Did You Do Right by Your Volunteers?

It’s the end of the school year, and you’re probably going a little crazy trying to wrap everything up. But before you’re in full-on summer mode, it’s important to think about whether you did what you should have to get volunteers to come back in the fall.

Did you find meaningful jobs for them? One thing that really bothers me is hearing about people who tried to volunteer, only to be given variations of “We’re all set.” In the parent group world, there is really nothing more deflating than offering to help and being told no. And it sends the message to your parent community that they should spend their time and energy elsewhere. So make sure you reach out to each and every person who offers to volunteer—and let them!

Did you have a plan? It takes time and planning to develop a solid team of volunteers who can focus their time on volunteers. They can find out new people’s unique interests, time commitments, passions, and skills.

Did you make it fun? The most successful groups always remember to keep a sense of humor. If a task or event comes off without a hitch, that’s great, but a few hiccups are probably inevitable. Keep things in perspective for your group, yourself, and your volunteers.