Tag: volunteer Page 8 of 15

Could ‘Quiet Quitting’ Have An Impact On Volunteers?

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On 29th September 2022

In News & Views, Volunteer Management

What Is ‘Quiet Quitting’?

Since the pandemic, a current trend for workers at the moment is ‘quiet quitting’. Quiet quitting is essentially workers doing the bare minimum, they are doing just enough in the office to keep up and get the work done but aren’t going above and beyond what they had previously been doing. “Since the pandemic, people’s relationship with work has been studied in many ways, and the literature typically, across the professions, would argue that, yes, people’s way of relating to their work has changed”. So will quiet quitting also have an impact on volunteers? 

The Impact Quiet Quitting Might Have On Volunteers 

The ‘quiet quitting’ trend could have an impact on volunteerism. Volunteers may do just enough to complete their shifts and keep volunteer managers happy to not get dismissed. It is now said “volunteers that were at one time on fire and passionate about your mission, donating hours of their week, and stepping into leadership roles, are now stepping aside and letting the paid staff take back the work”. Typically volunteering involves extra work outside of your shift, helping out before and after and socialising with others. The quiet quitting trend could lead to volunteers not putting in the extra effort or going above and beyond. Instead, volunteers might complete their shifts and leave the rest of the work to others.

This trend could all depend on people’s motivations for volunteering in the first place. If they are volunteering to gain new skills or experience, then they might not put in the extra effort to make new friends or stay after their shift to help out.

Quiet quitting could also stop people from wanting to volunteer all together. People who are regular volunteers but are ‘quiet quitting’ at work may also lack the motivation to complete any volunteer work too. Being exhausted from the volume of work and lack of work-life balance hit many people during the pandemic. If people are remotely working and doing their job but nothing more they may not be bothered to leave the house after a day of remote work to go and volunteer in person.

How To Prevent Your Volunteers From Quiet Quitting 

If you think you might have a quiet quitter volunteer on your team or that it could affect your volunteer team in future then it could be because there isn’t a strong relationship between you and your volunteers. It’s important to create and maintain good relationships with volunteers, this way they will want to go above and beyond and spend extra time helping out as they are surrounded by people they trust and feel appreciated by. A friendly working community can also be built, which allows volunteers to be a part of a comfortable and supportive environment. To build this relationship you could have regular 1-on-1s with your volunteers, this way you can find out their interests and offer them support. 

Due to the cost of living crisis, volunteers may be cautious of having expenses reimbursed quickly so they aren’t out of pocket for an extended period of time. If the reimbursement does take more than a couple of weeks then volunteers may be more reluctant to put as much effort into their shifts or want to stop volunteering all together. However, there are quick solutions that pay off expenses such as vHelp which can enable you to pay off expenses within 24 hours. 

Key Takeaways…

People are becoming exhausted with work and may be feeling burnt out with a lack of motivation due to the pandemic, therefore this has maybe led to people wanting to ‘quiet quit’. This trend has the potential to affect volunteers too but volunteer managers can try their best to avoid this happening to their team. Ensure you are building strong relationships with your volunteers, and show your appreciation for them and the difference they are making to your organisation. 

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TeamKinetic 2022 Conference – The Schedule

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On 22nd September 2022

In Events and Conferences, News & Views

The TeamKinetic 2022 Conference will take place on Tuesday 27th – Wednesday 28th September 2022. The fully-online conference will take a look into volunteering and volunteer management in today’s climate, while also looking ahead to how it could change in the next decade. 

The conference is aimed at anyone involved in the third sector, specifically those who manage volunteers. 

Secure your place at the TeamKinetic 2022 Conference here

Day One

Day One of the conference will focus on TeamKinetic. What does the system offer to volunteer managers today? And how will our system adapt to suit the latest trends in volunteer management?

Agenda

9:30 – 10:00
Welcome: Feel free to join us at any time before our 10am start!

10:00 – 11:20
New to TeamKinetic: We have some exciting new updates coming to both the TeamKinetic web service and the mobile app. Rolf will talk you all through these updates.

11:30 – 12:20
Reporting with TeamKinetic: Steve will take you through the comprehensive set of reporting tools available to you in TK and what the data can help you uncover about your volunteering programme.

13:15 – 14:00
Session Choices

  • Session 1: How to Help Yourself
    Alex will talk you through the different support options available to you as a TeamKinetic user. Both internally and externally.
  • Session 2: Onboarding Providers and Volunteers
    Rolf will discuss best-practice for getting new providers and volunteers started on your TeamKinetic system.
  • Session 3: Super Admin Options and Customising Emails
    Steve will take you through how to use the different Super Admin options effectively, as well as how to customise emails sent from the system.
  • Session 4: Why use Roles? And How to Create Them
    Chris will outline how you can create Roles within your system and how they can be used effectively on your opportunities.

14:10 – 15:00
Are you taking advantage of opportunity restrictions? There are a number of ways to restrict your opportunities in TeamKinetic to ensure you get the right volunteer for the job, but are you using them correctly?

15:00 – 16:00
Networking / General Q&A: We’ll be sticking around for anyone who has any questions or wants a bit of a chat!

Day Two

Day Two of the conference takes a look at the wider world of volunteer management. We’ll dive into case studies and current volunteer management best-practice while also considering the future of volunteer management and how the next decade might shape up. 

Our Day Two sessions are as follows:

  • 10:00 – 11:00 Keynote, Rob Jackson
    Volunteering to 2030: What might the future look like?
  • 11:15 – 12:15 Session Choice (1/2)
    • Simon Dickinson, Digital Gaps / Digital Coproduction
      Volunteer Passports: Providing Verified Volunteers for Digital Services.
    • Dan McManus, Tempo
      Tempo Time Credits: Volunteer Retention and Impact in 2030.
  • 13:10 – 14:10 Session Choice (3/4)
    • Randa Bennett, vHelp
      Money – a dirty word in the volunteering world, how should we handle it in the future?
    • Stephanie Mallender, Sport England
      #iWill and the Vision for Volunteering: A Deeper Look.
  • 14:25 – 15:25 Session Choice (5/6)
    • Scott Jones, 123Internet / General Practice Alliance
      Homepage Design: Why It Is Important.
    • Allan Merrifield, First Advantage
      First Advantage Digital ID DBS with TeamKinetic

Read about our Day Two speakers by clicking here, or pressing page 2 below.

You can find out more about TeamKinetic through our website or social media:

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What Qualities Should You Look For In A Volunteer?

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On 21st September 2022

In Community, News & Views, Volunteer Management

When reviewing a volunteer’s application, it is essential to look for specific qualities so you can ensure they will be a good fit for the role and match the enthusiasm of others within the organisation. The qualities and skills the volunteer has are sometimes more important than the number of volunteers you have on board. If your charity has certain goals and values, volunteers should be chosen to meet these so that these goals can be fulfilled. Here are some essential qualities to look for when recruiting volunteers. 

Passion

Your volunteers should be passionate about what your organisation does and excited about getting involved. Passionate volunteers will be more motivated about doing the work and be better at what they do. If your volunteers are all passionate about making a difference then they will most likely get on well with other volunteers in your charity or organisation as they are like-minded. A shared love for volunteering is a good way to establish and build relationships with others.

Being A Team Player 

Most volunteering is done in a team therefore your volunteers need to be a good fit, get on well with others and be team players as working together is what helps to make a difference. If all volunteers are enthusiastic and positive about the work the organisation does then it’s likely that everyone will get along with each other due to having similar interests. This can also help increase your organisation’s volunteer retention rate as long-lasting friendships can be created meaning people are more likely to stay and volunteer for your organisation. 

Commitment 

Finding long-term committed volunteers can ensure your organisation or charity has ongoing supporters over time that will be devoted to helping make a difference. By recruiting committed volunteers you can increase your organisation’s volunteer retention rate. It is important to check before recruiting a volunteer that they can do the times needed for the shifts and have access to transport. If you recruit committed and reliable volunteers that you trust then you won’t have to worry about volunteers not turning up for their shifts or cancelling last minute. 

Interpersonal skills 

Having excellent social skills is a key quality to look for in a volunteer. As there are many different roles available in a range of environments with new people, so it is crucial to be able to adapt to these situations. If a volunteer has strong soft skills they can maintain better relationships with others and build trust. Interpersonal skills can also mean that the volunteer is a good leader. Leaders can communicate effectively with others in the team which is crucial for a volunteering role. 

Key Takeaways…

When recruiting volunteers for your organisation it’s important to look for these qualities so you are sure they will complete the volunteering tasks to the best standards. Ensure you recruit people who have knowledge about the organisation’s impact and are motivated to help make a difference.

 

You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:

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Virtual VS In-person Volunteering

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On 14th September 2022

In Volunteer Management

Virtual VS in-person volunteering, which is best suited to you?

Virtual volunteering enables people to be able to complete volunteer tasks remotely via the internet.  There are many benefits of both, but it can depend on your lifestyle and what you want to gain from the experience. Some may think that in-person volunteering is the only way you can see the impact you’re making, but virtual volunteering allows for this too. While some people are better suited to face-to-face volunteering, others may find virtual volunteering is the best way for them to get involved.

Pros of Virtual Volunteering

Virtual volunteering, also known as online volunteering or cyber-service, has grown due to the pandemic as many volunteering couldn’t be completed face-to-face because of restrictions. There are now more opportunities for online volunteering than there were previously.
A recent benefit of virtual volunteering is saving commute costs, due to the cost of living crisis many organisations are struggling to reimburse volunteers for transport costs, resulting in volunteers potentially having to cover the costs themselves. Volunteering remotely, however, means that you don’t have to worry about any commute costs. 

Virtual volunteering is also time efficient, so it is a great option for people who don’t have the spare time to travel and commit to a timetable. This way people can be more flexible and help out when it’s most suited to them from the comfort of their own homes. People can also have access to a wider range of opportunities that are anywhere in the world and volunteer for organisations they might not have access to work for in person due to where they live or lack of access to transport. 

Most importantly virtual volunteering is accessible to anyone, so people with disabilities who may be discluded from volunteering in person can also make a difference.  All you need is a device and an internet connection and you are able to volunteer anywhere, as the UN website states, online volunteering is ‘by nature, inclusive. Anyone, anywhere, can help.’

Examples of virtual volunteering roles include translating and editing documents, over-the-phone and online volunteer counselling, completing admin tasks such as organising donations, sending out emails and many more. There’s now a large range of virtual volunteering opportunities as organisations had to adapt during the pandemic. 

Pros of in-person volunteering 

Some people may feel more comfortable volunteering online however you may gain more from volunteering face-to-face. In-person volunteering allows you to meet new people and build better relationships.

With in-person volunteering, you are able to develop social skills which you might not gain from virtual volunteering. However, due to the roles available with online volunteering, you may be able to gain more useful skills which can help with a career change in a different field of work. 

A big benefit of volunteering face-to-face is the immediate effect it has on the people you are helping, people who volunteer online may feel as though their work isn’t having an impact as they are not seeing the immediate reaction of the people they are helping straight away in-person. 

Key takeaways…

Completing virtual or in-person volunteering is a personal preference and it all depends on what you want to gain from the experience. You may be volunteering to gain new skills and meet new people or achieve a rewarding feeling of seeing your own impact help others.

Virtual volunteering can be a great solution if you are interested in volunteering but can’t attend regular in-person volunteering shifts because you don’t have time or don’t have access to transport. However, it may be easier to meet new people and build better relationships if you are volunteering in person. 

You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:

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Encouraging Diversity And Inclusion In Volunteering

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On 31st August 2022

In News & Views, Volunteer Management

Diversity refers to the qualities that differentiate people as individuals. Within your organisation or charity, it is crucial to recruit a varied range of volunteers so they can bring different skills and values to the team.  Inclusivity embraces all people regardless of their race, age, gender, disabilities, or experience. Inclusivity is all about giving equal access and opportunities.

Diversity and inclusion for volunteer organizations are not just about the volunteers, but also the types of volunteering opportunities available. When creating opportunities, ensure that they offer a range of long-term or short-term commitments to the role. 

How your non-profit and volunteer organisation can become diverse and inclusive

It is important to be aware of barriers which could be preventing people from participating in volunteering opportunities. Barriers could include physical barriers such as opportunities not being accessible to wheelchair users or shifts that involve people needing to drive. Technology barriers could also put off people who aren’t as comfortable using technology, such as taking card machine payments in a charity shop or a shift that involves using a computer. 

Also, offering a range of volunteering opportunities that are short-term and long-term means your opportunities can be inclusive for people who only have time to volunteer for a short period of time.

To create a diverse and inclusive environment, the entire organisation needs to work towards this goal so a welcoming community can be formed. Make sure your volunteer managers and paid employees come from different backgrounds with different experiences and training is completed with examples of diversity so that the staff can become more culturally aware. 

Why is it important for your volunteer organisation to be diverse and inclusive? 

Introducing diversity into your organisation can increase your volunteer pool. By promoting diversity and inclusion within your volunteer organisation, people with different backgrounds and experiences can bring new skills and outlooks to your team.

Having a diverse volunteer team can produce a better image for the public to see. Diversity promotes inclusion and understanding and this is one of the goals for non-profits and volunteer-involving organisations

What are the benefits of being diverse and inclusive? 

  • Enhanced awareness within the organisation as a whole.
  • Being a diverse organisation can create increased social participation.
  • Produces a positive public image.
  • A broader range of skills and knowledge can be brought to the team.
  • Diverse teams make better business decisions 87% of the time.
  • Innovative ideas can be produced.
  • If volunteers in an inclusive organisation feel comfortable in the organisation then they will want to stay, therefore by becoming more inclusive and diverse you can create better retention.

Key takeaways…

Many benefits come with practising diversity and inclusivity in your organisation. A better public image can be created for your organisation and new ideas can be brought to your team. To ensure your organisation is welcoming to a variety of people, get rid of any physical barriers which could discourage people from wanting to volunteer. 

 

You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:

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Ethical and Sustainable Volunteering

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On 24th August 2022

In Community, News & Views, Volunteer Management

What is ethical and sustainable volunteering?

Sustainable volunteering is making a difference with long-lasting change without leaving a destructive footprint behind. Doing good by volunteering doesn’t always mean that you are having a positive impact on the environment around you. For example, many charities with shops could be working with suppliers who have not followed sustainable practices.

People who want to be ethical and sustainable when volunteering believe it is important to contribute to long-lasting change. You may think you are doing the right thing by volunteering but if your efforts and contributions are not making a long-term difference then it might not be worth volunteering for that specific organisation. It is crucial to do research into the charity or organisation as there are many that leave a community in worse conditions than they were when the organisation initially approached them.

The benefits of sustainable and ethical volunteering include becoming more aware of environmental issues and learning how to tackle them. By completing sustainable volunteer work, you are not only doing good for the environment but also doing good by helping others.

What makes a volunteer manager ethical? 

It is essential when wanting your volunteer work to be ethical and sustainable that your volunteer manager is also ethical when creating opportunities. Some ways a volunteer manager can achieve this is by: 

  • Ensuring criminal record checks have been completed for each volunteer. 
  • Making sure volunteers don’t replace paid employees.
  • Actively seek feedback from volunteers to be able to improve and maintain healthy relationships with them.
  • Giving up the time to train volunteers if necessary for the opportunity they are involved in, this also shows that the volunteers are valued.
  • Offer flexibility, so that if a volunteer wants to take time off they are able to. 

Sustainable and ethical volunteering opportunities 

There are so many charities and organisations with volunteering opportunities available in the UK that it can be hard to tell which organisations are influencing change and not leaving behind destructive footprints. Charities and organisations that work towards having a lasting impact on communities and the environment are just as important as having a primary goal of helping others.

There are many options for sustainable and ethical volunteering opportunities. An effective sustainable volunteering opportunity would be to get involved by helping out in your local charity shop. Research has shown the second-hand economy is more than just a means of achieving environmental sustainability. There are many accessible options for volunteering in local charity stores as they are in most UK towns. 

Other sustainable volunteering ideas are collecting and recycling rubbish or any other items that may pollute the environment. There are many litter-picking charities such as Cleanup UK and Keep Britain Tidy that have groups all over the UK with many available litter-picking volunteering opportunities.

Key takeaways…

If you are adapting to a sustainable lifestyle then it’s a good idea to also take part in volunteering that is sustainable and ethical too. You may think all volunteering must be ethical but that’s not always the case, many organisations leave behind a destructive footprint in communities they’re supposed to be helping. To confirm they are also ethical, ensure the volunteer manager is ethical in their actions and completes all the necessary measures before approving a volunteer.

You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:

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Have you enjoyed using TeamKinetic? If you could leave us a review on Capterra, we’d really appreciate it! We’ll even send you a little thank you.

Disciplining A Volunteer And Dealing With Poor Behaviour

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On 17th August 2022

In Volunteer Management

Discipling a volunteer is never an easy task. As volunteers aren’t paid employees, some volunteer managers may feel as though they don’t have a right to discipline or even dismiss them. However, volunteer managers can’t put up with problematic behaviour just because they may feel guilty for having to discipline them. Keeping a volunteer on board with poor behaviour also might do more harm than good for your organisation and other volunteers around them.

Before deciding if you should dismiss a volunteer it is essential to step back and find the main cause of the problem. The volunteer may not understand their job role or are going through something in their personal life which could be affecting their behaviour. Getting another person’s perspective on the situation may also help you make a decision. 

How to deal with problematic behaviour

The problem could be that the volunteer simply lacks a strong work ethic or lacks skills for the role so it can’t be completed correctly or they aren’t the right fit for volunteering for a particular organisation.

Once the reason for the behaviour is pinpointed then it’s important that the conversation had with the volunteer is face to face and not done over email. The conversation can be warning them about their behaviour and simply giving them a chance to improve or to dismiss the volunteer if they have extremely poor behaviour and it is affecting other volunteers within the organisation.

It needs to be upfront and direct and you should ensure you are not tip-toeing around the subject just because you may feel bad. Including some affirmations in the conversation may help you feel better when dismissing the volunteer.

For example, thanking them for their positivity for volunteering but letting them know their behaviour isn’t acceptable. A follow-up conversation is also a good idea to have after you have either dismissed the volunteer or given them a warning. 

As a volunteer manager, you should always document your volunteer’s behaviour, this way you can note down any behaviour traits before and after the conversation to see if the volunteer’s behaviour has changed and improved.

How to avoid this in future

Be careful not to treat volunteers the same as you’d treat employees. Employees are getting paid to give up their time and have access to a lot of employment rights which volunteers don’t have access to.

Due to organisations not being obliged to have a formal agreement with their volunteers, it is still important to create one for your organisation so volunteers are aware of how to act and it can help establish expectations.

Ensure you have a policy that states how you treat disciplinary action with volunteers and your expectations for volunteers’ behaviour. Having a policy also shows your volunteers that they are important to you.

Key takeaways…

Communicating with your volunteers is crucial to ensure you have a comfortable relationship with them. This way if they start to show signs of bad behaviour, it can be discussed easily and put to a stop. 

You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:

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Have you enjoyed using TeamKinetic? If you could leave us a review on Capterra, we’d really appreciate it! We’ll even send you a little thank you.

How The Cost Of Living Crisis Will Affect Volunteering

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On 10th August 2022

In Community, Local Authority, News & Views, Volunteer Management

The ‘cost of living crisis’ refers to the fall in disposable incomes that the UK has experienced since late 2021. Due to this, the rising cost of living is already starting to have a big impact on volunteering and will continue to do so. The crisis makes the reimbursement of expenses for volunteers a more demanding issue. As fuel prices are rising, in some places as much as £2 a litre, volunteers who don’t normally claim expenses are now starting to.

Research completed by vHelp on volunteer expenses shows that 88% of respondents from volunteer leadership roles and organisations were aware of volunteers choosing not to claim expenses. However, this figure of volunteers claiming expenses is expected to increase. The rising cost of fuel prices could also affect charities and organisations that now have to reimburse a larger amount than before which could leave them struggling. 

Expenses

8% of charities still don’t reimburse volunteer expenses. This could put off people from wanting to volunteer for these organisations due to higher travel expenses and the volunteers refusing to pay for these costs themselves. This is why it is extremely important to reimburse volunteers’ expenses otherwise it can lead to a loss of volunteers for your organisation.

Organisations with a complicated expense claiming process, where reimbursement takes a long time can also put volunteers off. 44% of respondents from vHelps research show that ensuring volunteers get paid was a concern of theirs.

Here at TeamKinetic, we provide a quick way for volunteers to claim expenses on our system so they get paid back straight away. We also have a masterclass session for TeamKinetic customers on the ‘Expenses Module’ which will be taking place on the 4th of October so make sure you sign up now to secure a place.

The effect the cost of living will have on charities

The increase in expenses may also be worrying to charities. But volunteers bring much more value to your organisation than the cost of expenses. According to vHelp, the increase in fuel price mostly impacts volunteers who support charities in rural areas due to the only mode of transport to get there for their shifts is by car, which can cost more for the charity to reimburse compared to a bus ticket or no cost for travel at all.

Not only will charities and organisations be affected by the cost of living crisis due to struggling to afford to reimburse volunteers, but charities will also be affected by the decrease in donations by the public. The cost of living crisis means that people’s disposable income will be greatly affected so they might not have the funds to donate as much to charities as they did previously.

According to an article by The Guardian, a fifth of UK households now have an average shortfall of £60 a week between what they earn and what they need to cover essentials. This leaves people with the lowest amount of extra money in 5 years. The expected value of £20 that people usually donate will also be expected to fall to £17.20 by 2026. ‘Chance Changing Lives’ charity that relies on ‘In Kind Directs’ consumer product donation services said they “may have to have a cut-off point very soon as donations have slowed down to such an extent that there may soon not be enough to go round”.

Charities need to start planning now to tackle the cost of living crisis which could massively affect their organisation and their volunteers. Support from funders and the government may be needed in order to help the charity sector during this crisis. 

More support on how charities should adapt to the cost of living crisis can be found here.

You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:

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Have you enjoyed using TeamKinetic? If you could leave us a review on Capterra, we’d really appreciate it! We’ll even send you a little thank you.

How To Prevent Volunteer Burnout

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On 27th July 2022

In Volunteer Management

What is Burnout?

Burnout is typically associated with the workplace, however, it frequently happens to volunteers. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines burnout as “a syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed”. WHO characterises it by three dimensions:

  • Feelings of exhaustion.
  • Increased mental distance from one’s job and/or feelings of negativism about one’s job.
  • Reduced professional efficacy. 
Volunteer Burnout

A negative impact may include your volunteers speaking negatively about the work your organisation does. This can discourage other volunteers from wanting to get involved with the organisation in the future. If burnt-out volunteers continue to show up for their shifts, their overall productivity will most likely decrease. 

Surprisingly, too much volunteering can be a bad thing. Burnout in volunteers can lead to people feeling unmotivated, which leaves volunteers resenting their work. Burnout can be recognised and managed. However, if left untreated, burnout can cause volunteers to become depressed, anxious, and overwhelmed, which can harm the organisation. 

Causes of Burnout

There are many causes of volunteer burnout. By identifying these causes, you can prevent burnout from happening to your volunteers. However, it is important to note that sometimes burnout can’t be avoided due to the volunteer’s mindset and lack of passion. Not every volunteer will be as passionate as the volunteer manager. Some people’s motivation levels for the organisation may differ. 

If volunteers are given too much to do, they may get overwhelmed by taking on too many tasks. A poor working environment can make the volunteers feel unwelcome. It’s important to provide your volunteers with a comfortable space. This can enable them to feel settled in. Supervisors of the volunteers can give support and guidance because a lack of this can lead to the volunteers feeling lost. Volunteers may also have little knowledge of the tasks they are completing, meaning they can’t do the tasks efficiently. 

Important signs to look for before burnout happens to your volunteers:

It’s key for a volunteer manager to look out for any warning signs so you can spot an unhappy volunteer before burnout occurs. The risk of burnout increases over time so it’s important to notice it before it becomes harmful.

Firstly, look out for any changes in your volunteer’s personality that could show signs of anxiousness or discomfort. For example, if a volunteer regularly spoke about their love for volunteering and had a lot of enthusiasm for your organisation’s missions, but then begins to complain and have a negative attitude, it may be an obvious sign they are no longer enjoying it.

Many volunteers are initially motivated at the beginning. Despite this, you should check up on volunteers who may feel like their work has no impact. Any motivated volunteer should believe all their hard work has a big impact on people’s lives. If your volunteers are doubting their contribution to the community, it could be a red flag to watch out for.

Checking in on a Volunteer with Burnout

If volunteers aren’t performing during shifts as well as they previously were, or they’re cancelling shifts without reason, these are very clear signs of volunteer burnout. Overall, if volunteers are showing very obvious signs of lack of motivation and enthusiasm about the organisation and display a negative view of volunteering, it usually means they are about to experience burnout.  

Tips to avoid burnout: 

For some volunteers, burnout is unavoidable. However, here are some useful tips you can take on board as a volunteer manager to overcome burnout. It is important to remember that volunteer burnout is normal and most long-term volunteers will go through a period of burnout.

  • Ensure the volunteers know what they are doing before the shift so they are fully prepared. This means there is a lower risk of a volunteer feeling lost and confused about what they are supposed to be doing. If the volunteer has a bad first shift then this could then lead to them not wanting to take part in future shifts.
  • It is key to create stable working relationships with your volunteers so that you can both feel comfortable and confident around each other. A welcoming environment also enables volunteers to feel more relaxed. Providing refreshments and general support is a good idea to achieve this.
  • To help build that stable working relationship, as a volunteer manager you should recognise your volunteer’s hard work and reward them. Rewards can be certificates or our rewards feature on the system which allows you to send badges to volunteers. However, it is not necessary to always hand out rewards. If volunteers are completing the work for the right reasons then a simple ‘thank you’ will be appreciated.
  • Communication is crucial between you and your volunteers. This is so both parties can give feedback to improve. There is also a feedback section available on our system where volunteers can also log their hours. 
  • Taking time to have regular check-ins with your volunteers can help to nurture your relationship. During this time you can ask your volunteers how they are feeling about the work and therefore notice any potential red flags that may lead to burnout. 

By completing these steps as a volunteer manager, you’ll have happy and healthy volunteers.

You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:

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Have you enjoyed using TeamKinetic? If you could leave us a review on Capterra, we’d really appreciate it! We’ll even send you a little thank you.

How To Manage Large-Scale Event Volunteers

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On 15th June 2022

In News & Views, Sport

Managing event volunteers is no easy task, but they’re an essential piece of the puzzle that is creating a successful event. It helps that nowadays, we have a range of digital solutions that can speed up processes and cut down on stress.

With the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 coming up – less than a month away – we’d like to take a look into large-scale events and what it takes to keep them running smoothly.

EURO 2022

Yes, we are officially less than one month away from the start of the EUROs! This year it’s taking place in England – something I am personally very excited about.

I’ve seen first-hand the impact these competitions have on the local area and country as a whole. Attending the 2017 EURO in The Netherlands and 2019 World Cup in France are experiences I won’t forget in a hurry!

UEFA Women's EURO 2022 on Twitter: "🇳🇱 The 4th team to become Women's EURO winners! 🏆👏👏👏 #WEURO2017 #NEDDEN https://t.co/SfLexR4MyJ" / Twitter
The hosts won it in 2017… Can England repeat the achievement?

Aside from what happens on the pitch, it’s also clear how much hard work goes into each tournament. This year is no different. It is estimated that around 1500 event volunteers will help out across the host cities. These cities range from up north in Manchester and Sheffield, to down south in Brighton and Southampton. So how did volunteers get involved?

How are event volunteers recruited?

From recruitment to rewarding, digital makes everything easier. EURO 2022 is no different. Their entire volunteer recruitment process was online. Running from September 2021 to April 2022, prospective volunteers applied online and were then interviewed via video chat. All successful applicants could then use the official volunteering portal to find out more about their roles.

A group of EURO 2022 volunteers at Wembley Stadium – the venue for the final.

Each host city’s team of volunteers will aid the influx of football fans. This is likely to include guiding them around the city centre, stadiums, Fan Zones, and transport hubs.

Around 50% of the volunteer roles will be focused on spectator services. This includes building the crowd atmosphere, helping people find their way around the stadiums, and answering any questions visitors might have.

Getting your event volunteers ready

I think we’ve established that volunteers are vital to the smooth running of any and every event. The level of training they receive is also vital. Volunteers could be meeting people who have never visited the local area before. Seeing a friendly face is likely to make all the difference to their experience.

This is why it’s important to provide suitable training to all volunteers. While some training requires face-to-face delivery, it doesn’t mean digital can’t be involved. Being able to track whether volunteers have completed training and what steps they have to take next saves time and effort.

For instance, EURO 2022 began training their volunteers in April. Their training includes material specific to the role they signed up for as well as the stadium or host city they will be working in.

Accreditation

Alongside training, accreditation passes are another key thing to prepare. Volunteers that have completed all the necessary requirements and are authorised to be at the venue(s) will be given passes.

With TeamKinetic, you can automatically create Accreditation Badges for specific events or single opportunities. We also have a version specifically created for events – AccessKinetic.

Keeping them updated

Communication is the foundation of good volunteer management. Whether you’re building relationships with your volunteers or keeping them up-to-date on what’s going on in the run up to an event.

Nowadays, all good volunteer management systems will allow you to send emails, SMS text messages, notifications, and share to social media.

Furthermore, the ability to use chat rooms (like in TeamKinetic!) is an added bonus. WhatsApp is a popular medium for instant communications, yet it has its risks. Aside from the big issues like data protection, instant messaging services open the door for unfiltered communications and the potential sharing of misinformation.

With opportunity-specific chat rooms, volunteers can communicate with one another and the opportunity provider. This means they can post questions, build relationships with the people they’ll be working alongside, and offer their peers support. All this is possible before, during and after the event.

An example of an opportunity chat room within TeamKinetic

Rewarding all that hard work

While volunteering at such a prestigious event is a reward all on its own, the people giving their time still deserve appreciation.

For example, all EURO 2022 event volunteers will receive a uniform to keep as a momento after the tournament is over. They’ll also undoubtedly receive post-event communications thanking them for their contributions.

Providing these momentos and setting up automated communications after the event is a great way to show your appreciation and possibly convince your volunteers to apply for your future events. Other ways you can show appreciation are through paying expenses and sending them a thank you card. However, the possibilities are endless, just check out this blog on how else you can reward your volunteers.

Adopting your own system

Interested in speeding up your volunteer registrations and reducing administrative burden? Look into adopting a volunteer management system. You can start with TeamKinetic. We’d be happy to take you through a demo of our system, just reach out via the live chat on our website or email me at alex@teamkinetic.co.uk.

We’ve worked on a range of events, both in and out the world of sport. For example, the Rugby League chose us to deliver their accreditation needs for the Super League Grand Final. Meanwhile, we’ve also been providing our services to the Liverpool FC Foundation for a few years now.

Want a dedicated team with the experience to match? Look no further, choose TeamKinetic.

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