Volunteer placement

Appropriate placement of individuals interested in volunteering benefits the agency and the volunteer. Volunteers placed in positions they are not interested in or not suited for may not enjoy their volunteer experience. If they have not been trained adequately for the job, they may feel incompetent, and may also dislike volunteering. Volunteer placement depends on a few variables, including:

  • Positions available
  • Agency needs
  • Skills and interests
  • Availability

When a volunteer is placed suitably, it is a win-win situation for all. While this may seem like a relatively easy task, some potential volunteers may not be sure exactly what they want to do when they enter an agency. Likewise, an agency may not be exactly sure what volunteer jobs there can be! (Thus, the importance of job descriptions). Aside from the importance of identifying a volunteer’s personal interests and skills, some questions that may be helpful in assessing a placement include:

  • What are you looking for in a volunteer position?
  • Who do you like working with?
  • What do you dislike doing? (“Don’t ever ask me to ______________”)

These questions may be asked during the initial interview, or included in the volunteer application form.

Orientations and Training

Orientations/training sessions are an integral part of the volunteer experience, whether someone wants to volunteer on a 24-hour crisis line, or on a committee. While the extensiveness of training will depend upon the volunteer positions in question, it is essential that there is at least some sort of orientation to the agency (and its policies, programs, mission statement and vision), volunteer rights and expectations, and job descriptions. Some agencies utilize manuals for volunteers to peruse before or after the initial orientation/training session. Manuals should give a brief history of the agency, its programs and services, funding sources, volunteer opportunities and expectations, pertinent policies, and day-to-day information. Because agencies differ greatly in their volunteer programs, it is impossible to offer a “standard” orientation model.

Excerpt from “Volunteer Synchronicity”. To order this 400+ page manual please call (250) 762 2355 or e-mail the Kelowna Women’s Resource Centre at kelwomenscentre@telus.net.