More About Volunteers!

FROM BECKY:

This is the second part of a series of blogs about getting, training and keeping volunteers for your Son-Rise program.

Screening prospective volunteers for your program is one of the most effective ways to recruit and keep the kind of team that you want for your program. Here are some helpful ideas about screening.

You don't have to commit to anyone until you have a feel for them. Imagine this.....you have your posters up, you've advertised on Craig's List, you did a presentation about your program in the local community and you get your first call with someone interested in volunteering.

You are so excited that someone is interested you say "When can you start?", you spend hours upon hours training them, giving them feedback, holding their hand and getting them ready to do two sessions per week in the playroom. During the first month, they are late for their session three times, they completely forgot to come to one session, they are defensive when you give them feedback and you see them texting their boyfriend in the playroom when you think they are doing The Son-Rise Program with your child.

You are so grateful that they are taking time out of their schedule to do this.....and not getting paid for it either. You are afraid to ask for more from them. You stop giving them feedback, and within 2 months they have left...and so, you start the process again.

Instead of saying "Yes" to the first person that is interested in volunteering with your child, try saying "Great! I'm so excited you are interested. I am currently recruiting and would love to send you an application form!" You don't have to commit to anyone. This is your child, your program and your life! You have a right to choose who you want.

More about screening volunteers on Friday!

Lots of love,