Spotlight on Volunteer Management Best Practices
“I treat every volunteer as a consultant — that is the approach I’ve taken. They’re not just normal volunteers — they’re volunteers with a great deal of expertise and professionalism, so you always want to keep that in mind.”
Meet Liz Kohlway, Communications and Engagement Manager at Global Health Council — a Washington, D.C.-based membership organization that supports and connects advocates, implementers and stakeholders around global health priorities worldwide. As a Catchafire member for nearly two years, Liz has successfully managed 7 skills-based volunteer projects on the platform, including:
Her volunteers give her rave reviews across the board. Described as communicative, organized, kind, and clearly able to relay feedback when necessary, we spoke with Liz to understand: What are some best practices when managing a skills-based volunteer project?
1. Help your volunteer understand how this project fits into your organization’s mission as a whole.
Volunteers are often motivated to help an organization because of a specific cause area — so it’s great to give your volunteer a sense of how their work will be impacting your organization as a whole, and your ability to serve on your mission. Liz said, “I always start off a call, whether it’s an interview or the first call with the volunteer we chose, giving a bit of background about our organization — who we are, and why we do what we do. A lot of volunteers, I’ve noticed, have been very motivated by our particular mission. If they’re interested in what we do, it’s good to give a little bit of background.”
2. Establish a clear timeline, and be flexible where you can.
It’s important to give your volunteer a clear sense of when you need the work completed, as well as how you will stay in touch throughout the engagement. Liz said, “I always like to see how individuals like to touch base. Some people like to do phone check-ins; others are better via email. A lot of volunteers hold full time jobs, so being flexible as to when you meet is helpful. Understanding how each other can be flexible is important as well if you want a project to work.”
3. Be prepared with relevant information to share with your volunteer.
Liz said, “I try to make a habit of sending all the content that I have for a project right away. It’s good for volunteer managers to present everything that they have up front, and that way, the call can be about the materials they’ve already sent.” This enables the volunteer to get started on the project right away.
4. Treat every volunteer as a consultant.
Skilled volunteers are professionals in their field, so it’s important to treat them as such. This includes providing feedback when it’s necessary to ensure the final deliverable is up to par. Liz said, “I treat every volunteer as a consultant, and the way I would manage a paid consultant for my organization. That’s the approach I’ve taken. They’re not just normal volunteers — they’re volunteers with a great deal of expertise and professionalism, so you always want to keep that in mind.”
