❓How can I involve volunteers in a project?
Many nonprofits and other mission-driven organizations rely on volunteers to support the ongoing success of their programs, services, and events. Volunteers can be essential to our day-to-day work, and we cultivate these relationships with onboarding and support so that our volunteers become valued team members. Even with seasoned volunteers, bringing them into the temporary and unpredictable work of a project can present some challenges.
To prepare and sustain the engagement of volunteers on a project, we want to:
🪫 Carefully consider their bandwidth. How much time and effort can our volunteers reasonably give to the project? Does their existing schedule and availability align with the needs of the project? How will working on the project impact the other tasks they usually perform?
👍 Determine their level of interest. As supporting the project may require moving away from more comfortable tasks or volunteering additional hours, we want to ensure our volunteers express an interest in and willingness to support the project. We might want to ask folks to opt into the project work or recruit volunteers who will only support the project.
🧭 Ensure they understand the project's scope. Just like our core project team members, we want our volunteers to understand the project's purpose and how it supports the organization's larger mission. Share and discuss the project scope with volunteers as soon as they join the project.
👒 Clearly define their role in the project. What is the volunteer's responsibility for the project? What type of tasks will they need to perform? Will they have a discrete set of duties or support a broader range of tasks?
🔉 Confirm their expected level of input and engagement. Discuss how they will engage with other project team members or key stakeholders. Will they be expected to attend project meetings? Will you ask them for input into project decisions or to offer feedback on deliverables?
🎯 Provide a task list and clear deadlines. Use clearly defined tasks and deadlines to set expectations for your volunteer's involvement.
❓ Offer opportunities to ask questions or get support from you and other project team members.
When we successfully integrate volunteers into the work of our projects, we can deepen their connection to our mission and empower them to make meaningful contributions to our projects!
#projects #projectmanagement #volunteers
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👋Hi, I'm Jami, a project management and planning consultant for mission-driven organizations.
I write about my work and share strategies and advice for leading more impactful projects, teams, and planning.
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