Benefits of Acknowledging Volunteers

An effective way to acknowledge volunteer involvement is to discuss with the volunteer the results of their efforts. Some people refer to this as a "performance review" or "volunteer evaluation". Whatever title you give it, this process will enable you to:

• help volunteers meet their current goals and develop new ones
• identify areas for continuing education
• give feedback for volunteer references
• express appreciation for volunteer contributions
• give volunteers a chance to tell you about their needs or preferences for their current and future roles in the agency
• give volunteers a chance to change and improve to prevent burnout or firing
• find out where the staff and agency can improve
• allow both the volunteer and the organization to suggest changes to the job description
• ensure program integrity
• ensure volunteer accountability
• develop your relationship with the volunteer.

Who and When

All volunteers and staff should be given the opportunity to have their work acknowledged. An immediate supervisor is the most appropriate person to host the review.

Some agencies have established policies for the timing of reviews. With the various types of volunteers in programs, there is no one time that fits all situations. For example, you might want to informally meet with new volunteers soon after they begin their work to ensure they understand their jobs and to address any concerns. "Episodic" volunteers should have the opportunity for discussion at the end of their assigned tasks. For others, you will want to acknowledge their involvement at least annually to find out if they are still satisfied with their assigned roles and to identify future goals.

When a problem or issue arises, you should hold a discussion with the volunteer. If you have been reviewing performance on an on-going basis, a meeting to discuss problems will not be threatening to either the volunteer or the supervisor. Often a "difficult" volunteer is in the wrong job or with the wrong organization. (Please see the "Supplemental Resources" section at the end of this module for more information on Supervising the Problem Volunteer.)