Volunteers should never be considered “free help”. They should be viewed as extensions of professional and paid staff engaged in the fulfillment of the organization’s mission. As high employee retention helps your organization function smoothly, volunteer retention can help achieve your goals by cultivating a group of individuals who are highly knowledgeable about your organization. Your organization should also make strategic decisions on how volunteers can most effectively and efficiently assist with your mission.
Written job descriptions should be prepared for every volunteer position, no matter how big or small. The advantage of a written job description is that the duties, expectations and responsibilities of both the volunteer and the non-profit are outlined clearly and the volunteer knows exactly what is expected of them.
Volunteer job descriptions may vary in format and length but should include certain basic information.
- The specific volunteer job title should be identified, along with the estimated time required and location (such as where the volunteering will occur).
- The general purpose of the volunteer position should be stated broadly, followed by specific responsibilities described in greater detail.
- The qualifications needed by the volunteer should be identified clearly, along with any support to be provided (materials, training, etc.) as part of the volunteer position.
- Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the supervisor to whom the volunteer is responsible should be identified.
