Policies That Work When Supervising Volunteers
Volunteers are the backbone of every faith community. Recruiting, screening, training and managing them are vital to the success of your organization. Whether you need volunteers for a short-term project or a longer commitment, following these policies can make your own job easier and more successful.
1. Make a distinction between short-term projects and on-going projects
Short-term-term projects might be handled by drop-in volunteers and in those cases you want t make it easy for them to register and work. But long-term projects or programs require you to exercise due diligence in recruiting, screening, training and managing volunteers.
2. Write a job description for each on-going volunteer position
Resist the impulse to welcome every one who volunteers for an on-going program. You will spend a lot of time and energy managing them, and you will have to rely on them to represent the best interests of the church. So make sure each volunteer is not only willing to help, but also capable of doing what you expect. Put your expectations in a written job description for each ministry that relies on volunteers. Any parishioner with experience in human resource management can help you prepare job descriptions that include:
- The mission of the ministry and an outline of its activities
- A statement of the tasks you want volunteers to perform – they need to know what to do and what not to do
- The skills needed to succeed in the ministry
- The time commitment
- Work schedule and other arrangements
- The name of the ministry chairperson who will oversee their efforts
3. Recruit qualified volunteers
Your current volunteers are the most likely ones to volunteer for new assignments, but you want to avoid burning them out and prevent the formation of tight-knit cliques. So you must be constantly on the lookout for new recruits. The best way to recruit volunteers is through word-of-mouth or personal contact. So be sure to tell your current volunteers that you are looking for new candidates. Your current volunteers are a good source of recruits such as their spouses, relatives or friends. Newcomers are another prime source of volunteers so the church’s welcoming packet should include detailed information about each ministry opportunity and a commitment card. You should also hold an annual ministry fair to promote all the volunteer opportunities available within the church. Throughout the year, to nurture a spirit of volunteering, you should highlight individual ministries in homilies whenever it is relevant to the scripture readings for that day.
Volunteer positions should be posted in the weekly bulletin and the church web site. There are also a number of online sources of volunteers such as ChurchVolunteerCentral, Do Something, VolunteerMatch, SERVENet and Idealist.org.
In recruiting qualified volunteers, you want to fit the person to the job. In order to do so, you, or a member of your staff, and the chairperson of the appropriate ministry must interview the candidates.
4. Interview potential volunteers as you would paid staff
In meeting with potential volunteers, thank them for their willingness to serve. Find out what credentials, talents and gifts they have to offer, any prior experience in church ministry and the amount of time they are willing to devote to your ministries. Make sure they are willing to serve in the role you have in mind. Many volunteers come from the corporate world where they have large staffs and extensive resources at their disposal. They may be accustomed to delegating to others. You want to avoid the kind of volunteer depicted in a Wall Street Journal cartoon in which a man was shown kneeling beside his bed praying, “Lord use me, but if it is all the same to you, Lord, use me in an executive capacity.” Many other volunteers are retirees who are looking for meaningful work and have the time in which to do it. They have a lifetime of experience to offer and are capable of doing a lot more than stuffing envelopes and counting the Sunday collections. Students are another source of volunteers, best suited for short-term projects during the summer.
4. Screen volunteers
Check their references and the background of each potential volunteer for an on-going program as you would any employee.
5. Ask for a commitment
Once you have vetted a potential volunteer, ask for a commitment in writing.
6. Consecrate your volunteers
During Sunday services, ask the volunteers to stand one by one then lead the congregation in a blessing prayer.
7. Monitor the performance of volunteers
If volunteers fail to fulfill their job description, they need to be told as much. Don’t do it when you are angry. Wait for an appropriate moment to schedule a private meeting in the presence of one other person (preferably) of the same sex who can act as a witness. Focus your comments on performance. Decide whether the volunteer needs to be retrained or dismissed. If necessary, dismiss the volunteer and ask for any keys or badges they might use as a volunteer. Afterwards, document the meeting.