Training workshops are an integral piece of the volunteer experience. Not only do they provide the opportunity to learn about the topics at hand, but training is often a key opportunity for team building and to begin that vital connection. With the world on pause, more and more interaction is moving to a virtual setting. Does this mean volunteer training is a thing of the past? How are volunteer leaders expected to deliver training online to the dedicated volunteer workforce? Is this another hit to the budget that is expected to be absorbed somewhere?
This article will provide support at each step along the way of the journey into the virtual world. First I’ll identify how you and your organization might benefit from virtual training, then outline what might be included in that training, and finally, offer specific tips for success in virtual delivery. After finishing this read, you will feel capable and confident to take your training online.
Why might virtual training be beneficial for my organization and our volunteer team now?
For the same reasons in-person training is an imperative part of the volunteer’s experience! A virtual session will provide information to the volunteer about your organization, set the tone for the volunteer experience, and help to build competence and confidence for the volunteer to succeed in their role. Training is an opportunity for information to be shared about your organization; it is a chance to display your organization’s values in action. Delivering this online is simply a different method for the information and the training content is no different than that of traditional training methods.
While you and your volunteers may be used to more traditional face-to-face methods, online or virtual training events have different benefits that may actually increase your attendance. In-person events require more commute or travel time, while traveling from the kitchen to the dining room table can be done in less than a minute! Valuable minutes or even hours are opening up, creating availability in the schedules of even the busiest of volunteers. Similarly, because everyone has had to cancel commitments and other events, many folks are looking at empty calendars. Virtual training events have seen a surge in popularity because people now have the time! Capitalizing on this may lead to even more volunteers being available and interested in participating.
What can be included in virtual training?
When considering what to include in your training event, ask yourself what will be most valuable for the organization in the future. Your content doesn’t have to be created from scratch. You may already have training content from past events or a volunteer orientation package already prepared. Look at your existing tools and see how those might be modified for effective virtual delivery. If you are looking to recreate a large-scale retreat-like event where many people come together to learn, reconnect and celebrate, team building activities should be built in along with sharing of information. If volunteer training includes an orientation package with specific attention paid to the procedures and policies unique to your organization, then interactive reviewing of those policies might be the focus of your sessions. Investing time into truly understanding the desired outcomes of your training will help to decide the style of virtual event that might be best.
Once the desired outcomes for the training have been clearly identified, consider the best timing for delivery. What does your own schedule look like? When are you at your best? Perhaps setting aside two days to deliver content mimicking an in-person event is ideal. Or, maybe “Training Tuesdays” can be added to the schedule for one or two months and include one topic to cover each week. Consideration for the scheduling of both the facilitator and the participant will dictate the most ideal approach.
How do I handle tech support?
Take some time to consider where your participants are coming from with respect to their understanding and comfort with virtual platforms. Have you already been using a certain platform? Do they have experience through work or other organizations? Maybe the first session of your training is simply navigating the platform that will be used for all of the future training. This introductory session could also include some team building exercises and demonstrate the fun that is to come. What is in store for them? Teasing the rest of the training schedule during a high energy how-to session will build excitement and anticipation for the remaining training.
No matter how much previous experience is coming to your session, there are bound to be some technical difficulties. Keep the delivery basic and be mindful of wifi strength and available bandwidth. Even the most tech savvy can be thrown off by high traffic on the neighborhood’s capabilities! Second, having a co-pilot who is there to navigate the tech support will leave you, the pilot, to focus simply on the content training.No matter how many times you offer a virtual session, tech issues will happen. Preparing for this by having someone dedicated solely to manage the platform logistics can be a huge help. This second person may field set-up questions and support the initial connecting for the participants at the beginning of the training.
Navigating the world of virtual delivery can be overwhelming however you do know your organization and your volunteers. Invest some time into remembering why training is important, look at the tools you have already created and simply make some adjustments and set yourself up for success with virtual delivery by being prepared to support technical obstacles. Your volunteers will feel supported and your organization will reap the rewards that come from quality volunteers.
Megan Foster is passionate about helping leaders inspire and energize their team members. As the founder of Mosaic Engagement, she is on a mission to motivate organizations to harness the expertise and creative power within their own team. Learn more at www.mosaicengagement.ca.
