New ASAE Research Foundation report reveals a disconnect between what association volunteers do and the value they deliver. Leaders can, however, close the gap with clearer goals and a plan for measuring progress.
In an Associations Now article regarding the research, Mark Athitakis notes that the association volunteer model, which is often indirectly run by the association CEO, can be creaky and dysfunctional. In the article, research team member Peggy Hoffman, FASAE, CAE, president at Mariner Management, agrees that this crack in the system is preventing substantial changes: “We didn’t hear anybody that was really embracing micro-, ad hoc, episodic volunteering in any really substantive way. They’re still grappling with committees, committee assignments, and selections.” Likewise, research team member and Mariner Management CEO/COO Peter Houstle noted that associations need to take the time to “stop, step back, and ask, ‘Why are we using volunteers in the first place?'” Figuring out the why is the first step towards real change. Read the full article.
The research looks beyond the systems currently in place to help associations begin a journey of defining the volunteer systems for tomorrow—for the workforce of today. Use these findings, recommendations, and information found in the detailed findings section of the full report as a resource to move forward on that journey. Purchase the full report from ASAE Foundation. Or for a shorter read, download the Executive Summary here.