Small & Mighty Organizations

Hi all Small and Mighty friends!

There was a discussion on the animal professionals page about being "just" an animal welfare professional and the associated burnout.  While interesting, didn't seem like the place to talk about the equivalent in all-volunteer organizations, like we are and like some of you may be.  I struggle, as a volunteer myself (board member) to support the other awesome and much-needed volunteers of our organization sometimes, when all I want to do is curl up in a ball!  I'd love to know, from other all-volunteer organizations, how you 1. Keep your volunteer leadership from burning out and 2. Help support your front line volunteers to provide opportunities for them to grieve losses, handle stress, etc.  

For us, as a special event, we recently held an amazing volunteer and foster caretaker Sunday afternoon event at a restaurant's backroom.  We mostly just mingled and ate and had kids' activities.  We did present one special volunteer with a small token of our appreciation for the amazing but thankless work  she does on our donor software.  

But the day-to-day "care and feeding" of your volunteers is hard, especially when you're also scooping the boxes, running to the vet, and opening the food cans! How do we keep ourselves sane while helping our volunteers?

Hi all Small and Mighty friends!

There was a discussion on the animal professionals page about being "just" an animal welfare professional and the associated burnout.  While interesting, didn't seem like the place to talk about the equivalent in all-volunteer organizations, like we are and like some of you may be.  I struggle, as a volunteer myself (board member) to support the other awesome and much-needed volunteers of our organization sometimes, when all I want to do is curl up in a ball!  I'd love to know, from other all-volunteer organizations, how you 1. Keep your volunteer leadership from burning out and 2. Help support your front line volunteers to provide opportunities for them to grieve losses, handle stress, etc.  

For us, as a special event, we recently held an amazing volunteer and foster caretaker Sunday afternoon event at a restaurant's backroom.  We mostly just mingled and ate and had kids' activities.  We did present one special volunteer with a small token of our appreciation for the amazing but thankless work  she does on our donor software.  

But the day-to-day "care and feeding" of your volunteers is hard, especially when you're also scooping the boxes, running to the vet, and opening the food cans! How do we keep ourselves sane while helping our volunteers?

Hi Diane,  
The mindset of 'volunteer' vs. 'professional' is where we trying to erase a line.  Our volunteers Are Professionals.  While we all might hold different titles, we are Equal when it comes to helping the community and our animals.  Keeping your people, yourself included, from burning out means you become a family.  You take care of each other; hold each other when those tears come, and yes, do fun things and bonding activities outside of your organization.  We hold BBQ's, potlucks, game nights,  and visit each other a lot (stuff that doesn't take much $$ to put together--usually a BYOB thing); we text and check in; we petsit and babysit each other's "kids," we drop everything to cover a shift if something happens that another volunteer might have to run to take care of--above everything, we always support Family First.  

While volunteering is important, we know that if our volunteers aren't healthy and fulfilled, we won't get 100 percent when they are with us.  Our volunteer opportunities range from giving 1 hour a month, to the ones who are there more than 25 hours a week....and if someone needs to step back for a while, we support them.  Saying 'no' to another thing on your plate is also a learned skill; one which I am only now getting better at, and I've been at this more than 20 years.  If that means that your organization must say 'no' to some things, in order to ensure that your people and the animals in your care are getting the very best, then that is what you must do.  It is never easy, but you never know....Saying 'we just cannot' might just inspire someone else to recognize the bigger scope of the issue, and get their own organization started, which will ultimately save even More of them.  We are all here together.  You are not 'just a volunteer.'

Hi all Small and Mighty friends!

There was a discussion on the animal professionals page about being "just" an animal welfare professional and the associated burnout.  While interesting, didn't seem like the place to talk about the equivalent in all-volunteer organizations, like we are and like some of you may be.  I struggle, as a volunteer myself (board member) to support the other awesome and much-needed volunteers of our organization sometimes, when all I want to do is curl up in a ball!  I'd love to know, from other all-volunteer organizations, how you 1. Keep your volunteer leadership from burning out and 2. Help support your front line volunteers to provide opportunities for them to grieve losses, handle stress, etc.  

For us, as a special event, we recently held an amazing volunteer and foster caretaker Sunday afternoon event at a restaurant's backroom.  We mostly just mingled and ate and had kids' activities.  We did present one special volunteer with a small token of our appreciation for the amazing but thankless work  she does on our donor software.  

But the day-to-day "care and feeding" of your volunteers is hard, especially when you're also scooping the boxes, running to the vet, and opening the food cans! How do we keep ourselves sane while helping our volunteers?

Rose, I appreciate the point that volunteers are integral to helping the community, but I believe motivation and retention are different between staff and volunteers.  I also wonder if you are/have staff?  Because part of my question has to do with how do I, as volunteer leadership, with no staff in sight, hold our volunteers together while I also wear my veterinary care coordinator and events coordinator, etc hats.  I believe all volunteer organizations are different from those with staff.  

Hi Diane,  
The mindset of 'volunteer' vs. 'professional' is where we trying to erase a line.  Our volunteers Are Professionals.  While we all might hold different titles, we are Equal when it comes to helping the community and our animals.  Keeping your people, yourself included, from burning out means you become a family.  You take care of each other; hold each other when those tears come, and yes, do fun things and bonding activities outside of your organization.  We hold BBQ's, potlucks, game nights,  and visit each other a lot (stuff that doesn't take much $$ to put together--usually a BYOB thing); we text and check in; we petsit and babysit each other's "kids," we drop everything to cover a shift if something happens that another volunteer might have to run to take care of--above everything, we always support Family First.  

While volunteering is important, we know that if our volunteers aren't healthy and fulfilled, we won't get 100 percent when they are with us.  Our volunteer opportunities range from giving 1 hour a month, to the ones who are there more than 25 hours a week....and if someone needs to step back for a while, we support them.  Saying 'no' to another thing on your plate is also a learned skill; one which I am only now getting better at, and I've been at this more than 20 years.  If that means that your organization must say 'no' to some things, in order to ensure that your people and the animals in your care are getting the very best, then that is what you must do.  It is never easy, but you never know....Saying 'we just cannot' might just inspire someone else to recognize the bigger scope of the issue, and get their own organization started, which will ultimately save even More of them.  We are all here together.  You are not 'just a volunteer.'

Hi all Small and Mighty friends!

There was a discussion on the animal professionals page about being "just" an animal welfare professional and the associated burnout.  While interesting, didn't seem like the place to talk about the equivalent in all-volunteer organizations, like we are and like some of you may be.  I struggle, as a volunteer myself (board member) to support the other awesome and much-needed volunteers of our organization sometimes, when all I want to do is curl up in a ball!  I'd love to know, from other all-volunteer organizations, how you 1. Keep your volunteer leadership from burning out and 2. Help support your front line volunteers to provide opportunities for them to grieve losses, handle stress, etc.  

For us, as a special event, we recently held an amazing volunteer and foster caretaker Sunday afternoon event at a restaurant's backroom.  We mostly just mingled and ate and had kids' activities.  We did present one special volunteer with a small token of our appreciation for the amazing but thankless work  she does on our donor software.  

But the day-to-day "care and feeding" of your volunteers is hard, especially when you're also scooping the boxes, running to the vet, and opening the food cans! How do we keep ourselves sane while helping our volunteers?

Rose, I appreciate the point that volunteers are integral to helping the community, but I believe motivation and retention are different between staff and volunteers.  I also wonder if you are/have staff?  Because part of my question has to do with how do I, as volunteer leadership, with no staff in sight, hold our volunteers together while I also wear my veterinary care coordinator and events coordinator, etc hats.  I believe all volunteer organizations are different from those with staff.  

Hi Diane,  
The mindset of 'volunteer' vs. 'professional' is where we trying to erase a line.  Our volunteers Are Professionals.  While we all might hold different titles, we are Equal when it comes to helping the community and our animals.  Keeping your people, yourself included, from burning out means you become a family.  You take care of each other; hold each other when those tears come, and yes, do fun things and bonding activities outside of your organization.  We hold BBQ's, potlucks, game nights,  and visit each other a lot (stuff that doesn't take much $$ to put together--usually a BYOB thing); we text and check in; we petsit and babysit each other's "kids," we drop everything to cover a shift if something happens that another volunteer might have to run to take care of--above everything, we always support Family First.  

While volunteering is important, we know that if our volunteers aren't healthy and fulfilled, we won't get 100 percent when they are with us.  Our volunteer opportunities range from giving 1 hour a month, to the ones who are there more than 25 hours a week....and if someone needs to step back for a while, we support them.  Saying 'no' to another thing on your plate is also a learned skill; one which I am only now getting better at, and I've been at this more than 20 years.  If that means that your organization must say 'no' to some things, in order to ensure that your people and the animals in your care are getting the very best, then that is what you must do.  It is never easy, but you never know....Saying 'we just cannot' might just inspire someone else to recognize the bigger scope of the issue, and get their own organization started, which will ultimately save even More of them.  We are all here together.  You are not 'just a volunteer.'

Hi all Small and Mighty friends!

There was a discussion on the animal professionals page about being "just" an animal welfare professional and the associated burnout.  While interesting, didn't seem like the place to talk about the equivalent in all-volunteer organizations, like we are and like some of you may be.  I struggle, as a volunteer myself (board member) to support the other awesome and much-needed volunteers of our organization sometimes, when all I want to do is curl up in a ball!  I'd love to know, from other all-volunteer organizations, how you 1. Keep your volunteer leadership from burning out and 2. Help support your front line volunteers to provide opportunities for them to grieve losses, handle stress, etc.  

For us, as a special event, we recently held an amazing volunteer and foster caretaker Sunday afternoon event at a restaurant's backroom.  We mostly just mingled and ate and had kids' activities.  We did present one special volunteer with a small token of our appreciation for the amazing but thankless work  she does on our donor software.  

But the day-to-day "care and feeding" of your volunteers is hard, especially when you're also scooping the boxes, running to the vet, and opening the food cans! How do we keep ourselves sane while helping our volunteers?

Hi all Small and Mighty friends!

There was a discussion on the animal professionals page about being "just" an animal welfare professional and the associated burnout.  While interesting, didn't seem like the place to talk about the equivalent in all-volunteer organizations, like we are and like some of you may be.  I struggle, as a volunteer myself (board member) to support the other awesome and much-needed volunteers of our organization sometimes, when all I want to do is curl up in a ball!  I'd love to know, from other all-volunteer organizations, how you 1. Keep your volunteer leadership from burning out and 2. Help support your front line volunteers to provide opportunities for them to grieve losses, handle stress, etc.  

For us, as a special event, we recently held an amazing volunteer and foster caretaker Sunday afternoon event at a restaurant's backroom.  We mostly just mingled and ate and had kids' activities.  We did present one special volunteer with a small token of our appreciation for the amazing but thankless work  she does on our donor software.  

But the day-to-day "care and feeding" of your volunteers is hard, especially when you're also scooping the boxes, running to the vet, and opening the food cans! How do we keep ourselves sane while helping our volunteers?

Hi all Small and Mighty friends!

There was a discussion on the animal professionals page about being "just" an animal welfare professional and the associated burnout.  While interesting, didn't seem like the place to talk about the equivalent in all-volunteer organizations, like we are and like some of you may be.  I struggle, as a volunteer myself (board member) to support the other awesome and much-needed volunteers of our organization sometimes, when all I want to do is curl up in a ball!  I'd love to know, from other all-volunteer organizations, how you 1. Keep your volunteer leadership from burning out and 2. Help support your front line volunteers to provide opportunities for them to grieve losses, handle stress, etc.  

For us, as a special event, we recently held an amazing volunteer and foster caretaker Sunday afternoon event at a restaurant's backroom.  We mostly just mingled and ate and had kids' activities.  We did present one special volunteer with a small token of our appreciation for the amazing but thankless work  she does on our donor software.  

But the day-to-day "care and feeding" of your volunteers is hard, especially when you're also scooping the boxes, running to the vet, and opening the food cans! How do we keep ourselves sane while helping our volunteers?

Hi all Small and Mighty friends!

There was a discussion on the animal professionals page about being "just" an animal welfare professional and the associated burnout.  While interesting, didn't seem like the place to talk about the equivalent in all-volunteer organizations, like we are and like some of you may be.  I struggle, as a volunteer myself (board member) to support the other awesome and much-needed volunteers of our organization sometimes, when all I want to do is curl up in a ball!  I'd love to know, from other all-volunteer organizations, how you 1. Keep your volunteer leadership from burning out and 2. Help support your front line volunteers to provide opportunities for them to grieve losses, handle stress, etc.  

For us, as a special event, we recently held an amazing volunteer and foster caretaker Sunday afternoon event at a restaurant's backroom.  We mostly just mingled and ate and had kids' activities.  We did present one special volunteer with a small token of our appreciation for the amazing but thankless work  she does on our donor software.  

But the day-to-day "care and feeding" of your volunteers is hard, especially when you're also scooping the boxes, running to the vet, and opening the food cans! How do we keep ourselves sane while helping our volunteers?

Hi Diane,

I wanted to circle back and share a fun event we are hosting tomorrow for our volunteers. An animal communicator reached out to us about donating her time to come out to talk to our animals. My first thought was, who has time for that. Then we decided to make it an event for our volunteers. It is all in fun and many of our volunteers were very excited to be able to attend. Each of them will be able to ask a question to the animal of their choice and the communicator will relay the questions and the animals answers. Some of the volunteers who can't make it also sent in questions. At the end of the session we will be serving lunch that was donated by a local restaurant. 

Hi all Small and Mighty friends!

There was a discussion on the animal professionals page about being "just" an animal welfare professional and the associated burnout.  While interesting, didn't seem like the place to talk about the equivalent in all-volunteer organizations, like we are and like some of you may be.  I struggle, as a volunteer myself (board member) to support the other awesome and much-needed volunteers of our organization sometimes, when all I want to do is curl up in a ball!  I'd love to know, from other all-volunteer organizations, how you 1. Keep your volunteer leadership from burning out and 2. Help support your front line volunteers to provide opportunities for them to grieve losses, handle stress, etc.  

For us, as a special event, we recently held an amazing volunteer and foster caretaker Sunday afternoon event at a restaurant's backroom.  We mostly just mingled and ate and had kids' activities.  We did present one special volunteer with a small token of our appreciation for the amazing but thankless work  she does on our donor software.  

But the day-to-day "care and feeding" of your volunteers is hard, especially when you're also scooping the boxes, running to the vet, and opening the food cans! How do we keep ourselves sane while helping our volunteers?