Volunteer programs management: how to work with volunteers more efficiently

During 2-3 of June 2017, the CSOs managers had an opportunity to improve the skills and systemize the knowledge during the two-day training “Efficient management of volunteer programs” conducted by GURT Resource Сentre.

The participants comprehensively considered the volunteer program, its components and the way to put it into action.

“We’ve got a lot of practical knowledge and an opportunity discuss it. Such topics as risk evaluation mechanism, benefits and outcomes analysis outlined the expediency of volunteer programs implementation, though were difficult to comprehend. I plan to use these exact principles while working within the NGOs I am a part of”, – told the member of “Tovarystvo veteraniv ATO” NGO (The community of ATO veterans) Dmytro Lavrenchuk.

During the training, the participants not only learned the knowledge from the trainers, but also actively participated in discussions sharing their experience.

The participants could not only grasp some theory there, but also try it in practice at once. They made some benefits and outcomes analysis in small groups, also made the plans how to increase the efficiency of volunteer programs and considered how the organizations should involve the volunteers.

“I have been volunteering and coordinating the volunteer programs for three years. However, during the training I succeeded in systemizing the information I’ve already known. Particularly I enjoyed the exercise when we made volunteer program benefits and outcomes analysis, which makes clear whether the program is worth the efforts; or whether it only seems to be cool and useful, but is void of practical sense”, – that is how commented her participation in the event the coordinator of charitable organization “Charitable fund “BrainBucket foundation” Kateryna Andreeva.

One more urgent topic for NGOs representatives was how to involve, keep and motivate the volunteers.

“On the event, I enjoyed the offered method of looking for the volunteers. I determined which mechanism is the most suitable in the field I work in and how exactly I am going to apply it. Phrase of the day to me is: “Don’t give the work you don’t want to do yourself to the volunteers”. Thanks to this phrase I re-evaluated the to-do-lists I’ve compiled for the volunteers”, – stated charitable fund “Zaporuka” (Guarantee) coordinator of the volunteers Olexandra Pietushkova.

The participants had an opportunity to make sure that well-organized volunteer program is an efficient instrument of fulfilling the mission and reaching the goals of organization.

Translated by Pavlo Shyba