Getting volunteers

[musgrav8 0]

I'm having trouble keeping my helpers. They are required to do more and no pay. My corp. office won't let me hire anyone. Any ideas on what i can do for the ones with the big hearts?

[heavenstar 0]

1. Volunteers are always hard to keep.

2. What about volunteer appreciation parties?

3. Volunteer training

4. Volunteer Exit interviews-- find out what they really think and feel.

5. Using more volunteers for the same amount of jobs. having two or more volunteers to work a program together.

6. Keep an updated job listing on VolunteerMatch.com so that you can always have fresh volunteers.

7. Take as much burden off of the volunteers as you can. Make it fun for them too

 

This is probably all the same things you are doing now, but itis the best I can come up with. I know it is hard-- and it is for everyone! Keep your head up!

 

angie

[omalley286 0]

I'm having trouble keeping my helpers. They are required to do more and no pay. My corp. office won't let me hire anyone. Any ideas on what i can do for the ones with the big hearts?

 

 

When I first started at my facility there was only one volunteer, now there are ten individuals and five groups and this is not to mention children that come in with their Catholic Education Classes or Boy/Girl Scout Groups. I reached out to everyone when I got hired; religious groups, high schools, posted volunteer signs in adult communities, and contacted facilities around mine for any information they could share. Finally people started calling and I would get right back to them and make appointments and make sure they had all of the paperwork and information they needed in order to start.

 

After they came or donated I would sit down with the residents and they would make pictures or other art projects for the volunteers and I would send them to them. Many of the volunteers see now how much it meant to the residents and they continue.

 

My advice to you is to thank you the volunteers with pictures, words, cards, everything, and anything.

Also I send the volunteers monthly a calendar of events to keep them informed.

[williewanda 0]

I'm having trouble keeping my helpers. They are required to do more and no pay. My corp. office won't let me hire anyone. Any ideas on what i can do for the ones with the big hearts?

 

 

Start something like a book club. Volunteer during the week and meet for something fun on weekends. A dinner and movie is a good one. You can save money by having everyine bring a dish. Or take turns picking a movie!!!!

[be1123 0]

I find college students are easy to get to volunteer. It's required for a lot of their classes. The students that volunteer are usually very helpful and tend to stick around. We try to get them involved with a lot and try to make them feel at home. We invite them to all meetings and ask them to eat meals with the residents and come with us on our "field trips." Also, we try to help them with school things. If they are an artist, for example, we give them contact information to art gallery's and other artists. It's something little, but it show's that we appreciate what they do and we want to help them as well.

[LLisa 0]

I'm having trouble keeping my helpers. They are required to do more and no pay. My corp. office won't let me hire anyone. Any ideas on what i can do for the ones with the big hearts?

 

Sounds like you have a tough job. Some Ideas to try:

 

Put up signs-If you need a bingo caller put that on the sign, If you need an arts & crafts expert specify that on the sign. Staff and Family who are interested will respond.

 

If any family members are already hanging around the activity with mom or dad you may want to approach them for some help.

 

Keep recruiting new help even if you think you have enough. When College and High school are in session they may have volunteer work to complete. Volunteers do not always stay for long periods of time and need replaced some times.

 

I recently learned that keeping in constant contact with the volunteers helps. I have been calling them regularly, praising them, providing training in their areas of interest, sending them Valentines and notes with a newsletter and calendar, circling where I need help.

 

I hope you soon find and keep the help you need.

 

Good Luck.

[cparks 0]

I'm having trouble keeping my helpers. They are required to do more and no pay. My corp. office won't let me hire anyone. Any ideas on what i can do for the ones with the big hearts?

 

Hold an appreciaton party for them just to let them know you are really glad they are volunteering. You may also put their names in the newspaper or news letter.

Edited March 7, 2010 by cparks

[rstrubbe 0]

Sounds like you have a tough job. Some Ideas to try:

 

Put up signs-If you need a bingo caller put that on the sign, If you need an arts & crafts expert specify that on the sign. Staff and Family who are interested will respond.

 

If any family members are already hanging around the activity with mom or dad you may want to approach them for some help.

 

Keep recruiting new help even if you think you have enough. When College and High school are in session they may have volunteer work to complete. Volunteers do not always stay for long periods of time and need replaced some times.

 

I recently learned that keeping in constant contact with the volunteers helps. I have been calling them regularly, praising them, providing training in their areas of interest, sending them Valentines and notes with a newsletter and calendar, circling where I need help.

 

I hope you soon find and keep the help you need.

 

Good Luck.

[OceanGuy23 2]

At my nursing facility I tend to recruit church groups willing to come in and provide church services and also some music groups. I am only able to pay for one paid entertainer a month and have four music entertainers that I rotate for our monthly birthday parties. I know that high school seniors need community service hours for graduation and they contact me sometimes and Im always happy to have them come in and also some college campus clubs do community service too. I have a group of college girls that come in and help with bingo and arts and crafts. Its my corporation policy in regards to volunteers that volunteers wanting to volunteer on a regular basis other than like church groups or what not, that they must fill out a volunteer application which I keep on file, they must have a clear tb shot, and also watch a video on elder abuse and mandated reporting. If the volunteer is younger than 18 I have a sheet on the application which needs parental consent. Every April during National Volunteer Week I hold a special volunteer luncheon at my nursing facility to show appreciation to my volunteers and their faithfulness.