The 6 phases of the volunteer management cycle in organizations

The volunteer management cycle does not focus only on specific areas, but allows for a comprehensive view of all the phases of collaboration between the volunteer and the organization. It is a model that facilitates the functioning of volunteering and, thanks to the global vision provided by the cycle, allows the entity to reflect and decide which volunteer management model it wants and needs , according to its activities and its size, or other variables such as the recipients, the services it offers or the territory where it has influence.

Organizations must consider the best way to manage volunteers and take advantage of their resources so that they feel cared for and, at the same time, the best result of the collaboration is obtained. Although there may be a volunteer coordinator , it is important that the entire organization is involved in the smooth functioning of the cycle. The work approach must encompass actions prior to the first contact with volunteers to those related to the relationship that the volunteer maintains with the organization afterwards.

Below, the six phases that make up the volunteering cycle are detailed . This resource has been developed based on the ' Volunteering Management Manual ', from the 'La Caixa' Social Projects and the ' Social Volunteering Management Manual ', from the Catalan Federation of Social Volunteering (FCVS) . 

Previous steps

Before starting the volunteering cycle as such, it is necessary to carry out some preliminary steps , aimed at  contextualizing volunteering in a transversal way and establishing the way to manage it. The actions that must be developed in this regard are specified in three main lines:

• Organizational structure
• Planning
• Systematization of processes

In addition to all this, it must be taken into account that the importance of volunteering in organizations makes it necessary to have a responsible figure , both in terms of management and coordination. The existence or not of a reference person in the field of volunteering constitutes the first piece for the future development of the project. The next step consists of developing a volunteering plan , which defines a clear orientation for the organization as a whole and which allows to ensure that the team shares the same general lines of action.

At the end of this first phase, the mechanisms that will serve as a guide for the management and coordination of volunteers are structured. The systematization of processes in the field of volunteering should not be interpreted as a greater instrumentalization of this group for the objectives of the organization, but as a way to facilitate the coordination of volunteering with the rest of the agents that are part of the entity. In addition, it can streamline processes, which allows for an increase in the time devoted to personal relationships.

Definition, recruitment and selection

The first phase of the volunteering cycle sets the cornerstone for the rest of the process. It encompasses all the elements that the organization must consider in the steps prior to the incorporation of volunteers. An important element that must be taken into account in the definition phase is the concordance between the mission and values ​​of the organization and those of the volunteer. The work focuses, specifically, on the following elements:

• Definition of profiles
• Definition and dissemination of the offer
• Candidate interview and selection

The descriptions of the profiles must have been made, in part, at the time of developing the volunteer plan, but they will be specified both at the time of defining them and in the subsequent recruitment and selection steps. Some issues that will need to be considered in the profiles are: age, languages ​​spoken, values ​​and attitudes that must be demonstrated, motivations that lead the person to volunteer and availability. 

The recruitment policy defined in the entity must allow detecting where the defined profiles can be found , and determine the necessary channels to reach them. A practically guaranteed way to find volunteering is to publish the offer on the different  volunteering exchanges  available. Some platforms are: Torre Jussana Volunteer Calls , Barcelona Inclusive Volunteer Exchange , Volunteering in One Click and Connect to Volunteering by the Generalitat de Catalunya. The offer must also be published on the entity's social networks and on its website, at a minimum. 

It is important that the appeal does not convey pure need and interest. On the contrary, volunteering will start from an instrumental foundation, and this will diminish its transformative capacity. One way to avoid this is to incorporate testimonies into publications and recruitment sessions.

Finally, the selection processes that will be carried out through interviews must guarantee that the organization incorporates the right people to cover the profiles described. During the interview, it will be necessary to collect personal data , find out what the expectations are of the potential collaboration, find out if they have previous volunteering experiences, understand the degree of commitment, and, at the same time, offer them information about the offer and the mission and values ​​of the entity. It will be advisable to submit a dossier that includes clear information about the activity. 

Welcome

It includes all the processes that are carried out from the moment the organization accepts the person after selection and when the person definitively decides to join the project. The entity has a new collaboration and must start several processes specific to this phase , which are:

• Formalization of the voluntary commitment
• Communication of rights and duties
• Tasks, resources and schedule 

At this point it is important to establish in some way the commitment of the entity and the volunteer . This will need to be done in writing, clarifying the expectations of both parties in a document, because the legislation requires a written agreement in any organization. Every entity must have this document, which explains the relationship and constitutes the basis of the collaboration. The agreement must include the rights and obligations of both parties , at least those established by the Volunteering Law and insurance, but also the flexibility so that both parties feel comfortable.

The letter of commitment is the written expression of the volunteer's selfless relationship and, as such, it is advisable that it be written in a language appropriate to the style of the entity and the relationship that is established from this moment on. It is necessary to avoid technical or confusing terminology that could distance the document from the reality common to both parties. The moment of signing the commitment must be approached as another step in the reception process, to avoid it becoming an administrative procedure that detracts from its value.

It will also be in this phase that it will be necessary to establish and agree with the volunteer on their tasks and schedules . Although a certain flexibility is established, this is important for the coordination of the entire team. 

Incorporation

Once the volunteer's entry into the organization has been formalized, it is time to begin their work. There are some processes that define this phase: 

• Insurance policy and accreditation
• Presentation to the team
• Start of voluntary action

Before starting the voluntary action, the person who has just joined must be covered by the Civil Liability and Accidents insurance policy . Once this is confirmed, it is the moment in which the new volunteer can receive, if applicable, the object, device or clothing that will accredit them as such. It can be a moment with a certain ceremony to take advantage of and present the new additions to the rest of the team and the structure. 

Once this is done, you can move on to voluntary action , always, obviously, with accompaniment and support. 

Development and training

It is the longest stage in the relationship between volunteers and the organization. It is the phase that reflects the life of volunteers in the organization and, therefore, also the stage in which there are more areas of action in reference to volunteer management. The axes around which the actions of this phase pivot are: 

• Training objectives
• Volunteer skills
• Planning and typology of training
• Evaluation

The comprehensive perspective of the volunteer's career within the organization is enhanced during this stage. It is often considered that efforts have already been devoted to the coordination of volunteering in the previous phases of preparation, definition and incorporation, and then, once the person is already collaborating, the energies are directed towards their task or responsibility. The training phase is necessary for the action to provide a better response to the social reality that the entity serves. That is why it will be necessary to organize it well, drawing up a volunteer training plan . 

This plan will define the training objectives , which must be combined with the mission of the entity , as well as identify the training needs of the new team. It will also be necessary to work on planning according to the volunteer competencies that will be developed during the task (cognitive competencies , emotional competencies and meta-competencies). The plan will also have to specify the training itineraries and events, as well as the materials and resources that will be used. 

It is important to assess the effectiveness of training . For this reason, it will be necessary to evaluate the training plan more or less constantly, taking into account quantitative issues (number of participants and actions, hours dedicated, etc.) and qualitative issues (satisfaction of participants, learning acquired, adaptation of content to needs, etc.).

During this phase, it is advisable for the person responsible to maintain contact with the volunteer and for meetings to be established with those responsible for the project to follow up .

Accompaniment and recognition

It is one of the most important phases to encourage volunteer involvement . In all volunteer work, it is essential to provide support to the entire team to ensure friendly and coordinated work. This can be done around three axes: 

• Personalized and scheduled support
• Gather volunteer needs
• Open spaces for exchange

Monitoring of volunteers must be constant, from reception to termination. It is about fostering a sense of belonging, making people feel heard while promoting fluid communication and guaranteeing participation . The constant exchange between volunteers and the organization is necessary not only to keep the team involved, but also because these are the people who are at the bottom of the canyon, and listening to their opinions and contributions will allow the organization to improve its work. 

In addition to support, keeping volunteers involved also requires recognition actions by the organization. It is true that the defining characteristic of all volunteering is that their contribution is free and, therefore, the perception of financial or in-kind contributions to carry out their work is ruled out. However, gratitude and recognition are among the obligations of the organization and can be expressed in multiple ways, with the existence of channels for volunteer participation.

Recognition must go far beyond specific issues and value the overall contribution. Recognition actions can be differentiated according to their visibility. The most visible would include thank-you letters , for example  . Less visible mechanisms are carried out on a daily basis and are more intangible. It can also be distinguished according to its degree of formality, with formal being characterized by having actions, to a greater or lesser degree, established and planned within the functioning of the organization. Informal recognition includes those daily actions in which the person's contribution is directly appreciated.

Unlinking

Disengagement implies the disappearance of the mutual obligations that are formally established at the beginning through the volunteer commitment letter. Organizations must be aware that this moment is part of the person's career as a volunteer and it is necessary to experience disengagement as another stage in the volunteering cycle . This is because both the person who disengages and the entity itself need to manage the exit, which is why organizations should have systems in place to manage disengagement. Thus, as with the rest of the moments in the cycle, there are some actions that structure this phase: 

• Farewell interview
• Certificate of participation
• Thank you letter

Whatever the reason that has led the person to abandon the volunteer work, the first step in the farewell is to carry out an exit interview. It will be useful to know the strengths and weaknesses of the collaboration and the management that the entity makes of the volunteer, but also to leave the door open to future participation . It is, therefore, a question of making a joint assessment of the experience and proposing a reflection, either around the management of this person, on their functions and the way of development in the entity. 

It would also be interesting to issue a certificate of participation to the person who is leaving. It is usually a gesture that creates excitement, which in many cases can allow the person to accredit their voluntary work, which is useful in the world of work, whether in a small or large entity. At the same time, it is also advisable to send personalized thank-you letters to provide a more tangible closure to the relationship, where future collaborations can also be referred to.