Volunteers are essential to carrying out the mission of so many organizations, supporting not only outreach and programming, but everyday operations. Volunteers are even more valuable in the current economic environment, as rising costs and labor shortages continue to put additional strain on already limited resources.
Thoughtful planning and coordination can help you use volunteers effectively — and that starts in the vetting and onboarding stages. Americans have high expectations for volunteer screening and training, as uncovered in the recent Risk Radar Report – State of Volunteerism in America. This report, recently released by Church Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. (a stock insurer), reveals a distinct disconnect between the public’s desire for rigorous levels of volunteer screening and training, and what volunteers actually experience.