United Way offers volunteer training
As we move forward in this challenging economic time, nonprofits have to depend on volunteers more.
To help build capacity of area nonprofits the United Way of McHenry County Volunteer Center is offer training. The goal is to prepare volunteers for their service.
To strengthen boards so they can deliver direction and resources we will be teaching: Financial Statement Basics; Improving Teamwork at the Board Level; Establishing the Right Performance Measures; Strengthening and Retention Through Individual Planning; Evaluating Your Executive Director; and Planning for The Future: Turbocharging Your Strategic Planning Process. Other classes for volunteers include Grant Writing and Everyone is a Fundraiser.
Nonprofits can learn techniques and applications that will build strong volunteer programs by attending the modules we have put in place for their staff. These monthly classes include: Volunteer Program Assessment; Delegating to Volunteers; Designing Positions for Volunteers; and Supervising Volunteers.
Throughout the year nonprofits will learn:
• How to carry out thoughtful evaluations to meet the increasing pressure for accountability and expectations - evaluations that seek to answer important questions, both quantitative and qualitative, about your volunteer program.
• How to successfully utilize today's volunteers and understand the changing trends and dynamics impacting prospective volunteers.
• What recruitment is, the impact of doing it well, and develop strategies to overcome barriers that organizations have.
• Effective interview and screening tools to produce volunteers that have the ability and motivation that matches the organization's needs.
• How to establish positive supervision conditions that encourage and support volunteers to meet the organization's mission.
• Establishing clear roles and critical relationships through orientation and training.
• Key procedures, technical skills, and appropriate levels of authority involved with delegating.
• Mutual performance review process for volunteers that fit into the total supervision and support system of the organization.
• Why it is critical to deal with performance gaps in a timely and effective manner and explore appropriate solutions for volunteer performance problems.
• Potential risks in volunteer involvement, and address and diminish risks with preventive strategies and techniques.
To find out more about these training opportunities, or how you can help a nonprofit, contact the volunteer Center at (815) 344-4483, or visit Web site www.volunteermchenrycounty.org. The Volunteer Center is host to 135 member nonprofits in McHenry County.