Volunteer Management How to Get, Keep and Release Volunteers

1. Volunteer ManagementHow to Get, Keep and Release Volunteers Rachel Avilla Wildlife Rehabilitation Volunteer Manager Lindsay Wildlife Museum

2. About Me • Graduated from Saint Mary’s College with a B.S. in Environmental Sciences • Wildlife Rehabilitation 11 years • Started as an Intern at Santa Rosa Bird Rescue • Intern and volunteer at Lindsay Wildlife Museum • Staff at Lindsay Wildlife Museum for 8 years

3. More About Me • Six years volunteer manager at Lindsay Wildlife Museum • Specialize in Volunteer Management, Swifts and Passerine Care particularly House Finches and Corvids

4. About Lindsay Wildlife Museum • Officially established rehabilitation hospital in 1970’s • In 1980’s 10,000 animals a year • 1990’s • new building • introduced species policy • 8,000 animals a year • developed the current training system • Currently Museum Wide • 500+ volunteers • 80,000 hours of volunteer service each year • 20,000 students a year • 75,000 visitors a year • Rehabilitation Hospital • 350 rehabilitation volunteers • Average of 5400 native animals a year • 10’s of thousands of phone calls a year

5. Why Volunteer Management? • Without volunteers wildlife rehabilitation would not exist (no $$$$$) • Quality care requires well trained, managed and dedicated volunteers • Volunteers are a facilities greatest resource

6. Most Important Points to Remember • Be honest • Training • Structure • Easy, simple and clear information • Acknowledgementand appreciation • Volunteers can do volunteer management • Volunteering is a privilege, not a favor

7. Recruitment Who • People that bring in animals • Local medical facilities, Nurses!!! • Local retirement communities • Other local animal rescue organizations • Community Service (schools and courts)

8. Recruitment How Fliers Local volunteer centers Website! Word of mouth Easily accessible information Effort

9. Training • Must have a pre-training program • Better the training • better the volunteers • Longer the training → more committed the volunteers • More organized the training → more comfortable the volunteers • More prepared the volunteer → happier the volunteer Happy Volunteer = Better Animal Care

10. Pre-Training • Mandatory Introduction Class • This is what you are getting yourself into • Laundry, dishes, poop and food prep… Any ?’s • Beginning Volunteer Training • Charge small fee for class • This is what you need to know before volunteering

11. Pre-training Priorities • Health and Safety • Rules and Regulations • Basic Anatomy and Physiology • Handling • Basic bird and or mammal care • What ever your facility specializes in

12. Pre-Training Tips • No more that 2 hours • Lectures and Labs combined in 2 hours • Lots of cool pictures in presentations • Handouts to compliment training • Homework • Videos of class • Bring in animals halfway through training • No preferential treatment

13. Lindsay Wildlife Museum’s Method • Introduction to Wildlife Class 3 times a year in Oct. and Jan., charge $65 for class • Core Curriculum Training Program 1 time a year Feb.-Mar. • There are 7, two hour classes totaling 14 hours of pre-training. • Provide 3 different sections to maximize flexibility in schedules for new volunteers • Been doing it this way for 25 years, it works!

14. Continuing Education • Natural History and Care of Species • Advanced handling and restraint classes • Medications • Nutrition • Husbandry and enrichment • Releases • Rescue training • Be creative and use your strengths Have a system of what new volunteers can do and what they can achieve with time Without potential for advancement… What’s the point?

15. On-shift Trainings • Laundry • Dishes • Cage Cleaning • Enclosure set-ups • Medications • Diet preparation • Pool cleaning • Almost all skills Make sure all volunteers are on the same page for all house keeping needs

16. Volunteer Maintenance • Avoid Burnouts • Shift Unity • Shift Structure • Special Opportunities • Recognition of Years Volunteering • Keep Updated and Involved • Appreciation Events

17. Lindsay Wildlife Museum’s Method • Short frequent shifts • Shift leadersand mentors on every shift • Before and end of season meetings • Involve them when something cool is happening • Check up on them and get to know them

18. Release of Volunteers They Leave Because We Release Because Blatant disregard of policies or protocols Inappropriate injury to themselves, an animal or another volunteer Inappropriate interaction with another volunteer or staff. • Life happens • Bored • Not a good fit • Confusion and frustration • Lack of supervision • Staff or other volunteers

19. Before Our Volunteers Start • Committed to 9 meetings • A grand total of 18 hours of training • Completed all necessary paperwork They are worthy of becoming a volunteer Volunteering is a privilege, not a favor

20. Other Requirements • Yearly membership • Minimum hour completion • Continuing education There should be requirements for maintaining an active volunteer status

21. Thank You