Recruiting the right sort of volunteers goes a long way to ensuring your important work is done well.

Before any volunteers are actually signed up, your organisation needs to check that the following is in place:

1. Support and commitment from the board and staff

Begin by holding discussions with all relevant staff and management to clarify if there is a genuine reason to use volunteers? Are you looking for volunteers to enhance the services that you provide, to strengthen your community involvement, to enrich your exposure to certain communities?

Develop a volunteer management handbook, approved by the board and senior management, that begins with your organisation's desired outcomes for volunteer involvement.

The handbook should includes policies and guidelines to direct the types of volunteers that you recruit, and their management once they have come on board.

Head off any potential future misunderstandings between staff and volunteers by developing a set of volunteer recruitment guidelines to clarify roles and responsibilities.

Policies need to include those that acknowledge the role of the volunteer is to enhance and not replace paid staff work. It should also be stated that volunteers will be expected to work co-operatively with staff and comply with organization guidelines.

Ensure that your board of directors and senior administrators understand that although volunteers do not get paid they still incur costs.

Your organisation may need to provide some or all of the following

• An appropriate workstation
• Reimbursement of expenses
• Refreshments
• Insurance
• Training and
• A volunteer co-ordinator

2. The volunteer co-ordinator

The appointment of a volunteer co-ordinator is a cost effective way to match the organisation's evolving voluntary staffing needs with the recruitment, support and development of appropriate volunteers. Working closely with senior management, the volunteer co-ordinator's work could include

• Assessment and prioritisation of staff requests for volunteer assistance
• Development of volunteer job descriptions
• Advertisement of positions
• Screening of applications
• Volunteer orientation and training
• Management a staff/volunteer relations
• Development and review of the organisation's volunteer policies and procedures
• Supervision, evaluation and formal recognition of volunteer contributions.

3. Volunteer Job Descriptions

Once agreement has been reached on the volunteer needs of the oganisation, clear job descriptions need to be written for each position. Senior management must approve all positions.

Well-crafted position descriptions for each approved job will assist the organization to

• Set the criteria for selection and placement of applying volunteers
• Understand the scope responsibilities and limitations of the work
• Put in place appropriate screening measures for applicants
• Develop necessary training materials
• Establish standards for performance in supervising and evaluating volunteers, including grounds for possible termination
• Develop means to recognize and reward volunteer effort

To provide volunteers with challenge and motivation for continued success, each position description should include an explanation of the program's desired outcomes and the volunteer's role in helping you achieve them. You need to specify the sorts of skills and experience required. It also important to specify the location, time commitment and expected duration of the project.

4. Information Pack

The information pack should be sent out to all applicants. It will assist them to make a decision about your organisation and its volunteer opportunities. It can also be used as part of your community education and donor development programs.

The pack could be available in print or electronic formats and include all or some of the following:

• A covering letter thanking applicants' for their approach and advising of next steps
• Information about your organisation, for example brochures, latest newsletter, annual report
• Descriptions of available volunteer projects and/or job descriptions
• Any examples of press coverage of the volunteer program, such as articles recognizing volunteer achievements
• Volunteer application forms
• Volunteer screening forms
• Volunteer orientation or training schedules or invitation to upcoming information meetings for prospective volunteers

5. Volunteer application process

A process needs to be developed to ensure efficient handling and screening of potential recruits. This should include:

• A procedure for responding promptly to initial inquiries
• Mailing of volunteer position descriptions, information packs and application forms
• Scheduling of volunteer interviews.
• Development and scheduling of information sessions and other required training

If a specific job requires extraordinary screening or training, such as criminal background checks or certification, the volunteer should be informed up-front.

The procedure chosen and practiced should match the level of need for screening and training for a project. For example, a volunteer position with significant responsibility, such as a childcare position where both security and training issues are of concern requires the organisation to undertake every possible security check. On the other hand, a one-off park cleanup project may only require an invitation to the event.