Small & Mighty Organizations

I saw a comment regarding volunteers on the January resource drive regarding staff training and employee education. It got me thinking about our current volunteer training and how to keep long term volunteers motivated and on track with their duties. We are a volunteer run farm and exotic animal sanctuary. Many of our animals are elderly and/or medically needy. It is a constant challenge maintaining a consistent and committed volunteer base.  While our new volunteers are always enthusiastic and careful, we are finding our hands on volunteers who have been here a long time (2+ years) have become lax and not following our guidelines when cleaning the animal areas and even feeding. This can be a question of the animals safety and wellbeing.

We have extensive hands on training for our feed/clean crew and give each volunteer a printed "instruction" folder. We have tried talking to these volunteers in person, each has told us they would do better (there are three volunteers in question) but nothing changes. We regularly update the volunteers with changes in person,  by text and by updating our printed "instruction" books. Additionally we have installed metal signs with "To Do" checklists in each area. We've even created continued learning instructional videos but most have not watched them.

What we do is very labor intensive so we praise our volunteers regularly in person and through social media and give gas and restaurant gift cards as incentives. My question is how do you motivate long time volunteers to follow the sanctuary guidelines and when they continue to cut corners how do you "fire" someone who is giving you their time? It has become very frustrating and stressful and at times feels like we are being ignored. On one hand having someone helping so I can work on other things like grants and fundraising is great but on the other hand if I have to do additional work the next day is it worth it? 

Hi Lisa -

My input is from a different direction perhaps because I'm not actively in a group managing volunteers and yet one thing I do know is that everyone is listening to their favorite radio station WIIFM - "what's in it for me?"  Have you asked the volunteers what they wanted to "get" from volunteering when they started? And are those desires no longer being fulfilled? Do they still really want to be there or is their heart not in it and yet they are afraid to "quit" because of the needs of your sanctuary? Would they rather volunteer for different tasks than what they're doing if that has lost it's appeal to them? Do they understand that cutting corners hurts the animals and is that how they see themselves?

I think a few or all of those questions may reveal some additional insight about what is going on with the volunteers in question.

My best,

SL

I saw a comment regarding volunteers on the January resource drive regarding staff training and employee education. It got me thinking about our current volunteer training and how to keep long term volunteers motivated and on track with their duties. We are a volunteer run farm and exotic animal sanctuary. Many of our animals are elderly and/or medically needy. It is a constant challenge maintaining a consistent and committed volunteer base.  While our new volunteers are always enthusiastic and careful, we are finding our hands on volunteers who have been here a long time (2+ years) have become lax and not following our guidelines when cleaning the animal areas and even feeding. This can be a question of the animals safety and wellbeing.

We have extensive hands on training for our feed/clean crew and give each volunteer a printed "instruction" folder. We have tried talking to these volunteers in person, each has told us they would do better (there are three volunteers in question) but nothing changes. We regularly update the volunteers with changes in person,  by text and by updating our printed "instruction" books. Additionally we have installed metal signs with "To Do" checklists in each area. We've even created continued learning instructional videos but most have not watched them.

What we do is very labor intensive so we praise our volunteers regularly in person and through social media and give gas and restaurant gift cards as incentives. My question is how do you motivate long time volunteers to follow the sanctuary guidelines and when they continue to cut corners how do you "fire" someone who is giving you their time? It has become very frustrating and stressful and at times feels like we are being ignored. On one hand having someone helping so I can work on other things like grants and fundraising is great but on the other hand if I have to do additional work the next day is it worth it? 

I saw a comment regarding volunteers on the January resource drive regarding staff training and employee education. It got me thinking about our current volunteer training and how to keep long term volunteers motivated and on track with their duties. We are a volunteer run farm and exotic animal sanctuary. Many of our animals are elderly and/or medically needy. It is a constant challenge maintaining a consistent and committed volunteer base.  While our new volunteers are always enthusiastic and careful, we are finding our hands on volunteers who have been here a long time (2+ years) have become lax and not following our guidelines when cleaning the animal areas and even feeding. This can be a question of the animals safety and wellbeing.

We have extensive hands on training for our feed/clean crew and give each volunteer a printed "instruction" folder. We have tried talking to these volunteers in person, each has told us they would do better (there are three volunteers in question) but nothing changes. We regularly update the volunteers with changes in person,  by text and by updating our printed "instruction" books. Additionally we have installed metal signs with "To Do" checklists in each area. We've even created continued learning instructional videos but most have not watched them.

What we do is very labor intensive so we praise our volunteers regularly in person and through social media and give gas and restaurant gift cards as incentives. My question is how do you motivate long time volunteers to follow the sanctuary guidelines and when they continue to cut corners how do you "fire" someone who is giving you their time? It has become very frustrating and stressful and at times feels like we are being ignored. On one hand having someone helping so I can work on other things like grants and fundraising is great but on the other hand if I have to do additional work the next day is it worth it? 

One question I always ask when I see poor performance is - whether this is a single-person issue or a group mentality.  I ask because sometimes we can group people so that a culture that is lacking in appropriateness develops.  Peer pressure helps people do the right thing, so grouping people together can be valuable.   I believe no one volunteers or offers to help to do bad intentionally. 

Just something to think about
Connie 

I saw a comment regarding volunteers on the January resource drive regarding staff training and employee education. It got me thinking about our current volunteer training and how to keep long term volunteers motivated and on track with their duties. We are a volunteer run farm and exotic animal sanctuary. Many of our animals are elderly and/or medically needy. It is a constant challenge maintaining a consistent and committed volunteer base.  While our new volunteers are always enthusiastic and careful, we are finding our hands on volunteers who have been here a long time (2+ years) have become lax and not following our guidelines when cleaning the animal areas and even feeding. This can be a question of the animals safety and wellbeing.

We have extensive hands on training for our feed/clean crew and give each volunteer a printed "instruction" folder. We have tried talking to these volunteers in person, each has told us they would do better (there are three volunteers in question) but nothing changes. We regularly update the volunteers with changes in person,  by text and by updating our printed "instruction" books. Additionally we have installed metal signs with "To Do" checklists in each area. We've even created continued learning instructional videos but most have not watched them.

What we do is very labor intensive so we praise our volunteers regularly in person and through social media and give gas and restaurant gift cards as incentives. My question is how do you motivate long time volunteers to follow the sanctuary guidelines and when they continue to cut corners how do you "fire" someone who is giving you their time? It has become very frustrating and stressful and at times feels like we are being ignored. On one hand having someone helping so I can work on other things like grants and fundraising is great but on the other hand if I have to do additional work the next day is it worth it? 

I saw a comment regarding volunteers on the January resource drive regarding staff training and employee education. It got me thinking about our current volunteer training and how to keep long term volunteers motivated and on track with their duties. We are a volunteer run farm and exotic animal sanctuary. Many of our animals are elderly and/or medically needy. It is a constant challenge maintaining a consistent and committed volunteer base.  While our new volunteers are always enthusiastic and careful, we are finding our hands on volunteers who have been here a long time (2+ years) have become lax and not following our guidelines when cleaning the animal areas and even feeding. This can be a question of the animals safety and wellbeing.

We have extensive hands on training for our feed/clean crew and give each volunteer a printed "instruction" folder. We have tried talking to these volunteers in person, each has told us they would do better (there are three volunteers in question) but nothing changes. We regularly update the volunteers with changes in person,  by text and by updating our printed "instruction" books. Additionally we have installed metal signs with "To Do" checklists in each area. We've even created continued learning instructional videos but most have not watched them.

What we do is very labor intensive so we praise our volunteers regularly in person and through social media and give gas and restaurant gift cards as incentives. My question is how do you motivate long time volunteers to follow the sanctuary guidelines and when they continue to cut corners how do you "fire" someone who is giving you their time? It has become very frustrating and stressful and at times feels like we are being ignored. On one hand having someone helping so I can work on other things like grants and fundraising is great but on the other hand if I have to do additional work the next day is it worth it? 

While I don't have a ready answer, I can relate with your frustration.  I've experienced that situation in another side of my life where I have the constant debate with myself whether it is better to let a volunteer do the job and me have to go behind them and redo half of it or just do it myself in the first place. 

Just thinking off the top of my head, for the seasoned volunteers could it be they've been doing a particular job long enough they are getting bored?  If so, are there different jobs that they can rotate through to maybe keep their interest peaked?  Alternatively, are there any of the "shortcuts" that they are doing that can be embarrassed as part of the standardized protocol?  Or at least ask them for suggestions so they can take part ownership of the goal of getting things done right?

If you come up with a good answer, I'd love to hear it.  Like I mentioned, there is another part of my life in a different non-profit field and have run into that more and more with the volunteers who have been at it a longer period of time. 

Gwen

I saw a comment regarding volunteers on the January resource drive regarding staff training and employee education. It got me thinking about our current volunteer training and how to keep long term volunteers motivated and on track with their duties. We are a volunteer run farm and exotic animal sanctuary. Many of our animals are elderly and/or medically needy. It is a constant challenge maintaining a consistent and committed volunteer base.  While our new volunteers are always enthusiastic and careful, we are finding our hands on volunteers who have been here a long time (2+ years) have become lax and not following our guidelines when cleaning the animal areas and even feeding. This can be a question of the animals safety and wellbeing.

We have extensive hands on training for our feed/clean crew and give each volunteer a printed "instruction" folder. We have tried talking to these volunteers in person, each has told us they would do better (there are three volunteers in question) but nothing changes. We regularly update the volunteers with changes in person,  by text and by updating our printed "instruction" books. Additionally we have installed metal signs with "To Do" checklists in each area. We've even created continued learning instructional videos but most have not watched them.

What we do is very labor intensive so we praise our volunteers regularly in person and through social media and give gas and restaurant gift cards as incentives. My question is how do you motivate long time volunteers to follow the sanctuary guidelines and when they continue to cut corners how do you "fire" someone who is giving you their time? It has become very frustrating and stressful and at times feels like we are being ignored. On one hand having someone helping so I can work on other things like grants and fundraising is great but on the other hand if I have to do additional work the next day is it worth it? 

I saw a comment regarding volunteers on the January resource drive regarding staff training and employee education. It got me thinking about our current volunteer training and how to keep long term volunteers motivated and on track with their duties. We are a volunteer run farm and exotic animal sanctuary. Many of our animals are elderly and/or medically needy. It is a constant challenge maintaining a consistent and committed volunteer base.  While our new volunteers are always enthusiastic and careful, we are finding our hands on volunteers who have been here a long time (2+ years) have become lax and not following our guidelines when cleaning the animal areas and even feeding. This can be a question of the animals safety and wellbeing.

We have extensive hands on training for our feed/clean crew and give each volunteer a printed "instruction" folder. We have tried talking to these volunteers in person, each has told us they would do better (there are three volunteers in question) but nothing changes. We regularly update the volunteers with changes in person,  by text and by updating our printed "instruction" books. Additionally we have installed metal signs with "To Do" checklists in each area. We've even created continued learning instructional videos but most have not watched them.

What we do is very labor intensive so we praise our volunteers regularly in person and through social media and give gas and restaurant gift cards as incentives. My question is how do you motivate long time volunteers to follow the sanctuary guidelines and when they continue to cut corners how do you "fire" someone who is giving you their time? It has become very frustrating and stressful and at times feels like we are being ignored. On one hand having someone helping so I can work on other things like grants and fundraising is great but on the other hand if I have to do additional work the next day is it worth it? 

Hi again Lisa -

I'm not sure where to add this in the thread so just stared another reply...lol

You mentioned about considering the volunteers as employees and yet since mindset is my thing, I wanted to offer a 3rd way to look at this:  you are doing "them" a favor by allowing them to participate in your organization! 

They are volunteering because it's something they want to do so they can feel the emotional benefit of helping.  It is a "privilege" that they "get to" work with your animals. 

(much like when people donate money, while yes they are helping you, it's also because it feels good to them to do it).

Its like the internal bar you set for who "gets to" work/volunteer with you  - AND -they need to step up and meet that bar or they don't get to be a part of what you're doing. (similar to setting firm and loving boundaries with children).

I could rant for a long time on this ((grin)) and yet I hope the above offers some additional  things to consider!

My best,

SL

I saw a comment regarding volunteers on the January resource drive regarding staff training and employee education. It got me thinking about our current volunteer training and how to keep long term volunteers motivated and on track with their duties. We are a volunteer run farm and exotic animal sanctuary. Many of our animals are elderly and/or medically needy. It is a constant challenge maintaining a consistent and committed volunteer base.  While our new volunteers are always enthusiastic and careful, we are finding our hands on volunteers who have been here a long time (2+ years) have become lax and not following our guidelines when cleaning the animal areas and even feeding. This can be a question of the animals safety and wellbeing.

We have extensive hands on training for our feed/clean crew and give each volunteer a printed "instruction" folder. We have tried talking to these volunteers in person, each has told us they would do better (there are three volunteers in question) but nothing changes. We regularly update the volunteers with changes in person,  by text and by updating our printed "instruction" books. Additionally we have installed metal signs with "To Do" checklists in each area. We've even created continued learning instructional videos but most have not watched them.

What we do is very labor intensive so we praise our volunteers regularly in person and through social media and give gas and restaurant gift cards as incentives. My question is how do you motivate long time volunteers to follow the sanctuary guidelines and when they continue to cut corners how do you "fire" someone who is giving you their time? It has become very frustrating and stressful and at times feels like we are being ignored. On one hand having someone helping so I can work on other things like grants and fundraising is great but on the other hand if I have to do additional work the next day is it worth it? 

I like your idea of "you are doing "them" a favor by allowing them to participate in your organization!" rather than they are doing the organization a favor or looking at them than as an employee.  I also like the idea of having a critical mass of volunteers that can provide peer pressure to do the job right.  Then the challenge becomes getting the numbers of volunteers up to that critical mass, sustaining the number of volunteers, and having some exemplary volunteers to "show the way". 

Do you ever have a gathering of all the volunteers together at one time? 

Hi again Lisa -

I'm not sure where to add this in the thread so just stared another reply...lol

You mentioned about considering the volunteers as employees and yet since mindset is my thing, I wanted to offer a 3rd way to look at this:  you are doing "them" a favor by allowing them to participate in your organization! 

They are volunteering because it's something they want to do so they can feel the emotional benefit of helping.  It is a "privilege" that they "get to" work with your animals. 

(much like when people donate money, while yes they are helping you, it's also because it feels good to them to do it).

Its like the internal bar you set for who "gets to" work/volunteer with you  - AND -they need to step up and meet that bar or they don't get to be a part of what you're doing. (similar to setting firm and loving boundaries with children).

I could rant for a long time on this ((grin)) and yet I hope the above offers some additional  things to consider!

My best,

SL

I saw a comment regarding volunteers on the January resource drive regarding staff training and employee education. It got me thinking about our current volunteer training and how to keep long term volunteers motivated and on track with their duties. We are a volunteer run farm and exotic animal sanctuary. Many of our animals are elderly and/or medically needy. It is a constant challenge maintaining a consistent and committed volunteer base.  While our new volunteers are always enthusiastic and careful, we are finding our hands on volunteers who have been here a long time (2+ years) have become lax and not following our guidelines when cleaning the animal areas and even feeding. This can be a question of the animals safety and wellbeing.

We have extensive hands on training for our feed/clean crew and give each volunteer a printed "instruction" folder. We have tried talking to these volunteers in person, each has told us they would do better (there are three volunteers in question) but nothing changes. We regularly update the volunteers with changes in person,  by text and by updating our printed "instruction" books. Additionally we have installed metal signs with "To Do" checklists in each area. We've even created continued learning instructional videos but most have not watched them.

What we do is very labor intensive so we praise our volunteers regularly in person and through social media and give gas and restaurant gift cards as incentives. My question is how do you motivate long time volunteers to follow the sanctuary guidelines and when they continue to cut corners how do you "fire" someone who is giving you their time? It has become very frustrating and stressful and at times feels like we are being ignored. On one hand having someone helping so I can work on other things like grants and fundraising is great but on the other hand if I have to do additional work the next day is it worth it? 

I like your idea of "you are doing "them" a favor by allowing them to participate in your organization!" rather than they are doing the organization a favor or looking at them than as an employee.  I also like the idea of having a critical mass of volunteers that can provide peer pressure to do the job right.  Then the challenge becomes getting the numbers of volunteers up to that critical mass, sustaining the number of volunteers, and having some exemplary volunteers to "show the way". 

Do you ever have a gathering of all the volunteers together at one time? 

Hi again Lisa -

I'm not sure where to add this in the thread so just stared another reply...lol

You mentioned about considering the volunteers as employees and yet since mindset is my thing, I wanted to offer a 3rd way to look at this:  you are doing "them" a favor by allowing them to participate in your organization! 

They are volunteering because it's something they want to do so they can feel the emotional benefit of helping.  It is a "privilege" that they "get to" work with your animals. 

(much like when people donate money, while yes they are helping you, it's also because it feels good to them to do it).

Its like the internal bar you set for who "gets to" work/volunteer with you  - AND -they need to step up and meet that bar or they don't get to be a part of what you're doing. (similar to setting firm and loving boundaries with children).

I could rant for a long time on this ((grin)) and yet I hope the above offers some additional  things to consider!

My best,

SL

I saw a comment regarding volunteers on the January resource drive regarding staff training and employee education. It got me thinking about our current volunteer training and how to keep long term volunteers motivated and on track with their duties. We are a volunteer run farm and exotic animal sanctuary. Many of our animals are elderly and/or medically needy. It is a constant challenge maintaining a consistent and committed volunteer base.  While our new volunteers are always enthusiastic and careful, we are finding our hands on volunteers who have been here a long time (2+ years) have become lax and not following our guidelines when cleaning the animal areas and even feeding. This can be a question of the animals safety and wellbeing.

We have extensive hands on training for our feed/clean crew and give each volunteer a printed "instruction" folder. We have tried talking to these volunteers in person, each has told us they would do better (there are three volunteers in question) but nothing changes. We regularly update the volunteers with changes in person,  by text and by updating our printed "instruction" books. Additionally we have installed metal signs with "To Do" checklists in each area. We've even created continued learning instructional videos but most have not watched them.

What we do is very labor intensive so we praise our volunteers regularly in person and through social media and give gas and restaurant gift cards as incentives. My question is how do you motivate long time volunteers to follow the sanctuary guidelines and when they continue to cut corners how do you "fire" someone who is giving you their time? It has become very frustrating and stressful and at times feels like we are being ignored. On one hand having someone helping so I can work on other things like grants and fundraising is great but on the other hand if I have to do additional work the next day is it worth it? 

Hi again Lisa -

I'm not sure where to add this in the thread so just stared another reply...lol

You mentioned about considering the volunteers as employees and yet since mindset is my thing, I wanted to offer a 3rd way to look at this:  you are doing "them" a favor by allowing them to participate in your organization! 

They are volunteering because it's something they want to do so they can feel the emotional benefit of helping.  It is a "privilege" that they "get to" work with your animals. 

(much like when people donate money, while yes they are helping you, it's also because it feels good to them to do it).

Its like the internal bar you set for who "gets to" work/volunteer with you  - AND -they need to step up and meet that bar or they don't get to be a part of what you're doing. (similar to setting firm and loving boundaries with children).

I could rant for a long time on this ((grin)) and yet I hope the above offers some additional  things to consider!

My best,

SL

I saw a comment regarding volunteers on the January resource drive regarding staff training and employee education. It got me thinking about our current volunteer training and how to keep long term volunteers motivated and on track with their duties. We are a volunteer run farm and exotic animal sanctuary. Many of our animals are elderly and/or medically needy. It is a constant challenge maintaining a consistent and committed volunteer base.  While our new volunteers are always enthusiastic and careful, we are finding our hands on volunteers who have been here a long time (2+ years) have become lax and not following our guidelines when cleaning the animal areas and even feeding. This can be a question of the animals safety and wellbeing.

We have extensive hands on training for our feed/clean crew and give each volunteer a printed "instruction" folder. We have tried talking to these volunteers in person, each has told us they would do better (there are three volunteers in question) but nothing changes. We regularly update the volunteers with changes in person,  by text and by updating our printed "instruction" books. Additionally we have installed metal signs with "To Do" checklists in each area. We've even created continued learning instructional videos but most have not watched them.

What we do is very labor intensive so we praise our volunteers regularly in person and through social media and give gas and restaurant gift cards as incentives. My question is how do you motivate long time volunteers to follow the sanctuary guidelines and when they continue to cut corners how do you "fire" someone who is giving you their time? It has become very frustrating and stressful and at times feels like we are being ignored. On one hand having someone helping so I can work on other things like grants and fundraising is great but on the other hand if I have to do additional work the next day is it worth it?