Training Materials
Learn more about best practices in volunteer recruitment and engagement, and how to get the results you need.
NOTE: These are examples from public libraries and should be reviewed and modified to ensure fit with local policies and culture.
Title | Keyword | Tags | Year |
---|---|---|---|
How to Write a Strong Reference Letter for a Volunteer
A reference letter showcases a volunteer’s achievements and the skills they’ve gained through volunteering. It can help a volunteer who is looking… more |
Staff Training | recognition, reference letter | 2019 |
Shelving with Dewey - Illinois
This 1 hour self-paced course from LibraryU, a program of the Illinois State Library and the regional library systems is archived by WebJunction. It… more |
Job Specific Volunteer Training | shelve, book shelving, shelver | 2019 |
Recruitment Success Story - Flagstaff Arizona
In this 4 minute video, Claudine from the Flagstaff library talks about her successes in finding a volunteer to serve as her assistant volunteer… more |
Capacity Building, Engaging High Impact Volunteers | online booksales, Book sale | 2019 |
NextGen Nexus: A Peek Inside the Millennial Mind
What if you could have a young person authentically share their viewpoint about your social issue and cause? What would they say, and how can you… more |
Millennials | 2019 | |
Volunteer Appreciation Guide
is Volunteer Appreciation Guide is a free resource developed by Wild Apricot to offer tips and advice for volunteer programs just getting started… more |
Capacity Building | recognition | 2019 |
Want to Write a Volunteer Program Annual Report? Here's How to Start
VolunteerMatch blog guest post by Elisa Kosarin. This post originally appeared on Twenty Hats. Your volunteers tell a compelling story. It’s time to… more |
Capacity Building | 2019 | |
How to Build a Successful Volunteer Program
This brief guidebook was created by the International City/County Management Association. |
Capacity Building, Staff Training | toolkit | 2019 |
Playing by the Rules: Creating an Effective Volunteer Handbook.
This one hour archived webinar was presented by Jennifer Bennett of VolunteerMatch in conjunction with the 4 state Get Involved: Powered by Your… more |
Volunteer Handbooks | policies, handbook | 2019 |
Do's and Don'ts of Supervising Library Volunteers
This July 2019 article from Public Libraries Online provides an excellent overview of working with volunteers in large and small libraries. |
Capacity Building, Staff Training | supervision | 2019 |
Could Volunteers Replace Paid Staff?? Have No Fear!
An organization’s decision to bring in volunteers may spark fears that volunteers could eventually replace staff. After all, volunteers can do many… more |
Staff Training, Engaging Staff and Unions | Staff Resistance, staff buy-in | 2019 |
Planning for Including People with Intellectual Disabilities in Volunteer Programs
A tip sheet created by The Arc to help you to include people with intellectual disabilities in your volunteer program. |
Staff Training | disabilities, diversity, equity, inclusion | 2019 |
Getting the Highest Visibility on VolunteerMatch – How to RePost Your Listing
Keeping your volunteer opportunity near the top of the list in your zipcode is critical to keep it visible to potential volunteers. One of the… more |
VolunteerMatch Tools and Resources | RePost | 2018 |
How to Create Your Volunteer Program Budget
A format for developing a budget for your volunteer engagement service. |
Staff Training, Capacity Building | budget justification | 2018 |
Volunteer Background Checks: Giving Back without Giving Up on Privacy
How do nonprofit organizations screen volunteers? There are several options. The choices depend largely on the volunteer job involved and the… more |
Volunteer Screening / Interviewing, Capacity Building, Staff Training | background checks, screening | 2018 |
Volunteer Management: How to Get it Right
A 2018 study by MAVA (Minnesota Association of Volunteer Administrators) showed a lack of understanding about the essential nature of volunteers and… more |
Capacity Building | volunteer coordinator | 2018 |
Three Things We Know About Engaging Millennials in Your Cause
A quick read on what Millennials are interested in to help you in your recruitment efforts. |
Millennials | Millennials | 2018 |
Diagnosing the Causes of Volunteer Recruitment Problems
Jayne Cravens provides Questions to diagnose your volunteer recruitment problems. |
Staff Training | Recruitment | 2018 |
Getting Staff Buy-In for Volunteer Engagement
Video clip on this topic from a Get Involved Volunteer Engagement Institute in Oakland California in May 2015. (26.5 minutes) |
Engaging Staff and Unions | 2018 | |
Can We Reject a Volunteer?
What do you do when someone applies to volunteer and you realize they will not work out? How can we justify rejecting anyone who steps forward and… more |
Interviewing Volunteers, Staff Training | Fire, reject, complaints | 2018 |
You Can't Fire Me, I'm a Volunteer!
This quick read from Blue Avocado focuses on addressing volunteer dissatisfaction points to the right way to handle disgruntled volunteers. |
Staff Training | Fire, disgruntled | 2018 |