 Recruiting, motivating and training volunteers are important tasks for watershed organizations. Resources listed on this page will help with those tasks.
Manuals/Books
Articles
Web Resources
MANUALS/BOOKS
Volunteer Action Training Handbook by Neil Schulman at Stop Oregon Litter & Vandalism (SOLV) includes how-to descriptions,
forms and to-do lists to help you recruit and coordinate volunteers, work with the media and solicit sponsors for projects.
To order contact SOLV, P.O. Box 1235, Hillsboro, OR 97123 or call (503) 844-9571.
The Volunteer Recruitment Book This book by Susan Ellis covers volunteer assignments, creating an image to recruit successfully and where to look for new volunteers. To order, contact Energize Inc. at the website above, by writing 5450 Wissahickon Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19144, or by calling (800) 395-9800.
Supervising Volunteers: An Action Guide for Making Your Job Easier by Jarene Frances Lee and Julia Catagnus offers real-life experiences of volunteer supervisors with an analysis of what works and what does not in supervising volunteers. Also included are comments from volunteers about what they need from their supervisors. Available from Energize Inc.,
5450 Wissahickon Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19144; (800) 395-9800 or email info@energizeinc.com.
Pass it On: Outreach to Minority Communities This book by Charyn D. Sutton helps people in any community become more aware and accepting of diverse and cultural characteristics. Cultural awareness, sensitivity training, community networks and establishing credibility are all covered here. To order see the above website or contact Energize Inc., 5450 Wissahickon Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19144; (800) 395-9800 or email info@energizeinc.com.
Proof Positive: Developing Significant Volunteer Recordkeeping Systems Susan Ellis explains the how to develop meaningful reports on volunteer accomplishments. Included is a step-by-step guide to the basic elements of a volunteer recordkeeping system, application forms, volunteer fact files, assignment logs, time and activity reports as well as sample forms and ideas for documenting hard-to-track activities. Order from the above website or contact Energize Inc., 5450 Wissahickon Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19144; (800) 395-9800
or email info@energizeinc.com.
Handling Problem Volunteers by Steve McCurley and Sue Vineyard provides serious solutions in a lighthearted fashion to the most comment volunteer performance problems and helps you determine the causes of those problems. Order from
Order from the above website or contact Energize Inc., 5450 Wissahickon Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19144; (800) 395-9800
or email info@energizeinc.com.
Save Our Streams Volunteer Trainer’s Handbook This handbook by Karen Firehock is an excellent resource for anyone coordinating a stream biological monitoring program. Includes overview of steps to design your monitoring network; set project goals; enlist and train volunteers; collect, manage and use stream data; budgeting and fund raising. Appendixes include all monitoring instructions, data forms, macroinvertebrate identification card and extensive bibliography. The cost of the 110-page handbook is $19.
ARTICLES
Why People Volunteer - an excellent short article on common motivations for volunteering
Encouraging Volunteers to Stay Motivated - another excellent short article on how to keep volunteers involved.
WEB RESOURCES
Energize Inc. is an international firm specializing in volunteer management.
This comprehensive web site is a great place for volunteer managers to exchange information and experiences, buy books,
and link to other useful sites. Energize Inc. is located at 5450 Wissahickon Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19144. To order books call (800) 395-9800. For more information dial (215) 438-8342 or email info@energizeinc.com.
CompuMentor provides resources to help technology volunteers with database development, web
site design, funding, software purchases and more. To contact CM, write 435 Brannan Street, Suite 100,San Francisco, CA 94107; call (415) 512-7784 or visit http://www.compumentor.org/about/contact.html for a complete list of contact information.
Association for Volunteer Administration is a member organization dedicated to providing
resources that help strengthen volunteer leadership. Read about the Certified in Volunteer Administration (CVA) program and other conferences to help strengthen and empower volunteers. AVA can be reached by writing P.O. Box 32092, Richmond, VA 23294; by calling (804) 346-2266 or by emailing avaintl@mindspring.com.
CyberVPM.com is a volunteer interactive web site covering everything from volunteer program
development to networking and career development for volunteer managers. Find articles, a bookstore, an internet tutorial,
a library of resources, links, information on newsletters and mailings, as well as discussions groups and chat rooms.
Recruit Volunteers on the Web! All of the web sites listed below help match volunteers nonprofit groups needing volunteer
help. Nonprofit groups can post their volunteer opportunities, and individuals can search thousands of volunteer opportunities
by zip code and category. Volunteers can sign-up automatically by email for opportunities that fit their schedule and
interest.
Echoing Green's resource page -- Click on people development to find information on recruiting and motivating volunteers.
The EPA's Water Quality Monitoring page -- Great source of information on using volunteers in monitoring water quality and monitoring methods. You can find information on "The Volunteer Monitor" (a terrific publication), by clicking on "volunteer monitoring".
Stop Oregon Litter and Vandalism (SOLV) -- A great feature for watershed organizations is SOLV's Volunteer Action Training workshops. SOLV also conducts a variety of volunteer clean-up activities.
ServiceLeader.Org is an online resource center for volunteers and volunteer managers. This website offers great tips on many aspects of volunteer management. Especially helpful is the Volunteer Management/Service Leadership Online Resources which includes information on volunteer screening, matching, record-keeping and evaluation, legal issues/risk management, volunteer/staff relations, online activism by volunteers, and volunteer management software.
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