CHAPTER 8

The Latest Approach to Volunteer Recruitment

Competency-Competence Pathways and Volunteer Resource Management Systems

Stephen Hobbs, EdD WELLth Learning Network

It is worth writing again and again: Volunteers are the lifeblood of a volunteer-basedorganization. While the organization mission, vision, and values are the backbone, the staff the skeletal system, the clients the organs of the body and the community the skin, it is the lifeblood-sharing efforts of the volunteers that keep the body nourished and vibrant.

With a slight variation on the theme of the Canadian Blood Services’ recruitment campaign “Blood: It’s in You to Give,” it is possible for volunteer-based organizations to present this recruitment campaign: “Volunteerism: It’s in You to Share.” The same intention is present. The same outcome is required. This campaign is to recruit volun- teers just as the other campaign is to recruit blood donors.

Without carrying the people and lifeblood metaphor to extremes, the case is made that “volunteers are important.” Therefore, the recruitment of competent vol- unteers becomes the focal point of volunteer resource managers. Note the adjective before “volunteers” in the last sentence; the aim is to recruit competent volunteers.

Recruiting or deciding on competent volunteers has become a science and an art. It is a science when the logical progression of steps and associated checks and balances are used to decide and confirm if the potential and competent volunteer is to move forward. Equally important are the creative, subjective insights volunteer resource managers use to guide their final decisions about confirming and forward- ing competent volunteers into the organization.

The suitable selection and use of an electronic volunteer resource management software and/or online platform is important to assist volunteer resource managers with their decisions. The selection and use of a volunteer resources management

205 The Volunteer Management Handbook : Leadership Strategies for Success, edited by Tracy D. Connors, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ashford-ebooks/detail.action?docID=697552. Created from ashford-ebooks on 2022-04-21 10:08:19.

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system (VRMS) increases the availability of data through information (Hobbs & Dyble, 2002) from which informed decisions can be made. However, these deci- sions still require personal interpretation to move volunteers forward.

An Internet search of vendors selling electronic VRMSs highlights the variety. These vendors claim their systems organize the work from A to Z. However, a buyer-beware recommendation is encouraged when choosing which system will work best for the nonprofit organization (NPO). During the VRMS review, ask this important question from the purchase requirement list: “Is the critical function of recruiting volunteers (screen, interview, and assign) forefront in the day-to-day use of the system? And if yes, is this function simple to use?” Volunteer resource manag- ers cannot be slowed down by cumbersome VRMSs. The recruitment strategy must flow easily and effortlessly with the aid of the VRMS. Also, access to and use by new volunteers, existing volunteers, and managers must be fluid.

This chapter links the wise use of a software or Internet-enabled VRMS with competence validation (explained later) to recruit competent volunteers. The com- plementarity of the VRMS and validation offers volunteer resource managers a prac- tical way to decide on the best volunteers to move forward into the organization. In other words, the system helps the volunteer managers recruit volunteers who com- petently fit the job requirements. This assistance is paramount to ongoing volunteer resource viability within the NPO, the realistic efforts of the volunteer resource managers and the coveted time given by the volunteers. Later in this chapter the volunteer competence management system (VCMS) replaces the VRMS mentioned here to emphasize the importance of competence validation.

Challenges with Volunteer Recruitment Today

Marketing to volunteers, just like recruitment (deciding on competent volunteers through screening, interviewing, and assigning), is fast becoming both an art and a science. From within the marketing noise, messages containing an ask must be la- ser-focused as the NPO delivers its message and receives a favorable reply. To gain the attention of people new to volunteering with the organization or to gain the attention of previous volunteers, volunteer resource managers and their com- munication colleagues must become skilled in techniques like social media and campaigning. Within the campaign, the recruitment process must be compelling to draw people’s attention from the volunteerism clamor and the living-life clatter every day.

What follows are ten challenges facing volunteer recruitment. This list is cursory and meant to highlight what is happening today.

Time Push and Pull

Time is a premium for everyone, perhaps more for those who hold a job than those who have time freedom to share their effort with NPOs. People are pushed and pulled for their time by family, friends, beliefs, desires, and work. This mix of variables is difficult to reconcile unless NPOs campaign in ways to bridge and entwine the per- sonal and work variables.

206 The Latest Approach to Volunteer Recruitment

The Volunteer Management Handbook : Leadership Strategies for Success, edited by Tracy D. Connors, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ashford-ebooks/detail.action?docID=697552. Created from ashford-ebooks on 2022-04-21 10:08:19.

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Savvy: Needs and Wants

Volunteers are becoming savvier in their giving decisions. They are seeking compel- ling reasons to become involved with an NPO. Whether in giving time, effort, and/or money, they are becoming choosier. Of utmost importance is the ease of access to becoming involved. When they want to sign up, the recruitment and placement sys- tem must flow easily and unfold intuitively for them to continue moving forward.

Process Efficiencies

New and existing volunteers recognize that organizations must exercise care in their recruiting. Volunteers are looking for efficiency in the recruitment process. They want to identify what they need to learn and how to move forward. Unexplained delays and process hiccups or lack of communication as to why they have not been chosen must be corrected quickly.

Learning and Development

Every day people are engaged in learning and development. Volunteers recognize that they gain a lot when volunteering. However, learning in and of itself is no longer a substantial reason to volunteer. The learning must have purpose; it must escalate to something more than when they started. Status quo volunteerism is losing its appeal, especially among the new generations of volunteers.

Rewards and Recognition

Woven into volunteer learning and development is the need for rewards and re- cognition. A reward is managed through extrinsic motivation. Volunteer Resource Managers (VRMs) manage volunteers to follow a clear ladder of tasks and how to move within the organization systems. Recognition is led through intrinsic inspiration. VRMs help volunteers link their involvement with achieving personal milestones and gaining confidence.

Communication: Dialogue

Volunteers seek clear, consistent, and connective communication. Transparency is important. They value the organization knowing what is expected of them and com- municating those expectations early in their connection. With the advent of effective Web sites (Allen, Goh, Rogelberg, & Currie, 2010) and social media platforms, com- munication channels have opened up to support office, office-field, field-based, and virtual volunteers. How people wish to receive communication is shifting as well. Therefore, a communication strategy pertinent to the type of volunteers targeted must be considered and available.

Competition: Organized Approach

The more organized the recruitment approach, the more likely the organization can tap into the group of unassigned volunteers who are interested in social connections

Challenges with Volunteer Recruitment Today 207

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or learning. Those who already align with an organization mission will participate in new approaches to organizing them so long as the process is not onerous for them to navigate.

Seasonal Considerations: Length of Involvement

Volunteers may be involved in short-term and/or long-term commitments. As they come and go, they must experience a system that supports their cyclical exit and entrance. Special event volunteers are present to fulfill the needs and assignments of the event. They are personally grateful to do so until the next special event or the return of the event next year. Therefore, the system must be robust to retain records of volunteers who only volunteer at cyclical special events.

Career and Job Advancement

People involve themselves in volunteer organizations as a way to gain experience, knowledge, and skill for resumes and job application. The experience of volun- teering provides them with insights into organization life transferable to other jobs. New immigrants volunteer to stay involved and gain insight into community; many use their volunteer experience as a next step along a career path. Volunteering for some can be a forced choice when assigned through judicial requirements. While the volunteer assignment is seen as giving back in return for what people have taken away, the underlying effect is to expose people to meaningful work. There- fore, the transferable knowledge and skills learned can be used in seeking other forms of employment.

Type of Volunteers

There are four broad types of volunteers who operate face-to-face, virtually, and/or in a blended format:

1. Day-to-day volunteers. They are available each day or week. 2. Special event (episodic) volunteers. They are available for particular and some-

times singular events as they arise or as they cycle through the calendar. 3. Managerial volunteers. They coordinate other volunteers on a day-to-day or spe-

cial event basis. 4. Governance volunteers. They are involved with board/organization discussions

and decisions.

Of these four types mentioned, recruiting competent managerial and governance volunteers is best served by using a VRMS. It is suggested that some special event volunteers holding senior positions be recruited using the VRMS and competence. However, for day-to-day and other special event volunteers, the VRMS may or may not be helpful. For larger organizations continually recruiting volunteers, the use of the VRMS will be helpful. More insights supporting purchase decisions follow through the rest of the chapter.

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Volunteer Resources Management System

Hobbs (1999) presented a three-phase volunteer resources management model in parallel to a human resources management model used in public and private organi- zations. Since then, researchers and practitioners have presented many illustrations, explanations, descriptions, and prescriptions of the VRMS. Merrill (2003, p. 81) pro- vided a compelling introduction to the many actions within the VRMS, recognizing that “volunteer managers deal with diverse managerial responsibilities.” Merrill asked readers to use a pad of sticky notes and pen to list all of the activities inherent in a VRMS. Once the notes are posted on the table or wall, she recommends applying a grouping technique, such as like affinity charting (a data-sorting tool) to arrange the various notes into a recognizable pattern. The meaningful pattern provides the head- ings and actions within the VRMS.

VRMS software programs became available during the 1990s. Volunteer resource managers were trying them out. Programmers were correcting their code with feedback from the field. The buzz had started; the electronic age of VRMS had begun in earnest. Instead of using spreadsheets and labor-intensive paperwork, volunteer resource manag- ers had access to new electronic systems to help their volunteer administration.

Jump ahead a decade, and even more technology platforms and software are available. These systems are touting the latest and greatest features and benefits, fash- ion, and functions explaining and describing performance and productivity aspects of their products and services. All are great, with choice discernment. Unfortunately, with new technology comes the marketing noise. It is crucial for volunteer resource managers to sift through the noise to find the most appropriate VRMS for their organization.

This chapter does not present or recommend any software or platform. Its inten- tion is to guide volunteer resource managers in learning how a VRMS supports com- petence validation of volunteers during the recruitment stage of their involvement with an NPO. Nonetheless, the content presented hereafter can be used to guide volunteer resource managers in purchasing an appropriate system.

Volunteer Resources Performance Management System

With the addition of the concepts and practices of performance and productivity just mentioned, new domains of knowledge and practices for the professionalism of vol- unteer management (Connors, 2010) have arrived. Here are refined definitions of the terms performance and productivity suggested by the author.

Performance refers to the individual—whether staff or volunteer—to improve performance through educating (training) and non-educating (training) interventions.

Productivity on the other hand is about the people—the organization as a collec- tive—to find the return on service, learning, investment and other key output indicators.

Whereas adult learning principles and education guided volunteer resource managers’ preparation of volunteers for assignments in the past, more research tools

Volunteer Resources Management System 209

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and techniques are available through performance improvement and human per- formance technologies. In addition, return on investment metrics and associated research adds more to measuring key productivity indicators. Therefore, the soft- ware and Internet-enabled platforms now herald an updated version of the volun- teer resources management system to include performance improvement tools and techniques.

When performance is included, it is possible to verify or validate the competence of volunteers before and during their involvement in the organization. Based on the capa- bilities the volunteer possesses, volunteer resource managers and managers to whom volunteers are assigned can confirm, verify, or validate volunteer competence.

Based on competence validation, volunteer resource managers, other managers, and volunteers can decide what education is needed to fill the gaps and what path suits the successful movement of volunteers into the organization and/or their contin- ued involvement in existing or new jobs.

The competence decision structure focuses on verification or validation of competence:

& Is the person competent? If yes, move on. If no, what education is needed? & After education, is the person competent? If yes, move on. If no, what education is

needed?

Because recruitment (screening, interviewing, and assigning) is a function in the updated VRMS, it is possible to use performance-improvement concepts and tech- niques like competence validation to recruit competent volunteers. A more detailed presentation of competency, competence, and competence validation follows. Note that this chapter does not dive deeply into the various subelements of screening, inter- viewing, and assigning, topics discussed in other chapters in this book. A search of the Internet will also reveal many useful resources.

Competency and Competence

Competency as a concept and practice has been discussed in all types of organiza- tions for over 30 years (Velde, 2009). It has received attention in pop culture and aca- demic documents as well as higher education and workplace discussions of prior learning assessment review and current learning achievement review.

Competency and competence are often aligned with human resource manage- ment. By extension, the concepts and practices are now connected with volunteer resource management. With continuing advances in technology and application im- provements, the concepts and practices have advanced why and how the compe- tency-based approach for managing people deserves attention.

World of Competency

Competencies are a way to better inform people of the work within the organization, no matter where in the world the organization and people reside and no matter their type or size of the organization (Velde, 2009). Green (1999, p. 5) defines a

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competency as “a written description of measurable work habits and personal [knowl- edge and] skills used to achieve a work objective.” They are action-based statements guided by Bloom’s (1954) original “action verb taxonomy” and its revision by Ander- son et al. (2000).

They become clear and consistent statements of what the organization requires and requests of the volunteer. Then the organization can state what it will supply in support of the competencies. In response, volunteers can align their requirements and requests of the organization to determine the degree of fit. In doing so they can identify what they will bring to their volunteer experience.

Competence and Competence Validation

Competencies beget competence when people self-assess and are validated against the outcome inherent to the competency statement action verbs. Competence is a state of confirmed knowledge and skill recognized by subject matter experts who themselves are validated competent in how to validate and are validated in the subject matter expertise they will validate or verify. In other words, people who validate have also been validated by subject matter experts. For example, if a person validates vol- unteers in house-to-house canvassing, then that person him- or herself has been vali- dated in house-to-house canvassing.

People who validate usually have two to four years experience in what they are validating. This experience, along with their own validation, guides the organization in its acceptance of the validation outcomes. Such a requirement is particularly impor- tant when competencies are deemed critical to the job.

If validators are without suitable experience yet educated in the validation pro- cess, they can involve other volunteers and managers. Working through a triangulated review, at least two experienced people join the validator during the validation. The eyes and ears of the attending volunteers will help the validator verify the competence of the volunteer.

Additional rigor accompanies the validation process. The person who validates cannot be the person who educates. Therefore, the person who educated the home- to-home canvasser cannot be the person who validates the person as being compe- tent. This three-way combination of volunteer, educator, and validator triangulates the results, thus adding legitimacy and trustworthiness to the whole process and its results.

Volunteer Resources Competence Validation Performance Management System

The next generation of electronic VRMSs has evolved. They now include the concepts and practices of performance improvement and competency and competence. These additions have been initiated by issues of compliance. Government and industry regu- lations require a proven record of competence, especially when cases of illness, in- jury, and death occur. The medical field is using competency-competence and evidence-based assessment on a larger scale, as evident in myriad books now available.

In addition, the professionalism of volunteer resource managers and fundraising managers means more stringent ethical protocols are necessary to meet regulations

Competency and Competence 211

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and community expectations. Legal requirements around performance management require more formal documentation for the professional VRMs themselves, other staff, and the volunteers who support organizational initiatives.

Before moving on, and to lessen acronym ridiculousness, the updated VRMS will be referred to simply as VCMS (volunteer competence management system). Compe- tence validation and performance management or performance assessment are vital elements within this new system. The term and system inherent to VCMS will replace the VRMS concept introduced earlier and will be used throughout the rest of this chapter.

The VCMS is an investment, not overhead. Competent volunteers are key to orga- nization effectiveness. Through the use of this system, VRMs and managers can take corrective or preventive action to increase the personal capacity of each volunteer and collectively the organization’s capacity. The money invested in the VCMS will pay for itself quickly.

Recruiting Volunteers Using Competencies

People have capabilities and talents already. They bring them to the volunteer experi- ence. Therefore, it is advantageous for volunteer resource managers to confirm the knowledge, skill, and attitudes that potential and existing volunteers possess before assigning them to jobs. The more volunteer resource managers know about their vol- unteers’ knowledge, skill, and attitude competence, the more these managers can use additional volunteer management techniques of talent planning, succession mapping, and education analysis to keep the volunteers up-to-date, motivated and inspired, and stimulated to stay in a vibrant atmosphere of respect and growth.

A differentiator among NPOs is the quick and efficient pathway they use to recruit volunteers. As mentioned, challenges abound in awakening people to volun- teer opportunities and the subsequent recruitment portal and process to enter the organization.

Competency-Based Recruitment Model

Exhibit 8.1 highlights the three major elements involved in recruiting volunteers using a self-assessment of competencies and competence validation approach and provides an overview presentation of the elements working together. These ele- ments are screening, interviewing, and assigning. These three elements are helpful to volunteer resource managers as they decide which people to involve as volunteers.

The first element of recruitment is screening. This element includes:

& Writing a competency-based profile & Providing access to the self-assessment portal & Running the screening report to decide who is invited or not for an interview

Exhibit 8.2 highlights the sections of the whole model considered to be screening.

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ASSIGNING

Job Posting

or

Job Profile

Self-Assessment

against

Application Criteria

Application Review

and Selection

for Interview

Candidates

Selected

for Interview

Candidates

Rejected

for Interview

Competency-Based

Interview

Successful

Candidate

Offered Position

Unsuccessful

Candidates

Notified

Supplemental

Education

Job Assignment

SCREENING INTERVIEWING

EXHIBIT 8.1 Deciding on Competent Volunteers: Screening, Interviewing, and Assigning

Job Posting

or

Job Profile

Self-Assessment

against

Application Criteria

Application Review

and Selection

for Interview

SCREENING </p

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