4. Follow-Up and Orientation
Effective follow-up communication and orientation can be critical to both an event’s success and the volunteering experience. All volunteers involved – both new recruits as well as past volunteers –
should receive:
Volunteer Notification:
- Once you’ve made the decision about who you are bringing onboard as volunteers and which roles they’ll play, be sure that each individual gets a call to welcome them and confirm their role or else to thank them and let them know if their services aren’t required.
- This call should be followed up by official notification by email or letter (see below).
Official Confirmation:
You should confirm the volunteer commitment through an email or letter with all of the pertinent details,
such as:
- job description
- time commitment
- date and time of event
- supervisor details & contact information
- meeting schedule
Orientation:
While orientation sessions will differ depending on the volunteer job tasks, here is an overview of the type of information you might want to include in your orientations:
- An overview of the organization – its mission, vision, values
- Description of the event and its objectives (show a video, photos, etc.)
- Outline of the specific volunteer job and tasks
- Details on planning – schedule of meetings, activities, list of responsibilities, etc.
- Information on event location; resources that pertain to their role; necessary record or document keeping and support systems.
- Confirm their contact information and provide contact information for their volunteer supervisor and an alternate contact
Promoting a Positive Volunteer Experience
Once your volunteers are in place, be sure to keep the lines of communication open and recognize volunteers’ efforts to promote a positive volunteer experience. With effective planning and tools in place, the volunteer recruitment and retention process should be streamlined and less stressful.