Hot Topics Archive | Get Involved! Resource Clearinghouse

Month	Topic	Update
Hot Topic for February 2022	Skills-Based Volunteers	Assistant Volunteer Coordinator Virtual Job Coach Volunteer Job Coach Tech Tutor Tech Coach Public Relations Strategist Social Media Specialist Social Media Specialist 2 Coordinator, Photo and Video Services Computer Coach Program Coordinator Volunteer Screeners Small Library Skilled Volunteer Success Story Creation Station Coordinator 45 Unique Useful Projects for Skilled Volunteers Capacity Commons Guidebook on Skills-Based Volunteerism Skills-Based Volunteerism 201: Project Scoping and Planning Skills-Based Volunteering Toolkit
What's New for January 2022	Recently added	Volunteer Application – Fresno County Library Volunteer Handbook – Fresno County Library Civic Life Today: A Millennial Perspective – 2021 Points of Light report Tech Tutor Volunteer Position Description The Best Volunteer Management Software to Meet Every Need Volunteer Job Description – Job Center Coach – Butte County CA Teen Conduct Agreement Columbus Metropolitan Library, Ohio Co-Creating Racial Equity in Volunteer Engagement
Hot Topic for December 2021	Virtual Volunteer Position Ideas	Virtual Job Coach Closed Captioning Volunteer Podcast Transcription Volunteer Spanish Language Virtual Document Translator Tutor an Adult Learner Virtually Social Media Ambassador Virtual Volunteer Ideas for Teens Examples of Virtual Volunteering Activities Virtual Volunteering: A Guide for Nonprofits 22 Simple Tips for Managing Virtual Volunteers
Hot Topic for November 2021	MORE VolunteerMatch Tips and Tricks	Post Virtual Volunteer Opportunities -- NOTE: Virtual opportunities don’t show up in a local search, and in person opportunities don’t show up in a virtual search – if you’re offering an opportunity both ways (i.e., volunteers can come to the library to do it OR they can do it online) you should post it twice – once as virtual and once as local. Using the Copy feature will keep you from having to type it all twice: Get Involved/VolunteerMatch widget - This 3 minute video shows how our Get Involved/ VolunteerMatch widget on your library's website will help recruit more volunteers – California libraries can request the widget code from me at clehn@califa.org so your IT folks can post it. If posting the widget is not an option, you can simply post a link to libraries.volunteermatch.org Looking for another way to make your volunteer opportunities more visible to the best potential volunteer matches for your position? Need to Copy an opportunity to post it on multiple branch accounts or tweak it just a bit? No need to re-type! Did you know that you can add “shift” options to your VolunteerMatch posts? If you only have a limited number of openings for one of your VolunteerMatch posts, you can change “Sign Up” to “Express Interest”
Hot Topic for October 2021	Tips to Improve Your VolunteerMatch Results	Re-posting – Best and easiest thing you can do to make your volunteer listings more visible to volunteers on VolunteerMatch Include a photo of what it looks like to be a volunteer in the position (more effective than a logo or picture of your library) Need good photos of volunteers in action? https://getinvolvedclearinghouse.org/ -- Click on Photos then use Dropdown menu to select the volunteer role. These are professionally taken, photo waivers signed and sized for VolunteerMatch! Promote Your Listings -- If you have a paid VolunteerMatch account (California Libraries can get one free from the California State Library – e-mail clehn@califa.org) another one of the features you get is called "Promote Your Listings." This 90 second video shows how it can add a self-updating Volunteer page to your library's website. VolunteerMatch/LinkedIn Reccruitment Partnership - How to get LinkedIn to offer your skilled volunteer position to qualified candidates VolunteerMatch “Tour” – Using VolunteerMatch to Recruit Skilled & Virtual Volunteers
What's New for September 2021	Recently added	Vulnerable Populations Policy for Volunteers - Multnomah County Library OR Volunteer Guidebook – Hillsboro OR HandsOn Network Volunteer Leader Guidebook Sample Volunteer Application form How to Write Volunteer Recruitment Messaging That Converts Diversity Statement – Indianapolis Public Library
Hot Topic for August 2021	Strategic Planning	Developing a Strategic Plan for Volunteer Engagement – Recording and materials from July 28, 2021 webinar SWOT Analysis for Strategic Planning Why Have Volunteer Department Goals Objectives and Actions? Truth: volunteer programs have fun with strategic plans (AND reach their goals) Goal Setting Worksheet Living into Your Strategic Plan: A Guide to Implementation that Gets Results Sample Organization Strategic Plan Featuring Volunteerism Goals Sample Volunteer Strategic Plan - Colorado Parks & Wildlife NOTE: More resources can be found by clicking on “Management Tools” and using the drop-down menu to select “Strategic Planning.”
What's New for July 2021	Recently added	Write a Captivating Volunteer Position Description that Boosts Recruitment Could Volunteers Replace Paid Staff?? Have No Fear! Create a Book Stool! Volunteer Exit Interview Survey Volunteer Risk & Screening Levels Creating One-Time, Short-Term Group Volunteering Activities
Hot Topic for June 2021	Volunteer Confidentiality Agreements	Volunteer Confidentiality Policy – Columbus Metropolitan Library OH Confidentiality Agreement – Huntington Beach CA Volunteer Confidentiality Policy – Barrie Public Library – Ontario Canada Confidentiality Policy – San Bernardino County CA Confidentiality of Customer Records Form – Ontario CA Volunteer Confidentiality Policy – Long Beach CA Confidentiality Policy - Dauphin County PA SEE ALSO: Many Volunteer Handbooks contain confidentiality policies. To view sample handbooks, click on “Management Tools” then select “Volunteer Handbooks” from the drop-down menu.
Hot Topic for May 2021	Volunteer Handbooks	Volunteer Handbook – City of Pacific Grove CA Volunteer Guidelines – Lake Travis Community Library TX Volunteer Handbook – San Jose Public Library CA Volunteer Handbook – City of Boulder CO Volunteer Handbook - Lewiston Library ID Volunteer Guidebook - Hillsboro Library OR Sample Volunteer Handbook – VolunteerMatch Playing by the Rules: Creating an Effective Volunteer Handbook (Archived Webinar) Note: For more sample handbooks and individual policies, including Confidentiality, COVID-19 and more, click on Management Tools, and select Volunteer Handbooks from the dropdown menu. And please send us your handbook to share -- see Share Your Materials below.
Hot Topic for April 2021	More COVID & Virtual Volunteer Resources	Volunteer COVID-19 Waiver Volunteer COVID-19 Protocol Training Volunteer Survey – Coming Back after COVID-19 Virtual Volunteer Opportunities for Teens Podcast Transcription Volunteer Library Takeout Service Ambassador Closed Captioning Volunteer Job Description Closed Captioning Volunteer Job List
What's New for March 2021	Recently added	Archived Webinars: Where Do I Go From Here? Engage Volunteers in New Ways -- VolunteerMatch, February 2021 Strategies for Attracting Today’s Volunteers -- DOVIA Sacramento, February 2021 Documents: Gaining Staff Buy-In for Volunteer Engagement Criminal History Background Check Policy Adopt a Shelf Volunteer Adopt a Shelf Job List
What's New for February 2021	Recently added	Annual Volunteer Survey Example How to Build a Successful Volunteer Program Getting it Right! Nine Areas Managers of Volunteers Sometimes Get Wrong Volunteer Orientation Trainer job description NextGen Nexus: Moving Beyond Awareness What Do Volunteers Want?
Hot Topic for January 2021	Public Relations Tools to Help Demonstrate Your Worth	The Volunteer Newsletter Template You Need to Start Using “Because You’re Worth It: Showcasing the Value of You and Your Volunteer Program” – FREE archived webinar from the Texas Volunteer Management Conference Volunteers in Plano Annual Report Annual Report to Library Leadership on Volunteer Engagement – San Jose CA Return on Investment Worksheet & Infographic Templates Volunteer Annual Report Infographic – Ann Arbor MI Volunteer Annual Report Infographic - Arlington TX Library Annual Report Includes Volunteer Highlights - Oklahoma County OK 7 Ways to Use Infographics to Recruit Volunteers and Tell Your Nonprofit’s Story
2nd Hot Topic for December 2020	Diverse and Inclusive Volunteer Engagement - Part 2	8 Strategies for Creating a More Inclusive Volunteer Program Moving Forward: Taking Action on Race and Equity (a Points of Light webinar archive) Power, Privilege, and Volunteerism Addressing Issues of Equity in Volunteerism Note: Don't miss additional resources on this topic by clicking on "More Hot Topics" below and scrolling to July 2020
What's New for December 2020	Recently added	Beyond the Thank You Card: Meaningful Volunteer Recognition Library Youth Volunteer Parental Agreement – Cedar Rapids IA Youth Protection Policy – Indianapolis IN Volunteer Management Software Comparisons Paws to Read Procedures – Indianapolis IN Book Store Volunteer Job Description – Indianapolis IN
2nd Hot Topic For November 2020	Intern Job Descriptions	Many thanks to Linda Groscost at Orange Public Library for sharing these intern positions that could also easily be revised into volunteer job descriptions if you don't have an intern program. REMEMBER: if you share something we post to the clearinghouse, you get a free book! (Click the Share Materials Link below) Adult and Branch Services Intern Adult Literacy Intern Lending Services Intern Local History Intern Social Media Intern Technology Services Intern
Hot Topic for November 2020	Survey Examples	Volunteer Exit Survey Staff Survey re: Volunteer Needs During the Pandemic Survey of Branch Library Volunteer Coordinators Annual Volunteer Survey San Jose Public Library Annual Volunteer Survey Cedar Rapids Public Library Five Survey Templates to Measure Volunteer and Board Satisfaction Volunteer Satisfaction Surveys: 10 Ways to Get it Right The 9 most Important Survey Design Tips & Best Practices Questionnaire Design Tip Sheet
2nd Hot Topic For October 2020	Volunteer Coordinator Job Descriptions	City of Orange CA Volunteer Coordinator Sacramento Public Library Volunteer Coordinator Volunteer Engagement Specialist Job Description -- Indianapolis Branch Volunteer Coordinators’ Responsibilities – Indianapolis A Letter to Nonprofits that Want to Hire a Volunteer Manager
Hot Topic for October 2020	More Pandemic Resources	Building Better COVID-Related Volunteer Roles Volunteer Safety Training during COVID-19 – Orange Public Library New Research (during the pandemic!): Civic Engagement: What We Know, What We’re Learning, and What Comes Next How to Prioritize When Everything Feels Important Social Media & Blog Content Generation Guidelines for Staff and Volunteers – Cedar Mill & Bethany Community Libraries OR Capacity Commons Guidebook on Skills-Based Volunteerism