Last updated on November 18th, 2022 at 12:34 pm
“What are they going to do, fire me or dock my pay?” Some volunteers love to say this with a smile, others ask it as a serious question. It sheds light on the fact that working with volunteers is different from working with employees. Keith Ranney, a professional volunteer manager from Maui Hawaii, believes in treating volunteers well, even like family. Keith helps recruit and organize both local and visiting volunteers to staff various events on the island, including swim meets. He believes in “Ho’ o ponopono” which, in English, means: “Making things right within the family.” It’s a South Sea Islander concept he takes to mean, “Treat your volunteers well. Make things right within that ‘family.’ ” I like the idea. Here are some others he shared.
Contents for Advice From Hawaii: Treat Swim Meet Volunteers Like Family
Over Staff
Plan to fill about 10% over what you actually need. This is because not everyone who signs up in advance will show up at the event. The Swim Meet Worker Job List and Descriptions and post, Swim Meet Workers: How Many are Needed? can help identify needs.
Good Pre-Event Communication
Keith likes to use Slack.com. Other ways to communicate with volunteers before the event include an online volunteer sign-up, meet website, or the meet announcement.
Give Maps
Give maps and other needed information to volunteers in advance. Include: Where to park, what time to show up and where to sign-up, and where they can receive training.
Sign-up Lists at the Swim Meet
At a multiple-day swim meet, post the sign-up lists for ALL days on the Volunteer Table, not just the current day. This lets the volunteers see other times they have signed up to work and/or invites them to sign up for more. For information on using a Volunteer Table see Volunteer Management at Swim Meets
Reach Out to Volunteers “Where They Are”
Keith noted that volunteers fall on different points of the Skills and Motivation Grid (see right) and it’s wise to find ways to work with them wherever they are, and then help them to have a good volunteer experience. I agree and have written about a similar concept in the post, Help Needed! Get More Willing and Able Volunteers.
Plan Training
To help less-skilled volunteers become more skilled, plan:
- What types of training will you give?
- Who will give it?
- Where?
- When?
Three Key Tools For a Volunteer Manager
- Volunteer Registration and Scheduling Database
- Keith has used and likes volunteer2.com. (Now betterimpact.com) For more ideas, see Create an Online Volunteer Sign-up
- Google Sheets
- Ho’ o ponopono “Making things right within the family.” It’s the philosophy, “How you treat your volunteers matters. Treat them well.”
We Can Each Do Our Part to “Make Things Right Within The Family”
I have been the beneficiary of Keith’s “Ho’ o ponopono” philosophy. He, and other leaders, created a great swim meet atmosphere in which I, and others, got to work. Why not add a bit of “Ho’ o ponopono” to the next meet you run? I will too!