Volunteering
Being clear about what’s involved when you volunteer
Too often potential volunteers are hoodwinked into volunteering without knowing what’s really involved. This is neither good for them or for you. A clear, written role description can be a first step to getting people involved by being clear what you want at the outset.
Have you ever agreed to get involved with something locally, and only realised subsequently that you’re not quite sure what you’ve let yourself in for? Perhaps you’ve been asked if you can just give a little help with the Christmas pantomime, imagining you’ll be serving mulled wine in the interval, only to find you’re constructing and painting the props or sewing together Widow Twanky’s pinafore.
No doubt what lies behind this is a certain cagey-ness when we ask for volunteer help. We assume our prospective volunteer will be reluctant, and so we try to get a foothold in the door. “It’s really nothing”, “It’s just about turning up for a few meetings a year”, “We just need someone to keep things ticking over”. How different this is from the world of paid work where every effort is made to talk up the job and make it seem far more interesting than it actually is
Perhaps there are two possible causes for our cagey-ness. It could stem from a fear that the right person will not want to do the job if they know all that it entails. If this is the case, it is rather a twisted logic to follow. Rather than try to persuade someone that they have a lot to offer and could put their time and skills to great effect in support of our work, we tend to suggest that they probably can’t offer much, but could put it to minimal effect if they didn’t have anything better to do. An alternative explanation is that we ourselves are unsure about what is involved and don’t really know what we’re asking for. If this is the case, it doesn’t bode well.
Being clear on who does what is evidently good practice for the smooth-running of any operation. But in addition, spending some time to define volunteer roles carefully can help greatly with what we might call “volunteer recruitment” by creating the right impression. It shows that our group is organised and knows what each part does. It demonstrates that we value people’s time by being clear about the commitment involved upfront. It helps to clarify expectations so that people don’t gain a false impression of what is being asked of them.
In addition to stating what needs to be done, defining volunteer roles also gives the opportunity to state some other relevant bits and pieces that potential volunteers could welcome. A role description that lists the purpose of the role, the main duties, the skills and time needed, and the support available can be both an excellent first step in the recruitment process, and also an invaluable cross-reference for all other volunteers in the team. All of this takes some time and thought, but perhaps it can be seen as a necessary investment.
Of course, not every volunteer role needs a written role description - it is unlikely that you will need one for each member of your team of envelope-stuffers – but many of the roles taken on or around the committee could benefit as could the widely repeated roles you may have such as walk leader, or parish footpath monitor.
Two words of caution: First, do remember that a role description is a live document that will need reviewing from time to time – especially if the role is ultimately tailored around an individual. Second, watch out for jargon. The final stage in writing any role description should be to show it to friends who are in no way involved with the Ramblers. If they can understand what’s involved, you’re likely to have done a great job.
Generic role descriptions for the
committee roles in Areas and Groups are available on this website. You
can also access a blank template if you're thinking of reviewing your
own Group or Area roles