|
There is no doubt that choosing volunteers for a non-profit organization is no easy task, especially given that each organization has its own visions, goals, and projects ready to implement. Selecting, engaging, and retaining volunteers may take a lot of time, but it’s worth the effort because they will help the organization make the most of its resources.
The positive news is that Saudi Arabia is seeking to reach one million male and female volunteers by 2030, and plans to raise the economic value of volunteering from 22 million to 450 million Saudi riyals. The Kingdom also aims to expand the non-profit sector by directing it to work in developing areas and is increasing the proportion of financial support from 21% to 51%, and increasing the sector’s contribution to the non-oil gross national product from 7.4 billion to 16 billion Saudi riyals.
In line with Vision 2030, you will find many volunteering resources, such as the National Platform for Voluntary Work, and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, which has dedicated sections related to non-profit volunteering. When you choose the right volunteers and place them in right positions, it will help your organization achieve the following: 1) Reduce your operating costs helping you save money and resources. 2) Expand the scope and scale of the organization's impact. 3) Increase the quality and delivery of your services 4) Help build better relationships with the local community and bridge the generational gap. 5) Support the organization with new opinions, ideas, and methods.
Here are a few steps and tips that will help you in choosing the right volunteers for your non-profit organization: 1- Understand why volunteers want to work with your organization Volunteers give their time and effort voluntarily, so it’s important to understand their goals. People volunteer for different reasons, for example, some because it aligns with their personal values, some to improve their self-image, others for personal and professional development, while others may choose to volunteer to meet new people or grow their network.
2- Ask yourself introspective questions Clarify your goals when working with volunteers, and share your vision and purpose to make sure that volunteers feel valued and supported from the start. Some questions can be: Why does your non-profit want volunteers? Is it to encourage community participation or to reach a specific skill set? What skills are you looking for in volunteers? What exactly will the volunteers do? What time frame are you looking at? Do you want volunteers who provide ongoing support, volunteers to support specific projects, or do you want to hire on-demand volunteers?
3- Write specific volunteer job descriptions Clarity is important to ensure the success of your volunteer program. Once you have answered all of the questions above, you will have the information you need to write clear descriptions for the volunteer roles you’re looking for. These role descriptions can always be developed depending on the role and requirements of the job.
4- A call out for volunteers When you launch an advertisement looking for volunteers, make sure to talk about why you need volunteers at the present time. Provide a comprehensive description of the work of the organization, the community you serve, what you are looking for in volunteers, and what is expected of them. This will also help you clarify any assumptions people may have of your organization. Reaching out to potential volunteers on digital platforms is beneficial and you can also create a registration form that asks for more than just personal information, this will help you evaluate the volunteers at a later stage.
5- Assessing volunteers The assessment phase is an important process to help you choose the right volunteers for your non-profit. In the volunteer application form, you will want to gather information about a volunteer's experience and qualifications, and their motivation for volunteering. Here are some steps to help assess potential volunteers during an interview: 1) Choose the team members who will be interviewing and evaluating. 2) Choose the most prominent applicants and prepare relevant questions to ask them. 3) Ask about the background of all the volunteers you will meet. This is especially important if you are working with younger age groups.
You have to be strategic when choosing volunteers in light of the growing culture of volunteering in the Kingdom. The team of volunteers you select will be able to support you in embodying the visions of the non-profit organization. Always remember, when looking for volunteers to work for your non-profit, it's important to look for those that are helpful, flexible, organized, mission-focused, positive, eager to learn, and have leadership skills. |
