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By Rebecca (Beci) Potter
Take a quick survey of why volunteers join an organization. Their initial
reason may be because they were asked by a friend to join them in helping out.
Maybe they are new to the area and had volunteered in the past for the
organization in another location. Maybe they were impressed by the work
accomplished. Maybe the thought of staying active in the community through
personal involvement was appealing. Maybe they needed to improve their job
skills before going back to work. Most of the time when someone volunteers, it
is a combination of the above reasons.
But why does someone continue to volunteer month after month and year after
year? This is often a different reason from the one they gave when they first
came to volunteer. Most volunteers stay because they make friends with those
they volunteer with. They often stay for social reasons. They stay because it
feels good to give back to the community they live in. They stay because they
are needed, and they claim their job as theirs! Volunteers stay because they
like what they do; it gives them significance due to their job responsibilities.
If your organization has volunteer turn over that is not easily explained (such
as a summer program that uses teens and then releases them), look carefully at
the reasons volunteers give when they leave to determine if there are
personality conflicts or inappropriate power struggles. No one wants to work
where there are unhappy people. If your customers complain about a rude
volunteer cashier, perhaps this cashier needs further training, shorter hours on
his or her feet, or a job change.
Often a volunteer that is senior in age
has become frail due to medical problems and is no longer able to physically or
mentally tackle their job. Because they are needed, they continue to work longer
than they should. Recently I had a volunteer leave after two weeks. She told me
she could not do the job she was given. I later found out she enjoyed her job,
but she thought she had to work a full day which was too physically demanding
for her. This volunteer has returned to the shop—working a half day each
week—and doing fine.
Become that manager who is a confidant and is sensitive to
each person.
Rebecca (Beci) Potter is a long time NARTS member and Past Board Member.
 
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