In case you haven’t noticed, we’ve been planting “shameless plugs” for our upcoming 2-part staff/volunteer liaison training series in several of our posts lately. This time, we’re going all out and promoting it in its full glory (no shameless plug here!).
So here we go!
Coming in January 2025…
Mastering Your Volunteer Liaison Role
GET SAGE ADVICE, CREATIVE IDEAS, AND WORKABLE SOLUTIONS.
Join us for an advanced two-part course created for staff managing volunteer programs and staff liaisons to specific volunteer groups. This is a one-of-a-kind collaborative environment designed to help association staff develop better relationships with their volunteers so they can be more effective in contributing to the association’s work.
Whether you oversee a cadre of volunteers or work closely with specific volunteer groups, this will take your work to the next level.
Okay, now that’s out of the way, here are some answers to questions you may have…
What exactly is this program about? The program is designed specifically to help association staff gain the skills and confidence in working with volunteers. There are two parts: a quick volunteer management basics virtual session via Zoom on January 28, followed by a full-day hands-on workshop on January 30 in Arlington VA where you’ll work through scenarios and cases to enhance skill development. You’ll start your learning journey with a Readiness Assessment to evaluate your current skills and knowledge and tailor your learning journey.
Why was this program developed? As we’ve written in past posts (here and here), associations spend time and money on training volunteers to do volunteer tasks and staff to do staff tasks, yet we seldom connect the two. They do after all work in tandem to deliver the best value for members and the association, so it’s reasonable – and a smart investment – to foster this relationship. We know that staff training in volunteer management is limited, an issue that often leads to a disconnect between these two vital groups. This program aims to change that.
How did this all start? In a conversation of course. In this case, seasoned association professionals Kristine Metter, MS, CAE, and Mariner’s own Peggy Hoffman, FASAE, CAE, agreed that the need to help association staff better understand their role in working with volunteers was underestimated and seldom addressed. In fact, the lack of staff training in volunteer management was also one of the main outcomes of the ASAE research on effective volunteer strategy.
This prompted Kristine and Peggy to collaborate on a whitepaper reiterating that staff commitment to a volunteer program is stronger when they understand the value volunteers bring to the organization. So, investing in staff training can go a long way towards the success of any volunteer program.
And voila! Mastering Your Volunteer Liaison Role was born.
So, if you are struggling with your relationship with your volunteers, or you have a staff member that just can’t connect, this program is for you.
⇒Learn more here or send us an email with your questions.