Engaging and Managing Volunteers
For tools and best practices to help you manage volunteers effectively, see below.
Adult / General
- Volunteering in America: Resources for Retention
www.nationalserviceresources.org/volunteerweek
This website offers effective volunteer management and community engagement practices. - Recruiting Mentors: A Guide to Finding Volunteers to Work with Youth
www.nationalserviceresources.org/nsrclibrary/?action=detail&item=M2337
This book includes sections on designing and implementing recruitment plans, as well as recruiting college students and older adults to be mentors. - Volunteer Leveraging Online Courses
www.nationalserviceresources.org/resources/courses/#vol_leveraging
Step-by-step online courses on project planning, working with diverse volunteers, and moving volunteers from service to civic engagement - Washington Youth Voice Handbook
www.nationalserviceresources.org/nsrclibrary/index.php?action=detail&id=2474
Housed on the National Service-learning Clearinghouse web site, this Handbook is one of many publications that helps organizations and individuals give youth an authentic voice in all phases of program and project planning, implementation and evaluation. - Recruit for Diversity
www.encorps.nationalserviceresources.org/recruitment_and_placement/recruit_for_diversity.php These tips for recruiting diverse AmeriCorps members can be applied to any volunteer program. - Ask the Expert: Paula Sotnik
www.nationalserviceresources.org/resources/online_pubs/disablility_issues/expert.php
This article includes questions and answers on including volunteers with disabilities, as well as links to other resources for recruiting and accommodating them. - Ask the Expert: Andrea Taylor
www.nationalserviceresources.org/resources/online_pubs/boomers/expert.php
This article includes questions and answers on working with baby boomer volunteers, as well as links to other resources for recruiting and accommodating them.
Effective Practices
Proven techniques and real-life examples of how other projects work effectively with volunteers
- Keeping volunteers motivated by maintaining positive communication
www.nationalserviceresources.org/epicenter/practices/index.php?ep_action=view&ep_id=4829 - Allaying typical concerns of first-time volunteers
www.nationalserviceresources.org/epicenter/practices/index.php?ep_action=view&ep_id=4832 - Resolving differences of opinion
www.nationalserviceresources.org/epicenter/practices/index.php?ep_action=view&ep_id=800 - Retaining members through conflict resolution
www.nationalserviceresources.org/epicenter/practices/index.php?ep_action=view&ep_id=372 - Resolving team conflict
www.nationalserviceresources.org/epicenter/practices/index.php?ep_action=view&ep_id=279 - Resolving conflict between volunteers
www.nationalserviceresources.org/epicenter/practices/index.php?ep_action=view&ep_id=796
Youth
- Top Ten Ways to Recruit and Engage Youth Volunteers
www.nonprofit.about.com/od/volunteers/tp/recruityouth.htm
This article explains how to recruit youth volunteers by putting yourself in their shoes. - Change the World with a Youth Media Agency
www.nonprofit.about.com/od/volunteers/a/youthsocialmktg.htm
This article explains how involving youth in a media agency fills the community's need for social marketing while providing teenagers with a positive experience that builds career and personal skills. - Volunteer Connections: New Strategies for Involving Youth
www.nationalserviceresources.org/nsrclibrary/?action=detail&item=M3555
This manual offers practical suggestions for engaging youth in an organization for the benefit of the
volunteer, the organization, and the community. Covers recruitment, orientation and training, supervision and evaluation, screening, recognition, and more.
