Here is a list of all of the things I can think of…feel free to comment and add your own suggestions. And remember, these items are only as good as the information provided in them (huh?) For instance, a full length assignment description can be well written or poorly written.
Must Haves
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Descriptions of your volunteer programs (Adults, college students, teens, groups, non-traditional, guild, auxiliary, etc.)
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Volunteer Assignment Descriptions – in my opinion you should provide the full description, not just a brief summary.
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Online Volunteer Application: A “Print, fill out, mail back” is not the best choice. See the blog entry on “Forms”.
Should Haves
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Volunteer Handbook
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All orientation forms that can be signed, filled out, etc. electronically (ie. confidentiality agreement, safety test, hipaa test, volunteer agreement, orientation checklist, etc.)
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The step by step process to becoming a volunteer – Don’t just tell them to fill out the application and call your office. Tell them about needing vaccination records, what your tb process is, how to get a uniform, etc.
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Pictures
All the little extras:
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A place for volunteers to log in and view their information, record hours, etc. Some volunteer management software has this capability.
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A blog: Short for “web log,” a specialized site that allows an individual or group to share a running log of events and personal insights with online audiences. Many blogs allow visitors to make comments, or “postings” in response to the blogger, or ask questions. There are numerous sites that offer free blogs. Type “free blogs” into an internet search and just see how many come up.
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A forum: An online discussion group, where participants with common interests can exchange open messages. Also known as a message forum, a message board, or a bulletin board, a forum allows for messages to be posted and kept on a website for future viewing. Again, just do an internet search to find free forums.
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Video: You have probably heard of YouTube, but have you taken a look at it? I have used a couple of videos I found on YouTube in my previous posts. You would be surprised what you can find there.
OK…Your turn….post a comment with your ideas!
