As nonprofit budgets are tightened, good help can be hard to hire. But you may be able to get it for free, or for very little, by setting up a robust volunteer program.
A wealth of talent is ready, willing, and able to help nonprofits if you know how to access and manage it. Baby Boomers are notorious for not wanting to sit back and relax in their retirement. But their eagerness to stay active often does not include stuffing envelopes and greeting people at the door. They want to do something that matters and be part of a team.
That makes them an asset that is both valuable and challenging.
Baby Boomers want to do something meaningful that uses their skills or helps them develop new ones, from walking a picket line in protest of injustice to writing, designing, advising, implementing, or strategizing big ideas and new programs. They do not balk at hard work, whether physical or mental. (Remember, Boomers are more physically fit than 65-year-olds used be.)
Among them are bankers who could help design social impact financial products, managers who could plan advocacy actions, social workers who could help develop programs, teachers who can help design literacy programs, or savvy money managers who can teach financial literacy to newly employed.
But they are also people who often don’t understand the constraints of nonprofits. They may not be used to such things as fixing the paper jam on the copier by themselves and they are not shy about stating their opinions. So how do you tap this talent pool without making yourself crazy?
If you want to use volunteers of any age, you must make a plan for “hiring,” using, and managing them. Think about:
How will you determine and use their talents?
Will you recruit from an organization, such as ReServe that specializes in matching professional volunteers with nonprofits? Determine the levels of skill you want to tap. An retired administrative assistant to help with filing or a retired office manager who can reorganize office procedures to make them more efficient?
What do you want them to do?
Yes, you can still ask them to stuff envelopes or greet people at the door but think about the bigger tasks that aren’t getting done due to budget constraints or lack of training. Your volunteers may help with administrative tasks or they may help with direct client services. Write a job description for your volunteers and review it with them.
How you will integrate them with your team?
Don’t surprise your staff with a new, unpaid team member. Brainstorm with your staff ahead of time to ensure that the volunteer is welcome, doing something that your staff wants done, and that the volunteer is not seen as an additional burden.
Who will oversee their work?
Some organizations have a volunteer who coordinates other volunteers. Some have volunteers report to department heads or the executive director. The chain of command should be clear to both the volunteer and the person responsible for seeing that they complete their tasks. Volunteers, like other employees, need feedback on what they are doing well and what needs improving.
How much time will they be expected to contribute?
Requiring a minimum amount of time ensures both a commitment to your organization and continuity of service. It is especially important when direct client service is involved.
How you will train them?
Even the most competent retired executive will need training in the way your organization works, from the basic on-boarding of where supplies are to the specifics of the job they’ve taken on. You may need to train them in the way the nonprofit world works, from fewer resources, different regulations, and client-focus rather than focus on the bottom line.
How will you support and reward them?
Unpaid they may be, but uncompensated is another story. Compensation comes from being part of the team, from having work acknowledged, from hearing “thank you!” and “We’re so glad you are here!” It also comes when you and your team listen to ideas and suggestions. Nothing is as rewarding as having your suggestions adopted.
This is time-consuming groundwork. But it could be well worth your effort. Many organizations are able to build capacity by tapping the wisdom and skills of retired professionals, whether in finance or design, client care or IT.
