Managing and valuing your volunteers is essential to ensure their commitment and the success of your event. With well-thought-out organisation and support, you can turn this experience into something rewarding for everyone. Ready to boost your volunteer management? Follow the guide!
Summary
1. Effectively managing and valuing your volunteers: organising and structuring their tasks efficiently
Define clear roles and tasks
- Be precise: detail the specific tasks for each role (e.g., welcome, logistics, access control, etc.).
- Include responsibilities: clearly define what each volunteer should accomplish.
- Set realistic expectations: specify the hours, location, and expectations for each task.
- Mention the board of directors: volunteers who serve on the board of an association can declare their activities through the Citizen Engagement Account and are eligible for training rights funded by the state.
Use the right tools for volunteer management
For effective and simplified volunteer management, using tools like WeezCrew makes all the difference. Thanks to this platform, you can facilitate the management of your volunteers at each stage of the event:
- Real-time tracking: WeezCrew allows you to monitor the progress of filling tasks and adjust assignments if necessary, while providing an overview of the work distribution.
- Centralising information: all details about the volunteers, such as their tasks, hours, and contact details, are accessible in one place. No more confusion—everything is organised and transparent.
- Smooth communication: send emails and SMS for briefings and reminders directly via the platform, so your volunteers are always informed and ready.
- Ease of use: whether recruiting, assigning tasks, or communicating effectively, WeezCrew makes every step of volunteer management simple and quick.
“We create forms for registrations, then comes the setup of WeezCrew, which we do in several phases. Even before entering the tool, I’ve created a matrix to centralise the needs (…) and from this matrix, we set up WeezCrew with the teams and assign volunteers based on certain prioritisation rules.”
Berangère Battin, Volunteer Coordinator at V & B Fest
By integrating a tool like WeezCrew, you not only make event organisation easier, but you also provide your volunteers with a smoother, more professional experience, which boosts their satisfaction. Moreover, a dedicated interface centralises all the information and simplifies volunteer management.
Ensuring smooth and transparent communication
- Clarify instructions from the start: organise information sessions to share all expectations, schedules, best practices, and rules to follow.
- Regular updates: keep your volunteers informed of any changes through emails, platforms, or messaging groups. Also, mention the available communication services to facilitate interactions between volunteers.
- Open channels: create communication channels where your volunteers can ask questions and share concerns in real-time.
Welcoming and integrating volunteers
Welcoming and integrating volunteers is a crucial step in ensuring their retention within the association. Here are some tips to help you welcome and integrate your volunteers:
- Prepare a personalised welcome kit: offer each volunteer a kit with information about the association, its missions, and its values. This will help them quickly familiarise themselves with your organisation.
- Organise a welcome meeting: introduce the association and its team during a welcome meeting. Take the opportunity to answer volunteers’ questions and clarify their roles.
- Offer training or support: help volunteers understand their responsibilities by offering specific training or personalised support.
- Encourage sharing of experiences: invite volunteers to share their views and experiences to improve the association. This reinforces their sense of belonging and commitment.
- Create an online discussion space: set up a platform where volunteers can connect and exchange. This promotes communication and mutual support.
Resolving conflicts and improving relationships
Conflicts may arise within the association, but it’s important to resolve them quickly to maintain a good atmosphere and positive relationships between volunteers. Here are some tips for resolving conflicts and improving relationships:
- Encourage open and honest communication: foster an environment where volunteers feel comfortable expressing their concerns. This prevents misunderstandings and conflicts.
- Set clear operating rules: respectful and well-defined rules help prevent conflicts. Make sure all volunteers are aware of and understand them.
- Offer communication training: organise workshops to improve communication skills and conflict resolution. This helps volunteers manage difficult situations constructively.
- Create a mediation committee: set up a neutral group to resolve conflicts. This ensures that issues are addressed fairly.
- Encourage sharing of concerns: invite volunteers to voice their concerns and propose ways to improve relationships within the association. This strengthens team spirit and cohesion.
Flexibility and adaptability in activities
Flexibility and adaptability are major assets in retaining volunteers within your association. After all, each volunteer has unique availability and constraints that need to be taken into account. To meet these varied needs, opt for short tasks and team rotations. This allows volunteers to commit without feeling overwhelmed.
By integrating flexibility into your working methods, you demonstrate that you respect and value your volunteers’ time, which strengthens their motivation.
Lastly, be open to the different ways your volunteers work. Everyone has their own approach and pace of engagement. By being flexible and adapting your expectations, you create an inclusive and motivating environment for all your volunteers.
2. Supporting and training for better involvement
For your volunteers to be truly invested and motivated, support and training play a key role. You can also approach external organisations to train your volunteers and access resource centres offering advice and training on various topics related to volunteer management. Some of these free resources are only available to associations. Here’s how to provide the best experience for your volunteers:
Provide a detailed initial briefing
Upon their arrival, ensure your volunteers clearly understand their role and the event’s expectations.
It’s crucial to schedule a detailed briefing for new volunteers to help them integrate smoothly and meet their specific needs. This will provide them with all the information they need to feel prepared and confident.
Take the opportunity to introduce them to the team, explain the event’s objectives, and answer any questions. This makes a huge difference in starting the experience on a positive note.
Train them in tasks, skills, and event values
It’s not just about explaining the tasks to be completed but also immersing them in the spirit and values of the event. This allows them to connect with the goals and better understand the impact of their work.
- Offer training specific to tasks to be completed
- Share the values and spirit of the event to reinforce engagement
- Explain the impact of each task on the overall event
- Provide resources or materials to help understand roles
Providing ongoing support throughout the experience
Supporting your volunteers shouldn’t be limited to the event itself. To keep them motivated and engaged, it’s vital to support them throughout their experience, even after the event.
- Post-event follow-up: take the time to thank your volunteers after the event and gather their feedback. This shows them that their opinion matters and helps improve the experience for future editions.
- Maintain the connection throughout the year: don’t let contact fade after an event. Organise meet-ups, events, or regular updates to keep volunteers engaged and remind them they’re still part of the community.
- Offer opportunities for continuous engagement: provide your volunteers with chances to get involved throughout the year, whether for long-term projects or less frequent events. This helps them feel consistently connected to the cause.
- Ongoing training and development: offering professional training or personal development workshops is an excellent way to enhance their sense of belonging. This shows that you’re investing in their growth and acknowledging their efforts.
These benefits will show them they’re part of a long-term community.
Valuing volunteers’ skills
Valuing the skills of your volunteers is key to retaining and motivating them. Volunteers often seek to acquire new skills, so it’s important to understand each volunteer’s personal goals.
Offer regular training to develop their skills in various areas. These sessions can cover technical, organisational, or relational aspects and help volunteers feel more competent and confident in their roles.
Involving volunteers in decision-making is another way to value their skills. Giving them a voice in important decisions reinforces their sense of belonging and commitment to the association. Lastly, don’t forget to regularly recognise their efforts and achievements. A simple word can have a significant impact on their motivation.
3.Valuing and retaining volunteers at every stage
Volunteers are the beating heart of your events and deserve to be recognised and celebrated at every stage of their journey. Valuing their skills is crucial to strengthening their motivation. Valuing new volunteers goes far beyond just saying “thank you” at the end of the event.
Thanking volunteers during the event
Thanking your volunteers during the event is essential to keep their motivation high throughout the experience. Cooperation between associations is also crucial to improving volunteer engagement. It’s a simple yet powerful way to show them they are seen, appreciated, and that their work matters.
- Express personalised thanks: A simple “thank you” can make all the difference, but personalise it based on the tasks performed. Show them that you’ve noticed their involvement and specific effort.
- Publicly congratulate: During gatherings or breaks, highlight the volunteers in front of others. A quick word during a briefing or informal meeting will give them a sense of pride.
- Offer regular encouragement: Beyond just thanking them, encourage them in their tasks. A “good job” or “keep it up” shows that you appreciate their daily efforts.
- Create spontaneous moments of recognition: Don’t wait until the end of the event to congratulate your volunteers. When they complete a task well, praise them on the spot to foster a sense of immediate satisfaction.
- Take a moment to chat: When you cross paths with your volunteers, take a few minutes to thank them and ask how they’re feeling. This shows them that their well-being matters just as much as their work.
Offer tangible benefits and gestures of recognition
It’s essential to show your volunteers that their time and energy are valued in a concrete way. Tangible gestures of gratitude strengthen their sense of belonging and commitment to your cause.
A dedicated public service has been set up to facilitate access to sports certifications, providing additional benefits for volunteers.
- Offer exclusive experiences or opportunities: Organise special activities for volunteers, such as an after-event, a backstage tour, or a meeting with speakers. This will allow them to experience something unique and feel privileged.
- Provide certificates or diplomas: A certificate of participation or recognition can be a tangible way to thank them for their involvement. They can also add this experience to their CV.
- Offer long-term benefits: Offer them discounts for future events, exclusive access to certain information, or upcoming events. These benefits will show them that they are part of a long-term community.
- Organise events dedicated to volunteers: A thank-you party or a BBQ just for them. These moments of sharing and relaxation allow you to highlight their commitment, strengthen bonds within the community, and show tangible appreciation for their contribution.
Gather their feedback and involve them in future volunteering events
Taking your volunteers’ opinions into account is a great way to show that you value their experience and involvement. By gathering their feedback, you can improve your future events, and by involving them in upcoming projects, you strengthen their sense of belonging.
- Organise debriefs after the event: Take time to discuss with your teams what worked well and what could be improved. These exchange moments are valuable for adjusting future organisation.
- Use surveys or questionnaires: Use simple tools to gather structured feedback, allowing your volunteers to share their impressions of different aspects of the event. Online surveys are quick to complete and give you an overall view.
- Encourage suggestions: Give them space to propose improvement suggestions. You can create a dedicated communication channel, such as a discussion group.
- Involve volunteers in planning future events: Offer some volunteers the chance to participate in planning future events. Their hands-on experience will provide valuable insights and make them more invested.
- Acknowledge their involvement: When you implement their suggestions or ideas, make sure to let them know their feedback was considered. This will strengthen their commitment and motivation for future events.
To make this management even easier and more efficient, WeezCrew supports you at every step. With its powerful tools, you can manage your volunteers smoothly and intuitively, optimise your tasks, and maintain constant contact with your teams. With WeezCrew, you have everything you need to build a motivated and loyal volunteer team, ready to take on any challenge.
Evaluation and improvement
Evaluation and improvement are essential steps to ensure the quality and effectiveness of the association. Here are some tips for evaluating and improving the association:
- Set clear and measurable objectives: Define precise objectives for the association and evaluate progress regularly. This helps to stay on track.
- Offer continuous training: Provide workshops to enhance volunteers’ skills. This contributes to their personal and professional development.
- Create a feedback system: Set up a framework to gather comments and ideas from both volunteers and staff. This helps identify areas for improvement.
- Establish performance indicators: Use indicators to assess the effectiveness of the association. This allows you to measure results and adjust actions accordingly.
Encourage participatory decision-making: Involve volunteers and staff in the association’s decision-making process. This strengthens their engagement and sense of belonging.
You now have all the keys to effectively manage your volunteers. Thanks to Weezevent’s event management solutions, you’ll be able to easily achieve your objectives: staff and accreditation management, access control, and cashless payment systems will be your allies for smooth management and a successful experience for both your volunteers and participants.
