Effective volunteer engagement is a critical component of every successful volunteer monitoring program. When done well, volunteers feel fulfilled and programs are able to function efficiently. The key for program leaders and staff is to understand that volunteer engagement is a two way street; rather than “using” volunteers to meet programmatic goals, programs that identify both rights and responsibilities for their volunteers, and work diligently to ensure those are carried out, can attract and keep and the best volunteers for the jobs that need to be done. In this webinar, we will share best practices for volunteer recruitment, retention and engagement over time, referencing techniques used by a variety of volunteer monitoring and volunteer-driven organizations with decades of experience, and citing examples from our own experiences.
Presenters: Elizabeth Herron, URI, Kris Stepenuck, UVM
Moderator: Julie Vastine, Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM)