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Joseph Then
Once a while you will receive volunteers who wants to work with you. So how do you induct or even train them?
When you have volunteers who are willing to help you with your fundraising, you will need to explain to them what you expect from them and your current working group. Some volunteers have little or no work experience while others are professionals in their field. Some volunteers did it for finding purpose in their lives while some are just for the purpose of academic requirements(you'll be surprised!). In any case, you will have to let them know how you want things to be done at your non-profit group.
In order to train your volunteers, you need to set aside some time to show your new volunteers around the area or workspace of your non-profit (if you have such a space). Tell them what the group does and how the group got started. Allow your new volunteers to ask questions and be sure to give them your fundraising plan so that they can see how they fit into your working group's effort. Also, show them any specific tasks that need to be done (operating a cash register, for example, or writing out a tax receipt properly) in order for them to do their volunteer work well. It is OK to go into details or if it takes up a chunk of your time on their first day: It does help in the long-run.
One thing to NOTE: YOUR VOLUNTEERS ARE LIKE YOUR DONORS - they are people who offer their services to you at no charge. It is insensitive and often ineffective to treat them as employees: They are NOT PAID by you, in fact they "pay" you with their time. You should be happy that there are people willing to help you with no money as a reward. Of course, we may get volunteers who have attitude problems but appreciate them because they offer their help.
You should also try to give your volunteers some value for their experience - either by offering them work experience or a truly friendly atmosphere or some other perk. You should, once a while, show your apprieciation to the volunteers and your working group.
Remember: To many, time is MORE valuable than even money. Your volunteers are offering you a valuable resource by offering you their time. DO NOT squander this gift or take it for granted.
Above all, keep lines of communication with your volunteers open. A team attitude can go a long way. If your workers feel comfortable talking to you, they will be happy to let you know what you need to know in order to organize your work force most efficiently.
About the Author
Joseph Then written an ebook on Fund Raising and you can check out his website at: http://www.fundraisingebook.com
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