Savvy Strategies To Combat Volunteer Burn-Out

We all know them; those board members who have been involved for years, the volunteer event planners who continually stage an amazing conference, the food bank volunteers who cover everyone else’s shift… It is not uncommon that out of your entire volunteer team, there might be that small percentage who carry out the bulk of the work. If you ask these dynamos to help too often, however, their energy will wane, they will become impatient and they will say no. Or worse, they will leave you. Not only that, but volunteer burnout could be an indicator of staff burnout as well. What is a busy charity to do when the work exceeds available human resources?

Non-profits and charities are particularly susceptible to burn-out due to tight financial and human resource pressures. In this in-person workshop those working with volunteers will learn:

• how to identify the signs of burnout before your volunteers start running for the door. Potential volunteers who work full time or are actively volunteering with other organizations are particularly vulnerable to overload;

• specific strategies tailored to your organization to combat volunteer exhaustion. Better job descriptions, shorter terms spent doing one job and knowing the stamina of your volunteers are just a few of the many strategies you can implement;

• proactive approaches to succession planning.

By working smarter and communicating better, you will ensure your volunteers remain happy in their role and great ambassadors for your organization.

ABOUT YOUR TRAINER:

Nancy Taylor.

For the past 20 years, Nancy has been engaging volunteers and raising awareness of their good works with several non-profits including Habitat for Humanity Victoria, Saanich Volunteer Services, and Canadian Parents for French BC & Yukon.

From planning conferences to evaluating projects and from tutoring new Canadians to sorting books at the Times Colonist Book Drive, Nancy is passionate about volunteering herself. She loves the people she meets, the fulfillment it provides and the new skills she learns.

Host or Publisher Volunteer Victoria