Staff shortages are creating a growing need for volunteers to return to campus. How are you dealing with this challenge when COVID-19 safety remains a concern? Consider the following…

 1.   In-Person Volunteers Need To Feel Safe. That means you need to have clear communication with staff and your volunteers about social distancing (as much as possible), mask requirements and guidelines for how they interact with students, staff and each other.

2.   Let Volunteers Choose What They Want To Do. Schools have many opportunities for volunteers to help. Break work into logical tasks with clear expectations and boundaries. Matching a volunteer to the task they WANT to do makes a successful experience for both the school and the volunteer.

3.   Pair Volunteers With People They Know. It can be intimidating walking into a school especially if the volunteer’s memories of their childhood are not positive. Having a friend accompany the person is always a great idea. Two are better than one and the more positive memories they build, the more likely they will return.

4.   Location. Location. Location. When a volunteer is in your school’s backyard, they are more likely to SEE the contributions they are making. Invite neighbors near the school to come and volunteer. If they can easily access the school, they will show up on both good and bad weather days and hopefully stay the whole time rather than leave early since they are already close to home.

5.   Virtual Volunteerism Is The New Trend. For the volunteers that can’t physically attend your event, offering virtual opportunities brings your school to the next level. Whether it’s tutoring a student or helping with virtual classes, a virtual volunteer is likely to be on time, happy to join and able to return for the next opportunity. Less time commitment is asked of a virtual volunteer as they can do this from their home or workplace.

Take the next step. Get in touch today.