Advice for Supporters
There are times where enquiries are made on behalf of a potential volunteer, this can be by professionals (youth or social workers) or family members (parents advocating for their children). The person being represented often has perceived or actual challenges which can make getting into volunteering tricky and previous experiences that make their volunteering journey ‘unique’.
If you are supporting someone and you think that volunteering is the next step in their journey, we have pulled together some things to think about.
Is volunteering the right fit?
It’s worth considering the levels of responsibility the person is ready to undertake. Often somebody will get a much more fulfilling experience from participating in an activity rather the taking a level of responsibility to lead the activity itself. Participation can be accessed generally by contacting the organisation and asking if they would like a ‘helper’. Participation is about being a ‘model’ attendee, reassuring others, volunteering to demonstrate or try something new, being open and friendly, it’s a whole skill in itself.
It is important to note at this point that volunteering is not a replacement for other services which mat have been lost due to funding etc. Volunteers are there to enhance services not to use them, this is where participation comes in. Volunteering is strongly about choice and there are questions and conversations about what level of commitment and focus the individual can offer.
If volunteering is the suitable next step, here are some things to consider:
- Is that person ready for the responsibility, dealing with authority, following orders or dealing with other volunteers/the public?
- Do they have the confidence to travel there and fulfil the role?
- Will they need support and if so, who will support them? Most organisations cannot provide deep levels of support to a volunteer as they are running the service at the same time. It may be that someone from your organisation needs to support them through the experience, particularly in the early stages.
Making the ask
Sometimes potential volunteers are hesitant to disclose their previous experiences or circumstances that have the potential to become a barrier to their volunteering. An organisation wouldn’t be offended if you started the journey but explained why and what the issues were, you can then make a smooth transition to the potential volunteer speaking to the group. More ideally, coach the potential volunteer on how they might discuss their journey with organisations.
It would be positive for all parties that the transaction between the volunteer and co-ordinator is as frank as possible and the truest picture of a volunteer’s history can help arm the coordinator make any adjustments needed to welcome the new volunteer to the team.
Managing expectations
For various reasons, sometimes it is necessary to manage the expectations of a potential volunteer. There is a chance their mission cannot be met by volunteering and sometimes it is about thinking differently about the route and considering what transferable skills can be gained from an opportunity and to reassure them of a constructive route.
In the case of those who are trying to perform something beyond their ability, honesty is the best policy. Having honest and realistic conversations about volunteering can help set a clear and reasonable expectations for both the volunteer and the organisation.
As an example, it is difficult to get direct experience of something like midwifery. But, attending a group for parents and children allow you to meet with mothers and hear their stories. Seeing the role through the eyes of the person you are supporting can be greatly advantageous. Therefore, think about the end goal and the viewpoints you need to hear or the things you need to learn about yourself to do it.