Tip of the Month - May 2003

SUPERVISING VOLUNTEERS

Are you getting full value from the volunteers who contribute time, skills and energy to your nonprofit? Volunteers need to understand that their duties need to be carried out in a manner that is consistent with the organization’s mission and operational standards.

Volunteers need to know what they can expect in the way of guidance and supervision. Lack of clear directions and/or difficulty in contacting a supervisor can result in frustration and lead to mistakes. 

Clients can misinterpret uneven supervision of volunteers. They might perceive that other clients are being treated differently (better or worse), if volunteers don’t provide services in a similar manner. 

If your nonprofit supervises volunteers’ contributions to its mission, the organization is getting full value. However, you might want to double-check that you have all the bases covered.

Checklist for Volunteer Supervision

q     Does your nonprofit have a volunteer handbook or similar handout that contains all of the policies that apply to volunteers?

q     Does your nonprofit have a grievance policy/procedure or other strategy for addressing complaints received from volunteers?

q     Does your nonprofit require that each volunteer sign an acknowledgment stating that they have read and agree to abide by the policies?

q     Are volunteers subject to discipline, up to and including removal, for failing to follow your nonprofit’s policies?

q     Are the nonprofit’s disciplinary procedures concerning volunteers applied consistently?

q     Are supervisors of volunteers trained in performance counseling so they can help a volunteer address performance weakness?

q     Are volunteer records (applications, reference and background check reports) kept in locked or password-protected files, accessible only by those with administrative rights?

You can read more about getting full value from your nonprofit’s volunteers in No Surprises, Harmonizing Risk & Reward in Volunteer Management, published by the Nonprofit Risk Management Center, www.nonprofitrisk.org.

View Past Tips of the Month

May 2004 - One Million Minnesotans Can See Your Form 990
April 2004 - Avoid Unexpected Cost of Directors, Officers, and Organizational Liability
March 2004 - Strategies for Reducing Operating Costs
February 2004 - What Can Nonprofits Due During an Election Cycle
January 2004 - Celebrate Your Nonprofit
November 2003 -Get Your Board on Board
October 2003- Take a Walk-About for Safety
September 2003- Exit Interviews-Learn from those who Leave
August 2003 - Participant Waivers: The Good the Bad and the Ugly
July 2003 - Practical Tips for Reference Checking
June 2003 - Evaluating Your Insurance Professional 
May 2003 - Supervising Volunteers
April 2003 - Protect Your Assets with Sound Internal Controls
March 2003 - Teaching Computer Users to Surf Safely
February 2003 - Involve Clients in Protecting Their Own Safety
January 2003- Managing the Risk of Board Discontent

Learn how to manage your organization's risk.
More about the Nonprofit Risk Management Center
View the Top 10 Signs Your Nonprofit Needs to Start Doing Something about Risk Management