Volunteer Management

At its most basic level, volunteer management is the selection, supervision and engagement of volunteers. But it’s much more than that. Volunteer management opens an organization to the community and allows citizens to get involved.

Managers of volunteers ensure the well-being and happiness of an organization’s volunteers. They keep volunteer programs effective and engaging.

Depending on an organization’s structure, size and resources, volunteer resource management can be undertaken by a full-time paid professional, as one aspect of another staff position or by a volunteer. Some organizations integrate their human resources management systems to include everyone who completes work on behalf of the organization—whether they are paid employees, volunteers, community service participants, interns or students on job placements. No matter how the position fits within the organization, volunteer resource management plays an essential role in driving any volunteer-involving organization’s mission.

Successful organizations offer a range of volunteer roles that allow people to get involved in ways that suit their schedules and meet their needs. The role of managers of volunteers is to work with volunteers to ensure that their needs are being met along with the needs of the organization.

Volunteer resource management practices have evolved to create a two-way relationship with today’s volunteers. Now, managers of volunteers try to work with volunteers in ways that consider the volunteers’ goals and interests, as well as the needs of the organization.

Volunteer engagement is an important function in any organization, as it ensures the health and sustainability of the organization’s volunteer program. Associations and post-secondary schools offer courses in volunteer resource management and volunteer administration. Below is a sample of programs offered in Canada:

Volunteer Management Training

The following is a list of centres, colleges and other organizations offering management training in Canada. While it is up to date, it does not pretend to be complete. Go ahead and explore these resources to find the one that fits your needs and schedule.

Programs at Community Colleges

• Confederation College online
• Connestoga College in classroom, online and hybrid
• Fleming College online
• Humber College online
• Mohawk College mix of in classroom and online
• Vancouver Community College in classroom

Other programs

• Charity Village online
• Queens University Office of Advancement in classroom for Queens faculty and staff
• Réseau de l’action bénévole du Québec (RABQ) online
• Saskatchewan Polytechnic online
• Tech Soup Canada online
• The Rethink Group online
• Volunteer Management Institute in classroom in various Alberta and BC locations

Volunteer Centres offering training

• Kelowna Community Resources
• Propellus (Calgary)
• Vantage Point (Vancouver)
• Volunteer Alberta
• Volunteer Burnaby (online)
• Volunteer Central (Red Deer)
• Volunteer Manitoba (various Manitoba and Saskatchewan locations)
• Volunteer MBC (Mississauga-Brampton-Caledon)
• Volunteer Ottawa
• Volunteer Toronto
• Volunteer Victoria
• Waterloo-Wellington Learning Alliance, a partnership between volunteer centres in Guelph and Waterloo Region
• Centre d’action bénévole de Montréal/Volunteer Bureau of Montreal
• Centre d’action bénévole de Sherbrooke

Other training resources:

• Volunteer Management Professionals of Canada
  • Webinars
  • Certification (CVA)
  • Also offers annual and hybrid conferences and links to various resources
• Provincial volunteer management associations
  • Association des gestionnaires de ressources bénévoles du Québec (AGRBQ)
  • Manitoba Association for Volunteer Administration (MAVA)
  • Volunteer Management Professionals of New Brunswick (VMPNB)
  • Professional Association of Volunteer Leaders – Ontario (PAVRO)
  • Volunteer Management Group - Edmonton, Alberta (VMG-Edmonton)
  • Community Council on Volunteerism - Montreal, Québec  (CCV- Montreal) 
  • Administrators of Volunteer Resources - Saskatchewan  (AVR-SK)
  • Westman Association of Volunteer Administrators (WAVA) – Brandon, Manitoba
  • Volunteer Management Professionals of Nova Scotia (VMPNS) - Nova Scotia
• Charity Village
  • Apart from the training program listed above, they offer many tools, resources, articles, webinars and job postings 
• Energize
  • Features all kinds of tools, resources and articles
  • Everyone Ready Training Program
• E-volunteerism
  • Journal – articles and more, for subscribers and non-subscribers

Is there a resource or course you think we should add to this list? Contact us at [email protected] !

Resources

• Volunteer Management Handbook — This handbook provides a general overview of the volunteer management process with a focus on volunteers supporting newcomers. Please note that the links in the handbook are not currently available.

• The Canadian Code for Volunteer Involvement — This resource outlines the values, principles and standards for effective volunteer practices within organizations.

• A Guide to Cultural Competency Application of the Canadian Code — This resource looks at the CCVI as a tool for creating accessible and inclusive volunteer programs. The goal of the guide is to build strong, diverse organizations that welcome new Canadians.

• The 2012 Edition of the Screening Handbook — This handbook handbook lays out the steps of screening and provides information and resources to support ongoing screening practices.

• Managers of Volunteers: A Profile of the Profession — This resource shares research findings from a national survey of managers of volunteers. Data from this survey is used to profile the volunteer management profession in Canada.

• Who Are Managers of Volunteers? — This fact sheet highlights the findings from a 2003 telephone survey of 1,203 individuals. It includes information about managers of volunteers in Canada.

• A Guide to Volunteer Program Management Resources — This guide lists useful volunteer management books, guides and manuals from Canada and around the world.

• Facilitated Discussions: A Volunteer Management Workbook — This tool allows organizations’ staff and/or volunteers to record stakeholder comments and data. It also develops strategies for integrating this information into programs.

• Rethinking Volunteer Engagement — This essay calls on voluntary organizations across the country to review and rethink the ways they engage volunteers.

• A Matter of Design: Job Design Theory and Application to the Voluntary Sector — This document shows how to create volunteer opportunities that meet the needs of organizations and volunteers. It details the process using helpful templates and examples within small, medium and large organizations.

• Volunteer Connections: Creating an Accessible and Inclusive Environment — This resource offers practical tips for volunteer engagement. It provides a framework to help organizations create an accessible and welcoming environment.

• Sector Source: Volunteer Involvement — Sector Source is a project of Imagine Canada and the legacy of the Nonprofit Library and Risk Management and Insurance and Liability Resource Centre. The Volunteer Involvement section includes information on volunteer recruitment and management.

• Roles That Volunteer Managers Play — This infographic was created to celebrate International Volunteer Manager's Day 2015.