5. Volunteer Empowerment
Capacity to empower and support volunteers
Employing volunteers in your youth prevention program presents special concerns that must be considered. Just as communication is the key for working with staff, clear communication is especially important when working with volunteers. Because volunteers are giving their time, they must constantly feel a sense of pride in what they are doing, or they may no longer volunteer. Make sure a volunteer knows what his or her responsibilities and roles are by providing a clear outline of the objectives of your prevention program. You should also provide clear guidelines for your intervention’s methodology to guarantee that the key elements that cannot be changed will not be changed. Constantly distribute copies of key program elements in order that volunteers and staff do not lose sight of what is important in your prevention program. Additionally, allow especially committed volunteers to participate in training programs that enhance skills which promote community mobilization and public health advocacy.Above all, promote consistent communication by constantly showing an interest in what a volunteer is doing.
Keep a volunteer happy by allowing him or her to freely share his or her ideas. Build on the momentum of successful implementation of good ideas by giving credit to the creator of the idea. Never underestimate a volunteer’s capabilities; the more responsibilities you give to him or her, the more s/he will harbor a sense of pride in your prevention program. The more pride s/he feels, the betterwork ethic you will encounter and the more reliable s/he will be. Remember, though, your staff should always actively supervise whatever your volunteers are doing. Like with any staff, you should continually provide positive feedback and encourage a strong sense of teamwork. This is exceptionally important when dealing with volunteers in order to keep them content.
Skill Areas:
A Ability to promote a network of information exchanges among program staff, public health professionals and volunteers working on programs with similar goals
B Ability to help volunteers develop and maintain a sense of passion about their work by recognizing accomplishments, building on momentum, and supporting effective volunteer teamwork
C Ability to strategicallydevelop volunteers skills related to Community mobilization
D Ability to strategically develop volunteer experience related to public health advocacy
E Ability to strategically develop volunteer skills related to working effectively with other community members
F Ability to communicate clearly to volunteers program guidelines and to identify for volunteers those parts of programs that cannot be modified or changed (the "givens")
Keep a volunteer happy by allowing him or her to freely share his or her ideas. Build on the momentum of successful implementation of good ideas by giving credit to the creator of the idea. Never underestimate a volunteer’s capabilities; the more responsibilities you give to him or her, the more s/he will harbor a sense of pride in your prevention program. The more pride s/he feels, the betterwork ethic you will encounter and the more reliable s/he will be. Remember, though, your staff should always actively supervise whatever your volunteers are doing. Like with any staff, you should continually provide positive feedback and encourage a strong sense of teamwork. This is exceptionally important when dealing with volunteers in order to keep them content.
Skill Areas:
A Ability to promote a network of information exchanges among program staff, public health professionals and volunteers working on programs with similar goals
B Ability to help volunteers develop and maintain a sense of passion about their work by recognizing accomplishments, building on momentum, and supporting effective volunteer teamwork
C Ability to strategicallydevelop volunteers skills related to Community mobilization
D Ability to strategically develop volunteer experience related to public health advocacy
E Ability to strategically develop volunteer skills related to working effectively with other community members
F Ability to communicate clearly to volunteers program guidelines and to identify for volunteers those parts of programs that cannot be modified or changed (the "givens")