Volunteers (Campaign Toolkit)

From Democracywiki

This page is part of the Campaign Toolkit.

1 Introduction
2 Attracting Volunteers
3 Getting the Best from People
4 Lines of Management
5 Motivation and Reward
6 Working with Volunteers Checklist
7 Case Studies
8 Links

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Introduction

Campaigns rely on the efforts of volunteers. Few campaigns, especially at the local community level, can afford professional staff. The success of your campaign will depend on the quality and enthusiasm of your volunteer helpers. But because volunteers are not paid, and are not part of formal structures, they cannot be treated like employees. Their motivations and expectations are different, and the pitfalls are greater.

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Attracting Volunteers

Volunteer workers can range from those with a couple of hours spare a month to those such as unemployed or part-time workers, or retired people, who can volunteer full-time.

Volunteers can be contacted via local newspapers or community newsletters, via existing campaigning networks, or even by putting ads in newsagents' windows.

Some volunteers will emerge organically as the result of high-profile campaigning activity. The harder you campaign, the more volunteers you attract.

Volunteers will come with a range of skills and experience, from enthusiastic 'envelope stuffers' to top fundraisers, journalists or celebrities.

For some campaigns you may want to 'vet' volunteers to ensure they are not infiltrators from your opponent's camp.

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Getting the Best from People

Conduct a 'skills audit' of your volunteers - do they have particular skills such as IT, design, copy-writing, or accounting?

Take full details including their addresses, emails, phone numbers and next-of-kin details for all your volunteers.

Do your volunteers have access to resources such as premises, cars, photocopiers, computers or services-in-kind which can be utilised for the campaign?

Are your volunteers part of other networks such as community groups or trade unions which your campaign can plug into?

Ensure that volunteers are performing appropriate tasks - don't send the oldest pensioner off to leaflet the biggest housing estate. Ensure that no-one is sent out knocking on doors on their own or after dark.

Use peoples' skills as efficiently as possible - especially if they offer particular experience to the campaign.

Break down tasks as much as possible and give people responsibility and 'ownership' over their area of work.

Set targets and goals - perhaps put them on the campaign HQ wall.

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Lines of Management

Someone has to manage your volunteers - otherwise time will be wasted and volunteers will feel demotivated. Someone has to be in charge.

There has to be an official campaign representative who can provide day to day management of resources, issue expenses and sign for expenditure.

If volunteers are creating more problems than they are solving, or are behaving inappropriately with other people, or misrepresenting your campaign, they should be asked to leave the campaign.

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Motivation and Reward

Offer training in the activities of your campaign such as computer data-basing, or writing news releases, or preparing leaflets so that volunteers feel they are learning from their time with the campaign.

Have regular volunteer meetings so that everyone has a shared understanding of goals and what needs to be done to achieve them.

Ask people for ideas and views on the conduct of the campaign. Listen to what they say.

Make people feel part of something important - offer certificates for volunteers, or special tee-shirts, or a special team photograph or a roll of honour.

Have a 'Hero of the Week' award to thank someone who has done especially well.

Write to volunteers from your 'biggest name' to thank them.

Make sure refreshments are available, and if you have paid staff get them to make the tea for the volunteers.

Always say thank you at the end of each shift.

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