Volunteer Management will be defunct in 5 to 7 years!

I agree with the train of thought that exists that states there should be no careerists in the volunteering sector. Put quite simply organisations would save money if they didn’t have to pay volunteer managers. We need to come to the realizations that volunteers, in all cases and settings can manage themselves. The management of volunteers in organisations should be farmed out to HR to take care of the Recruitment and to Staff Development to look after training needs. Technology over the next few years will render Volunteer Management defunct as savvy volunteers manage themselves through technology, Volunteer Managers be gone!


Now please pick your jaw off the floor. The above are statements I used in a debate at the Australasian Retreat for Advanced Volunteer Management held in Sydney over the last weekend. This was part of the “Great Debate “segment. Volunteer Managers were broken into different teams and asked to take on debate argument in the cons and pros! No choice! It was a great experience. I had to argue for the above headline statement and even though the arguments go against ever fiber in my body,I and my colleagues in the debate team did enough to fight for a draw in the debate.

Thus begins my Review of the Retreat 2013. Held at the Sydney Central Mercure it attracted close to 40 people. This year’s theme was “Volunteer Management: a time for leadership”

And about time too. For years my blog has advocated discussion on leadership in our sector.

This year the faculty had the usual good suspects – Andy Fryar and Martin Cowling along with first timer Sue Jones from the UK and Tony Goodrow from Canada as a guest presenter.

On day one Sue Jones set the scene by engaging us in discussion about leadership. She basically challenged us all to ask what exactly leadership was all about? Ive seen a lot about Sue Online. She seems to be doing so much great work in the UK leading the Volunteer Management Sector and her intelligence and humbleness came across to me on day one. Here was a great faculty choice I thought after her first presentation.

Highlights from the Retreat

• And Fryars session titled “Good Grief” was a session about how we deal with real people experiencing real issues every day. It talked about boundaries, Grief and life’s ups and downs. This was the main highlight for me. It should have been a plenary topic! I highly recommend all organisations involving volunteers booking Andy for this session alone!

• The support Circles: I had the most wonderful experience with 3 of my colleagues as we discussed our issues with seriousness and laughter combined!

• Sue Jones: Simply refreshing in her thoughts on leadership in our sector! She started off nervously but grew into her role with her passion for the sector and love of leadership potential!

• The amount of people who asked me if I was DJ Cronin the blogger!! The people who said they were there because of my blog!

• The great debate! Although in my view should have been the last item on the menu!

• The participation of people from Volunteering Tasmania and Volunteering Western Victoria!

• The venue and the food! – 9 out of 10!

• The Cruise – 10 out of 10!



Lowlights from the Retreat

• Some people said to me they would have liked an earlier start on day one and an earlier finish on final day. Wondering if the returnee lunch is a good idea to maintain?

• The fact that Volunteering Australia did not send a rep. Disappointing guys given that you are going through major changes and starting from scratch in so many ways. How about you begin the engage with the Volunteer Management sector? A rep here would have been a good start! Time to start thinking strategically and engage all your stakeholders!

• No mention of AAMOV (apart from a mention in the program). It would have been good to have someone speak about the fact that we have an association. I did talk about AAMOV to those I met!



Wrap up



A well organised Retreat, A great venue and an interesting faculty! What made it for me this year however were the Retreat delegates! They were open minded, keen to learn and open to new ideas. They also seemed to be very creative! I made many new great contacts and I would be interested in their own reviews of the retreat!



DJ Cronin Retreat score:



91 out of 100

What do you do? I enable happiness!

Anyone who manages or coordinates volunteers will understand what I mean about the “Profession Conversation Stopper” It’s that conversation at a social event or around a barbeque where people ask you what you do for a living. Ive lost count of the blank looks, the befuddled facial expressions and the “right...Let’s quickly move on to the next question” look. Because let’s face it…ours is a profession that is still in 2013 pretty unknown and unheard of. Especially outside of our echo chambers.


It has rarely really bothered me. In fact sometimes I enjoy the reactions. In fact now I tend to have fun with it as in the following exchange which has actually occurred,

“So what do you do?”

“I manage Volunteer programs”

“That’s nice”….(moment of silence)..Do you get paid?”

“No…I have a money tree in my back yard and luckily that produces enough to pay my mortgage and the bills”

Blank look. Slight nervous giggle. Person moves away slowly and latches on to another!

Seriously though Ive often had a calm response and have taken the time to explain my occupation and people are amazed when you can articulate your role.

After all to me...it’s a pretty amazing profession we are involved with. It is a profession that I am passionate about and I hope that passion comes across sometimes.

Have a think about the team and programs you manage. I do. Often. They have never failed to inspire me. To lift me. I see people each day making a real difference to others. I see people each day giving their time to bring a smile to others. I see people everyday offer shoulders to cry on, hands to hold, ears to listen and kind words to offer. Volunteers amaze me. When I observe them from a distance I am humbled by the experience. Truly. I see them bring joy, relief, comfort and happiness.

I am honored to do what I do. I pledge to do it to the best of my ability. And I take my profession seriously. And every year I grow and learn in my job.

The next time someone asks me what I do for a living I would love to say “I enable happiness” Would love to see the look then. I hope I am brave enough to say it someday.

I believe that at the end of the day your role enables some wonderful moments to happen. You bring it all together. And you can lead to inspire too.

May 2013 be great for your wonderful role and for you!

IVMD: Volunteer Managers Acknowldged and Appreciated!

A few months ago I wrote to the Australian Prime Minister as a Volunteer Manager informing her about International Volunteer Managers Day (IVMD). It was lovely to get a reply recently from Andrew Coogan, a senior advisor for our Prime Minister Julia Gillard who was asked to reply on the Prime Ministers behalf.


Here is an edited version of that reply. I dedicate it to all Volunteer Managers on this IVMD. In a way it is written to you.

“Thank you for your letter to the Prime Minister regarding recognising Volunteer Managers. I have been asked to reply on the Prime Minister’s behalf.

The Australia Government recognizes that volunteering is an essential part of a socially inclusive society and helps all Australians to feel valued and have the opportunity to participate in community life. Your contribution as a Volunteer Manager, promoting volunteering within your community and assisting individuals to volunteer, is acknowledged and appreciated.’

The letter goes on to mention the 2012 members of parliament National Volunteer Awards which can recognise people who support and strengthen their community. It points out that two in particular can be used to recognise Volunteer Managers"innovation in volunteering and Long-term commitment to Community service.”

So as another IVMD comes around here are a few comments I’d like to make.

• I wrote to the Australian Prime Minister about Volunteer Management and got a reply. Ok, the letter was written by a senior advisor but...on the Prime Ministers behalf.

• I wrote a similar letter to senior political figures nationally and internationally and this was the only reply I got to date!

• Now imagine if your President or Prime Minister received 200 Letters about Volunteer Management and IVMD! - Government responds to stuff like this!

• If we are to be serious about IVMD we need to be activists for IVMD. Getting together for lunch is good. But we need to get proactive about the day. We are doing this better. More Volunteer Managers are blogging, tweeting and Face booking about the day.

Final thoughts on IVMD 2012

A big shout out to the IVMD committee – you know who you are. Thanks for your volunteering work in raising the profile of the day and spreading the word. From this Volunteer Manager – a big thank you!

To the leader of volunteers who works hard at their job without any recognition what so ever, who will not have IVMD mentioned in their work place, who will read this blog and wonder what it’s all about…..Today this fellow Volunteer Manager salutes you and your work.

And next year on IVMD pick up a pen and let someone know about the great work that Volunteer Managers do around the globe!

“To avoid criticism do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.” - Elbert Hubbard

Happy IVMD!!

Imagine

Imagine if you can for a moment that you are looking for a job.

Imagine you call an organisation and ask if there are any such jobs going at the moment.

The person answering the phone is not too sure if they have positions and also isn’t sure who to pass the call onto.

So you listen to dreary unimaginative music while you are placed on hold.

Until someone with a real voice talks to you and tells you they will send you an application kit and information.

Imagine waiting for weeks for mentioned kit. Nothing arrives and you decide to ring again though your patience is tested. You do like the organisation after all and you would like to be part of it.

You ring again. You get the pleasure of listening to the same music as someone at the organisation scrambles to see if there are vacancies for your preferred role.

Someone offers to send you out an application kit and information. You inform them that this happened weeks ago. So you are booked in for an interview.

Imagine if on arrival the “Interview” consists of meeting someone who appears much stressed and tells you to start on Monday after a five minute conversation.

Imagine said person telling you that you must participate for at least a year as training costs too much and can’t be wasted on people who don’t “commit’!  (and you wonder if you must sign a contract or some legally binding document!)

Cautiously optimistic you show up on Monday.

Imagine not being provided with any orientation to your role and to your organisation. Someone, somewhere gives you a task to do. After an hour you are not sure what to do. You ask around and soon feel that you might be getting in the way.

You soon find that your “manager” is managing other areas in the organisation.

You notice that you don’t get much thanks or recognition for what you do. Imagine someone looking at your ID badge and saying “Oh..You are just a (Whatever job title you may have)”

Imagine staying away from your job for a few days to see if anyone notices. And no one does!

Imagine quitting your job and walking out the door without a soul in the organisation asking you why you are leaving.

Doesn’t sound like a very good organisation to work for does it?

Imagine that the role you had was a volunteer position.

A volunteer.

Imagine if the person who had experienced this was a first time volunteer. They could be lost forever to volunteering. They could talk to their friends and family about their bad experience and influence others about volunteering.

Generally organisations do not treat their employees in such a manner. They employ HR Professionals, they abide by standards, they rely on accreditation and the processes involved.  Many manage a workforce and seek out the best and most innovative ways to do so. They value their staff and leaders.

Why should it be any different for volunteers?

They deserve the best systems, Resources, management, orientation, training and leadership that the organisation can muster! They deserve no less.

Imagine organisations that engage volunteers recognising this.

Imagine Government supporting peak bodies to help facilitate this

Imagine society demanding this.

Imagine….

United we broke our Volunteer!

Volunteer managers have great responsibilities. More so than other managers in many cases. When we engage volunteers we engage the community. This is not the same as engaging paid staff. Yes engaging paid staff incurs great responsibility. Your organisation prospers by keeping motivated staff. Having motivated and engaged staff is key to your organisations success.

Having motivated and engaged volunteers is even more important in my opinion as you are engaging a voice that has more freedom to speak. Volunteers provide a greater community buy in. Volunteers as I was once told many years ago by people who were scrutinizing my organization for accreditation purposes were the “eyes and ears of the organisation”

This is why I have for many years considered volunteers to be consumers and customers. Actually, what I mean to say is that I have tended to treat volunteers that way. I know some of you will jump up and down with that description but that is how I have treated volunteers and that is why I believe I have had great success in the recruitment and retention of volunteers.

Here is why:

·         People can volunteer for a myriad of organisations. Volunteer managers need to sell their organisation

·         People now volunteer for a myriad of reasons. The days of altruistic motivation as the only motivation for volunteering are long gone. Volunteer Managers need to capture this new breed of volunteering and sell why their organisations can accommodate same.

·         Episodic volunteering has been the biggest trend that has impacted my volunteering programs. I know I must sell my organisational flexibility to entice these episodic volunteers. And it works!

Volunteer interviews should now be a two way street. While we still traditionally do the interview that seeks to determine what type of person or character we are engaging and whether or not their skills and attributes suit our organisation we are also needing to be interviewed by them on whether we are worthy of their donated time!

I once met a volunteer manager who “binned” applicants that did not meet his/her interest. And they never even heard from him/her.

Today in the social media age every move you make has the potential to be scrutinized. Think now about the consequences if you don’t reply to the following:

·         An email request about your volunteer program

·         A tweet about your volunteer program

·         A Facebook message about your volunteer program

And have a think about how existing volunteers are communicating about your volunteer program and about your organisation!

Because if you work for a large or small organisation and one of your volunteers has a bad experience and if you don’t manage this effectively then you have the possibility of a social media savvy volunteer sharing their experience on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or other social media outlet!

 Imagine having a volunteer sing a song about their bad experience at your organization and it becoming a hit on YouTube!!!

Perish the thought!

A guy called Dave Carroll had a bad experience with United Airlines. He was a customer. They treated him badly. In fact they broke his guitar!  He wrote a song, put in on YouTube and has had over 12 million views.

I am a great fan of Dave (he has some great songs apart from this hit). He is also one of the most genuine “stars’ I have come across! I have contacted him in the past and he has always personally taken the time to respond.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo

If we start treating our volunteers as customers we stand a better chance of retaining great people once we understand good customer service! And if we don’t get customer service we are behind the eight ball when it comes to volunteering!

Change of a Dollar

It’s not too often that a movie really touches me. Especially an 11 minute one. Well here is one that did. It’s one that I just discovered and one that I will be sharing with volunteers.  I have always believed that It doesn’t take much to be the change in someone’s life. A smile. A kind word. A lending hand. A shoulder to cry on. A listening ear. A laugh shared. Little things can mean a lot.

It is good to remind volunteers sometimes that everything they do, from the little things to the bigger and more public things mean a lot. And sometimes we don’t even realise that a small action on our part can have amazing consequences for another.

This 11 minutes or so gave me encouragement and hope too. And faith in the goodness of a world where so much bad news reigns.

I am passing this little gem forward. I hope that some of you do too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DXL9vIUbWg

10 reasons to support International Volunteer Managers Day and 10 ways to do it.

What is International Volunteer Managers Day (IVMD)? From the IVMD website:

“Universally, people recognise the contribution of volunteers - in sport, health, emergency services, faith communities and the environmental lobby ...in fact volunteers are involved in just about every aspect of service delivery in all walks of life.



However, volunteering does not succeed in a vacuum. Behind this army of volunteers lies an equally dedicated group of individuals and agencies who are responsible for the coordination, support, training, administration and recruitment of the world's volunteers - skilled professionals who are adept at taking singular passion and turning it into effective action.



That is why we celebrate International Volunteer Managers Day every year on November 5.”

http://www.volunteermanagersday.org/

For years I have been an avid fan of this day. Here are my 10 reasons why people should support it

1. Volunteerism greatly benefits communities throughout the world. Behind many great projects lie the dedication and hard work of Volunteer Managers

2. Effective Volunteer Management advocates and promotes volunteerism

3. Volunteer Managers play a pivotal role in highlighting the great work of volunteers in their organisations and in their communities

4. Volunteer Management rightly aspires to be a recognised profession

5. Volunteer Managers are often unrecognized, unsupported and undervalued in some sectors

6. IVMD can be a powerful educational tool to educate and change perceptions on not only the role of managers but on volunteerism itself

7. Volunteer Management is a complex role and deserves the same respect given to other management roles

8. Volunteer Management enables vision to become reality

9. Effective Volunteer Management plays a part in changing lives

10. Volunteer Managers need the support of their volunteers, communities, friends and organisations to truly lead and inspire.

Here are 10 ways to support IVMD this year. And for once let’s reach out to other stakeholders. Let’s escape the echo chambers in Volunteer Management and call on community support. Because it matters!



1. Educate volunteers about the day

2. Send a letter to the nearest organisation to you that engages volunteers. Thank them for their efforts and ask them to celebrate IVMD

3. If your organisation has a Volunteer Manager send them an email on November 5 and wish them a happy IVMD

4. If you know a Volunteer Manager send them a message of support

5. Like the IVMD Facebook page and share it with all your friends http://www.facebook.com/groups/90188010197/

6. Watch this YouTube and Like and comment http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvSNHWKHc8s

7. Follow the day on Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/IVMDay

8. Respond to this blog and tell us why you support IVMD

9. Share this blog!

10. Share the fact that IVMD also stands for Inspirational Valuable Magnificent and Dynamic!