05/29/2020

Daily Buzz: Get Ready to Bring Your Volunteers Back

Modifications will be necessary in the "new normal"

The ways in which associations engage volunteers has changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and this will continue as organizations get ready to reopen. What should volunteer engagement look like during this phase?

“While things are opening back up, we are not just returning to life as it was before March,” said VolunteerMatch’s Jennifer Bennett.

When considering how you’ll re-engage with volunteers in person, let them inform your decisions. “Get a sense of what your volunteers are worried about, or what they need from you, before they come back,” Bennett said. “A survey, facilitated conversation, or focus group can be a great way to identify volunteer concerns or needs.”

Organizations must also remain agile in the face of uncertainty.

“Unfortunately, none of us have a crystal ball, but we can be prepared to continue to find new solutions as the situation evolves,” Bennett said. “But what we can do is continue to ask ourselves, how can we move forward, keep our volunteers safe, and respond in a way that makes sense for our organization and the clients we serve?”

Please select this link to read the original article from Associations Now.