation required by the volunteer will depend on the nature of the job they have to do and the length of their commitment to the work. Button sellers can get by with a fifteen-minute talk on the purposes of the campaign and the way to handle cash and give receipts. People who are taking up significant, though unpaid, roles in the organisation need as much attention as any other employee.

Turning initial interest into solid commitment

The volunteer has come forward to offer their services. This means that they are interested in your cause. This is a strength on which to build, but it can also be at this stage shallowly rooted and vulnerable. Do not abuse it, or even count too much on it. At first, the volunteer's commitment is conditional and reserved. You have been offered a splendid opportunity to sell them on your organisation to the extent where they will make a large donation of their time and energy. Having got them this far, don't lose them.

Screening

The volunteer should have gone through the organisation's screening processes (see the helpsheet Screening Volunteers).

This can be a testing time in more ways than one, and if not properly handled can put the volunteer off. Ideally, it will have been presented as a tribute to the value of the volunteer, the importance of the position, and the trust you will be placing in them.

Position Defined

Before the volunteer appears you will also have gone through the processes of establishing a position description for the role you want the volunteer to fill. (see the helpsheet Designing Job Descriptions for Volunteers). You will know the job you want them to fill, the duties they will be performing, and the degree of supervision that will be necessary and available for their work.

The vision

You have a sympathetic audience, but don't assume that they're totally sold yet, nor that they know much about the organisation. Tell them what you do, and why it is important. Explain to them where they fit and why they are needed. Volunteers are both important in themselves and also ambassadors for your organisation in the community. Word-of-mouth is important in gaining more volunteers, more donations, and more public support.

Preparing the paid staff

Before involving volunteers, you will have sought the opinions of the organisation's staff and involved them in the decision (see the helpsheet Volunteers: Getting your Office Ready to Receive Them). Reinforce this with a talk to staff just before the volunteers come on board.

• Run through a brief history of the volunteer program. Remind them that they have been involved in the design of the volunteer's job, recruitment, screening, and acceptance, and that they will be involved in training and supervision - and that this work will be recognised.
  
• Explain what's in it for the staff if the program works - program growth, job support
  
• Point out what volunteers will contribute to the organisation - public involvement, funding growth
  
• Describe who your volunteers are and their backgrounds.
  
• Explain how to recognize and reward good volunteer performance (and what to do about the occasional problem volunteer how to evaluate the performance of volunteers.

The workplace

Show them around the site. Cover the absolutely vital elements:

• Parking
• Kitchen facilities
• Toilets
• Coat racks and handbag storage
• Stationery cupboard
• Telephone numbers and the way the system works
• Photocopier, fax and other office equipment
• Tools and other outdoor equipment(if appropriate)
• Introduce them to people in their area. Introduce them again tomorrow if you see any hesitancy; it's hard to remember everybody's names in the first ten minutes

Briefing session

As soon as practicable after their arrival, hold a briefing session with the volunteers and include the following topics.

Rules and procedures

Who do they ring if they have to call in sick? Who handles petty cash? Etc. Make sure they have a clear grasp of the policies that your employees need to know in their jobs and who they should ask if they have a question in any of these areas.

Note that all rules and procedures should be easily accessed in your volunteer orientation manual to be presented to each volunteer on arrival.

Client relations

Does the volunteer have any dealings with clients? (And is he or she insured?) What guidelines are there to cover client relations? Is there a record-keeping or reporting system?

Privacy policy

Impress on the volunteers the importance of confidentiality and proper file security. Remind them never to talk about clients away from the workplace.

Financial procedures

Does the volunteer have authority to make any financial commitments? What are the procedures? If they can't, who can, and how is it organised?

The job description

Go through the basic details of the specific jobs you want the volunteers to do. Make sure everything you want them to do is on the list. Take them through the list and see whether they are comfortable with each activity. Walk them through the procedures for each activity. If there is a procedures manual or sheet for the operation, make sure they have a copy to refer to when they are working. Make it clear that they can come back and check with you (or their supervisor) as often as they want to or need to.

Supervision

Introduce the volunteers to their supervisor/s. Clearly explain the expectations of the role? What kind of feedback can he or she expect? Emphasise that the volunteer will take a while to get on top of everything - and not to take the occasional correction or suggestion as personal criticism. Ensure that the supervisor is on hand in the earlier stages. Don't expect to cover everything in the first run through - some things you can only remember if you do them, and some questions only emerge from actual practice.

Training

The job may need some more formal training. Do they need training in how to use the computer, or a particular program? Do they need instruction in a specialist procedure? If they are receiving in-depth training from staff, make sure that the staff are working from notes that they can keep and use again.

Pick the simplest parts of the work, with the least to learn, to begin with, but do try to have work ready from the start for the volunteer to do. If you have to go round and find work, or if they run out of work, this sends the message that the volunteer isn't really needed.

There is the risk, as with any employee, that they will leave just as you have put in all the work to induct them and before they can start putting value back in. As with any employee, if you lose too many of them like this perhaps you need to ask yourself where the organisation is going wrong.