Training & Volunteer Development:

Orientation & Training

Volunteers who are prepared and supported throughout their service experience are more likely to volunteer again. As a volunteer manager, you should always set aside time to orient and train them with the skills they need to be successful. This is true whether volunteers will serve several days a week at a community agency or one morning at a large community-wide service project.

When working with short-term, project-based volunteers, be sure to include dedicated time for orientation and training. Have either the Project Leader and/or agency representative give a brief (5-10 minute) orientation. The orientation should include an overview of the agency’s mission and services, and how volunteer support is contributing to that mission.

Discuss the community issue that is being addressed by the agency and/or the project. This segment could include a brief history of the issue, current statistics, current events related to the issue area (e.g., legislation activity), and other civic engagement opportunities linked to this issue (e.g., advocacy training, future service projects).

The orientation and education portion of the project has many positive impacts on volunteers. It allows them to:

• See the impact they are having on the agency and its clients
• Feel a greater part of a whole, when they see all the services the agency provides
• Better understand the critical needs of the community
• Better understand how to effect change within the issue being addressed

Orientation makes volunteers feel connected to the agency, clients, or their community, and makes their work more meaningful, and in turn makes them more likely to engage in future service.

After the orientation, give a brief outline of the project and what volunteers will be doing during the project, so that everyone knows what to expect and what is expected of them. Also be sure to allow time for training volunteers for any specialized tasks or skills they will need to successfully complete the project.     

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