Are you interested in a wealth of ideas on volunteer recruitment, volunteer management and volunteer recognition - and all for free?
Go to More volunteers for hundreds of ideas to help you and your organisation to gain, sustain and retain more volunteers and members than ever before.
The Skills Bank has a large range of skills on offer, including finance, admin, creative, strategic, IT, hospitality, event management, marketing, even trades.
Browsing through the skills is as simple as logging onto the Volunteering Queensland website and clicking on the ‘Looking for skilled volunteers?’ button and then making an offer to volunteers with the skills you need. Regular checking means you won't miss out on that perfect volunteer for your organisation.
If you need any assistance using Skills Bank please phone 3002 7600 visit Skills Bank
top
Lattitude is an international volunteering organisation for young people aged 17 to 25. Our mission is to provide a distinctive international experience through a journey of discovery that fosters independence, helps others and promotes global understanding. Through global volunteering, we aim to give young people the opportunity to realise the world beyond their community and to truly engage with it. They are encouraged to develop awareness and responsibilities towards themselves and others, equipping them with vital life skills.
We still have 2010 projects available in many countries - particularly for mid-year departures.
For more information: Visit Lattitude or view the Lattitude Program Flyer (pdf)
Does your orientation consist of quick introductions to people who barely acknowledge the new volunteer's presence? Do you hand them the thirteen volumes of organisational policies and procedures to read as you disappear out the door muttering 'good luck with it all'? Or do you have an orientation plan that aims to provide reassurance to your new volunteers about their most important concerns on fitting in, being able to do the job, not getting lost or not looking stupid? When new volunteers begin with your group or organisation there are two main questions that they ask themselves. "Am I going to be able to do the work I've been asked to do?" and "Will I fit in?" When you feel like you fit in - you are likely to volunteer more and stay longer as a volunteer. The most important thing to do is to help new volunteers fit in and feel like they belong as quickly as possible.
For more hints and tips on how to retain, recognise and reward volunteers go to Volunteer Orientation
Many people don't realise the power of their own role modelling in volunteer recruitment and retention. It is important that you role model looking after you. Yes! Looking after yourself - because if potential volunteers see a stressed out, worn out and burnt out volunteer coordinator then volunteering doesn't look at all attractive. So follow what Robert Fulghum suggests: Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
For more great hints and tips on how to retain your volunteers see More Volunteers
Village Community Services Inc. are looking for a community minded person who would like to face paint at the Community Carols held at the Movie World Car Park. We are looking for a special kind of person so please apply if you feel you would enjoy supporting our Carols event.
Where: Movie World Car Park
When: 19 Dec 2009
Time: 5 pm-7.30 pm
Contact: Phone Jenny on 5529 8253
At a recent community meeting a volunteer shared her experiences of her first day of volunteering. "The way my supervisor spoke to me made me feel as if I was in the way and was a hinderance rather than a help to this organisation". She didn't go back to that organisation and it was a long time before she tried volunteering again. How do you welcome your new volunteers and help them to feel appreciated in your organisation?
For ideas on how to support your volunteers come along to the Logan Volunteers Managers Network. For more information call Volunteering Qld on 3002 7600 or visit the Volunteering Queensland website.
Do you have a goal to recruit a certain number of new volunteers or members next year? Then here's a quick tip to help you reach this goal. Make the goal visual! Use a large graph to visually represent your progress towards your target number of new volunteers. As new volunteers are recruited, colour in the graph. A thermometer graph is a good example and is often used to reach a target number of fund-raising dollars. You can adapt this for your recruitment numbers. Display the graph in a prominent place where it can be seen by others. This might just encourage them to help you reach your recruitment goal.
For more great hints and tips see More Volunteers
When holding a recognition event for your volunteers take lots of photos of your smiling, happy volunteers. Having got the usual permissions arrange the photos, with quick read captions, into a 'photo wall' in your reception area to attract visitors' attention. The idea is to highlight your volunteers and it is great publicity for volunteering. Also those people visiting your offices might just enquire about volunteering after seeing the photo wall.
For more handy hints on volunteering please visit More Volunteers
How long does it take for a new volunteer to form an impression of you and your organization or group? Impressions are extremely powerful and can last a lifetime. When we meet someone for the first time we begin this 'impression process'. All of us do this and once an impression is formed it can take a very long time to change. These impressions can make or break the volunteering experience. Positive impressions mean that a new volunteer is likely to be retained much longer. Negative impressions often equate to a new volunteer disappearing fast. It takes 4 minutes to go beyond a first impression to form a lasting impression. Just 4 minutes and this impression can take a long time to change. When a new volunteer joins your group or organization - how are they made to feel welcome in the first 4 minutes? Just focus on this one thing from the very beginning...
For more handy hints on volunteering please visit More Volunteers
Here's an interesting way to look differently at the roles and tasks of your volunteers this year. When we focus only on the task and not the person we often fail to recognize the unique abilities of each individual. In discussions with your volunteers, focus on the person and find out their unique skills and abilities. Then consider building volunteering tasks and opportunities around them. You might just find a whole new range of tasks and roles for your volunteers.
For more information check out More Volunteers website.
Volunteering Australia has launched the 2009 National Survey of Volunteering Issues with its online survey. The survey will help understand what issues are emerging in the sector and what factors help or hinder effective volunteering. They will use this information to formulate policy positions to put to government and also to target where its research and consultation efforts should be directed.
Please complete the survey. The survey takes around 15 minutes to complete and is open until 30 October.
Volunteer and be part of the 4th World Congress on Mental Health andDeafness - a call to all Queenslanders. You can help make the 4th World Congress on Mental Health and Deafness a welcoming and memorable event.
We are now calling for local volunteers from Queensland and Brisbane to assist in thefollowing areas:
• General plenary and concurrent session Ushers
• Registration Assistants (giving out satchels and Congress programs)
• Technical Assistants (AV, lighting, sound, captioning)
• Venue Assistants (give directions around the venue)
• First Aid Officers
• Ad Hoc volunteers (assist Congress staff)
Support documents are available on the Congress website and detail the volunteer requirements of the Congress and provide more information on how you can get involved. If you have had experience volunteering in similar event environments, we would love to hear from you!Applications will be accepted from all local Australian residents only; howeverpreference will be given to applicants who live in Queensland and close to Brisbane due to their proximity to the Congress venue.
top