For leaders of volunteers and volunteer involvement, updates on news from the field, new volunteer management resources, and a monthly quick tip about successfully engaging volunteers.   
TopQTipQuick Tip for Leading Volunteers

Maintaining a Work Environment that Enhances
Volunteer Productivity



In the book, What We Learned (the Hard Way) about Supervising Volunteers, we defined supervision as a relationship in which you, as the supervisor, take actions that empower those you supervise to be successful in their work. Perhaps the most important action you can take regarding the work environment is to remove obstacles to success. What do volunteers see when they look around?  Continue...  
September Hot Topic
By Susan J. Ellis (US)
 
 
As summer comes to an end in the U.S. and the northern hemisphere, Energize, Inc. President Susan J. Ellis rallies the Energize "troops," giving a positive update on her health, future plans, and the status of Energize, today and tomorrow  Read this Month's Hot Topic.
 
 
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This Hot Topic may be shared, reprinted, and quoted; we ask that a appropriate credit line is included. Read our  brief reprint permission here
 
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UPCOMING FEATURED TOPICS 
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October 1, 2018
Volunteers on The Continuum of Supporters 
Perceive volunteers as more than "unpaid staff"; comprehend the differences and similarities between time donors vs. money donors; help all volunteers to be community ambassadors and advocates; and more... 
 
  
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News from the Field

International Volunteer Managers Day (IVMDay) 2018
November 5, 2018

Organizations around the world celebrate the profession of volunteer leadership on the 5th of November each year. Join this year's campaign "Time for Change." Learn about IVMDay's mission and history.

International Volunteer Day (IVD) 2018
December 5, 2018


The United Nations (UN) described International Volunteer Day " a chance for individual volunteers, communities and organizations to promote their contributions to development at the local, national and international levels. By combining UN support with a grassroots mandate, International Volunteer Day is a unique opportunity for people and volunteer-involving organizations to work with government agencies, non-profit institutions, community groups, academia and the private sector." Visit the IVD page on the UN website for more information and ideas for how to celebrate the day.  


e-Volunteerism The Electronic Journal of the Volunteer Community
 
New Articles Available
Volume XVIII, Issue 4    
 
e-Volunteerism, our international, subscription-based journal, is now on it's 18th volume year. As always, all previous journal issues are available to subscribers online in the Archives.

Complimentary Articles (Free) for August
 
From the Archives 
Boomers and Beyond: 12 Best Practices Vital to Volunteer Resources in the Future  Volume X, Issue 4, July 2010 - For continued success, organizations need to create strategies that will allow them to become learning organizations, able to understand and respond to the changes in volunteer expectations, no matter which generation of volunteers is on the horizon.
 
From the Current Issue
"Laddering" in Volunteer Management: What It Is, and Why It May Be Important - In this month's Points of View column, Rob Jackson and Erin R. Spink consider the importance of "laddering" in the volunteer management profession; that is, "the opportunity to report to someone more senior than you who is also a leader of volunteers." Join this important conversation about what could be a potential turning point for the future of volunteer engagement.
 
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New Postings
The Trouble with Training - The majority of e-Volunteerism readers are leaders of volunteers and many of us play a significant role in training volunteers. But should that be the case? In this Training Designs, editor Erin R. Spink asks some tough questions about the role that leaders of volunteers play in training volunteers.

Insights for Episodic Volunteer Management from Volunteers at a Religious Mega Event - In this Research to Practice column, reviewer Laurie Mook looks at the results of a study of the experiences of over 2,400 volunteers at the World Meeting of Families and the visit of Pope Francis to Philadelphia in 2015, a "mega event" in the City of Brotherly Love. Mook's examination provides useful insights for managing episodic (or short-term) volunteering.
 
What's Coming Up?
Coming soon is an article about the new National Alliance for Volunteer Engagement in the  Voices column.

As always, the articles from all past issues remain available in the journal
Archives . 
 
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Spotlight on Resources
 
Volunteer Management Training and Consultation
 
Since 1977, Energize, Inc. has conducted consultations and trainings for a wide range of clients and events across North America and in 23 countries on every continent. We are known for our extensive knowledge of the volunteer management field and our ability to tailor our consults and workshops to the unique needs of an organization. Read more about how we can help.

If you'd like to discuss possible trainings, workshops, or specific consultation, please contact us
 
QTipQuick Tip Continued... 
 
To maintain a productive work environment for volunteers, ask the following questions: 
  • Do your volunteers have adequate work space? Is the work space organized, well-ventilated and well-lighted? 
  • Do they have the supplies they will need for their work? Is the equipment they use in good working order? 
  • If [using technology] is a major part of their work, do they have regular, uninterrupted access to instruments (computers, tablets, phones) and [Internet access]? 
  • Is there a place they can store their work in between shifts?
  • What do volunteers see when they look around? Are others --especially paid staff-- motivated? energetic? productive? cooperative?
  • If volunteers must bring personal property to your area, is there an adequate and safe space for coats, purses, and wet umbrellas? 
If not, you can see that a volunteer may feel like an "extra" rather than like an integral member of your team. They may also have their minds on whether their property is safe rather than on their work.
 
The safety of the volunteers themselves should be of concern to you. Are volunteers doing activities with a high risk of injury? Are they working in or traveling through an environment that is unsafe? Might the clients be a source of any danger? Work with your organization's risk manager to address these situations openly and honestly. You may need to provide special risk-reduction training or institute policies such as having volunteers travel in pairs.

Ask volunteers what they need to do their job well and what environmental factors might prevent them from doing their best. Ask about equipment and supplies, access to information, and the rest of the team. If you can't immediately address every issue, explain why and keep working on them. Let volunteers know what you are doing so that they see that you keep your word. If there are problems you can't solve, explain why and then explore with your volunteers methods to either get around the problem or to cope with it.

 
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Please feel free to reprint or share this Quick Tip for Leading Volunteers with the following credit:
 
This Quick Tip was excerpted from What We Learned (the Hard Way) about Supervising Volunteers by Jarene Frances Lee with Julia M. Catagnus. Found in the Energize, Inc. Online Bookstore at www.energizeinc.com/store. 
 
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Energize, Inc. has been on the Web s ince 1997  offering over 1200 pages of information about successfully involving volunteers in your efforts. Visit our site to learn all about volunteer engagement techniques; find ways to connect with colleagues; gain insight into trends, issues, and even controversy in the field; locate conferences and other professional development opportunities; and more!
 

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