Volunteer Operations Manual 2014

1. Volunteer Operations Manual 2014 The First Tee

2. Table of Contents • Introduction to the Volunteer Operations Manual • Creating a Volunteer Handbook • The 7 “R’s” to a Vibrant Volunteer Program Reasons Roles/ Responsibilities Recruit Ready Review Reward / Recognize Retain • Economic Impact • Quotes • Volunteers by the Numbers • Volunteer Match • Steps in Supervising Volunteers • Special Thanks

3. Introduction to the Volunteer Operations Manual The First Tee has launched Phase IV, its newest six year strategic direction on January 1, 2011. The First Tee’s vision in Phase IV is: To impact communities, by positively influencing behaviors of young people and inspiring adults to mentor, coach, volunteer and invest financially in an additional ten million young people by 2017. The Phase IV Strategic Plan is designed to make The First Tee a greater force for good in society with ever-increasing relevancy in thousands of communities across America and around the world. Through participation in the lifelong sport of golf and exposure to its inherently positive values, young people will stay in school, lead a healthy lifestyle and be prepared for success in life. Phase IV is very comprehensive, requiring chapters and the home office to work together on setting and reaching goals. Many of the goals are quantitative while others are qualitative. Our Phase IV education programs will be built around achieving success through information sharing within the network. One area of focus is to grow the volunteer base that supports the network. In the world of golf and non profits, volunteers are an important component of a productive organization. An established and stable volunteer base helps to ensure donor contributions have the most impact in reaching the mission and vision of The First Tee.  Golf has distinguished itself as an industry that knows how to utilize a workforce of volunteers to the benefit of charities.

4. Introduction to the Volunteer Operations Manual In a survey conducted the end of 2013, the network recorded 17,091 volunteers including Board members.  In fact the number of volunteers has grown every year from 2009-2013.  A key goal in Phase IV is for the network to have more than twice the number of volunteers in Phase III. The Volunteer Operations Manual is designed to assist chapters with their programs to recruit, grow, and retain volunteers.  It is presented in a bulleted format so that it can be easily read and digested.  This format also allows the material to be taught as a call-in or live class. Thanks to the contributions of the chapters, numerous documents will be available under the Chapter Management tab on the private side of The First Tee website under Volunteer Management.  These documents can be adapted to your chapter and implemented quickly with minimal effort. The Phase IV success of chapters, with respect to volunteers and any other objective, will be tied to the leadership of the chapter.  Board members and Executives must adopt and embrace volunteerism.  The energy, talents, and involvement of volunteers are important to increasing your community awareness and donor growth.  The ultimate beneficiary will be the young people in your service area.        

5. Why are volunteer handbooks important? • Set the stage for Volunteer Engagement • Help volunteers and paid staff understand how they work together • Share your philosophy and goals • Ensure your volunteers and paid staff are working towards your mission • Update your handbook as policies and procedures change • Include information on the organization • Mission • Vision • Values • Philosophy of volunteer engagement • Welcome letter, history of organization • Information on young people served • Programs and funding • Organization chart • Staff and Board Directory • Benefits of volunteering Source: Volunteermatch.org

6. Why are volunteer handbooks important? • Treat the handbook as a living document • Keep paid and volunteer staff engaged with ongoing updates or change • Use it to create orientations, position descriptions and trainings • Modify sections for different programs/needs Source: Volunteermatch.org

7. The 7 “R”s to a Vibrant Volunteer Program Reasons Roles/Responsibilities Recruit Ready Review Reward/Recognize Retain

8. Reasons • Why does your chapter need volunteers? • Without the help of volunteers, The First Tee could not achieve its mission as cost effectively • Extend fundraising and public awareness into the community by enlisting the support of volunteers • Partnership opportunities improve when volunteers are utilized • How does your chapter generate enthusiasm and interest to inspire volunteers? • Share participant success stories • Obtain positive testimonials from your current volunteers • Publicize key accomplishments of your chapter • How can volunteers help your chapter accomplish more? • Capitalize on the leadership, communication and social skill improvement of volunteers • Ask your volunteers make recommendations for improving your chapter • Realize volunteer contribution is only limited by your ability to create an appropriate management structure • Frequently revisit how your volunteers can be most effectively and efficiently used

9. Roles & Responsibilities • What will your volunteers do? • Identify departments that need volunteer support • Create specific volunteer descriptions • Understand no job is too big or too small to have a volunteer take on • Do your volunteer job descriptions match individual skill sets? • Volunteers seek openness and interpersonal relationships in their work • Conduct an informative interview with your volunteers to gain a sense of their strengths and interests • Recruit professionals to do pro-bono work for your chapter (e.g., legal, finance, accounting, PR) • What organizational skills will contribute to your chapter’s success in volunteer management? • Volunteers have strong desire to add value and see results • Specify skill sets needed (communication and interpersonal skills)

10. Recruit • How do you recruit volunteers? • Sell the experience of changing lives, giving back to the community, playing golf, etc. • Vary recruiting tactics to match different “motivations” of the volunteer • Make it known to community that your chapter embraces volunteerism through email, print, social media, etc. • Keep your website current and up to date with the latest volunteer information • Monitor your attrition rates and recruit accordingly • Review the list on the next slide of ways to recruit volunteers. How many does your chapter currently perform? • Are you effectively generating a list of prospective volunteer groups? • Parents (already interested and involved in the program) • Teens (Volunteer/peer mentor training enhances life skills experience by giving back) • Alumni (Huge pool to get volunteers from and can help your younger participants in supervised practice and play, events, tutoring, certification preparation, etc) • Current Volunteers (Best source for future volunteers and also can recruit from their own personal contacts who may also enjoy being an advocate of the program)

11. Example Areas to Recruit Volunteers • Colleges • PGA & LPGA • University Sports Teams • Elementary, Middle and High Schools • Greek Life • Interact Club • Key Club • Your Chapter’s Maintenance Staff • Young Professional Organization • Community Service Organization • Parents • Volunteermatch.org • PTO • Local Gyms • Local golf facilities/leagues • Government officials • Military Bases • Rotary, Junior League, etc • Local Police/Fire Departments • Other HR Departments of local businesses • Hold Open House

12. Ready • Is your application process clear and concise? • Include policy and procedure section for volunteers • Require a background check • Ensure a policy is in place as to how your chapter handles personal information • Have your new volunteers completed the Risk Management E-Learning Course? • E-Learning Risk Management Course Link • How do you orient and train your volunteers? • Offer specific training for different roles • Have volunteers shadow a paid staff employee or an experienced volunteer • Provide volunteers with an orientation and tour of facility or office • Explain a broad picture of how volunteers are utilized • Allow paid staff to set the direction and be a source of information to the volunteers • Establish steps to take in an emergency situation

13. Review • How frequent are the volunteers receiving feedback? • Identify preferred method of receiving feedback from the volunteer • Ask volunteers how frequently they would like to receive feedback • Engage new volunteers in frequent dialogue and feedback • Are you providing your volunteers with Good-Better-How feedback? • Use for self monitoring and providing feedback • Creates environment that fosters long-term solutions rather than a short-term fix • Are your volunteers giving feedback about The First Tee as an organization? • Emphasize and create awareness of what the volunteers are doing “right” • Seek opportunities to encourage and reinforce learning • Frequency of feedback important to provide in beginning of position • Follow up with volunteers at the end of each session • Give volunteer a sense of belonging to organization • Take the Ask-Listen-Respond approach

14. Reward & Recognize • How do you reward your volunteers? • Focus on intrinsic rewards for helping participants and the community • Define reward/recognitions programs • Review the list on the next slide of ways to reward volunteers. How many does your chapter do? • Have you asked your volunteers how they have benefited by becoming a volunteer at your chapter? • Hold collaborative sessions with volunteers

15. Suggestion box • Reimburse assignment - related expense • Acknowledge birthday • Personal connection • Promote Volunteer of the Month • Provide “Pre-Service” training • Create pleasant and stable work environment • Create partnership with paid staff • Thank you notes • Send letter of appreciation • Send holiday cards • Surprise with lunch or coffee • Staff /volunteer appreciation day, supply food • Treat to local sporting game tickets • Set aside an afternoon and hold a mini golf tournament • Accept individuality • Color code name tags to indicate volunteer achievement • Enable growth on the job • Provide an opportunity for conference and evaluation • Encourage and recognize volunteers who are pursuing continuing education • Swap a task with your volunteer for the day • Recommend to potential employer • Smile and say THANK YOU Example ways to Reward your Volunteers

16. Retain • How do you keep your volunteers coming back? • Thank them periodically and praise performance • Acknowledge longer-tenured volunteers • Know the reasons why volunteers leave organizations • Do your staff and board realize retention is an outcome, not a task? • Make retention as simple as asking the volunteer to return • Realize that the result of accumulating actions such as continuous thanks and constant recognition is necessary for solid volunteer management • Do your volunteers have an opportunity for cross training? • Match skill sets and inquire about personal goals and skills desired • Offer frequent training sessions to foster continuous learning

17. Economic Value As you strive to reach your Phase IV goals, the effective use of volunteers will become more important than ever. Let’s take a look at the potential effect that utilizing volunteers can have on the bottom line. Example 1: Programming Volunteer – If you have an individual volunteer for one class, for an eight week session, you could potentially save: Example 2:  Administrative Volunteer – Many parents bring their children to programming and then sit in the clubhouse and wait for them. They can be utilized during this time to assist with administrative work. Some chapters utilize hundreds of volunteers, their economic return is well into the tens of thousands of dollars.

18. Quotes Roger Dauzat, recipient of the 2011 Shell Oil Company George H.W. Bush Volunteer of the Year Award • "...no experience (of volunteering) has been so fun, so rewarding, and so satisfying ..." • "...personal surprises have been astounding to me." • "... relationships with local youth and parents are very special." • "The First Tee brought me many unexpected rewards."  • "Relationships across the network and with the home office staff ... are very special to me." • "I awake looking for better ways to communicate life principles and life skills ..."

19. Volunteering by the Numbers Average Statistics from within the United States 2012: • 64.5 million volunteers • 26.5% of US residents volunteer • 7.9 billion hours total of volunteer work • 32.4 hours per year per resident • The national volunteer rate was 26.8% in 2012 Volunteering of Parents within the United States 2012: • In 2012, 22.7 million parents dedicated 2.5 million hours of service • 33.7% of parents volunteered in 2012 • Schools or other youth serving organizations are the most popular places for parents to volunteers • Working mothers are a key part of volunteering parents, as nearly four in ten (38%) volunteered • Parents between the ages of 26 and 50 with school aged children volunteered at a significantly higher rate than non-parents in that age range • Nine out of 10 parents (90.4%) expressed some or a great deal of confidence in their public schools • Schools or other youth service organizations are the most popular places for parents to volunteer Top Five States for Highest Volunteer Rates: Utah, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota Top Five Large States For Parent Volunteers: Utah, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin Source: VolunteeringinAmerica.gov

20. VolunteerMatch.org is a website that strengthens communities by making it easier for good people and good causes to connect. The organization offers a variety of online services to support a community of nonprofit, volunteer and business leaders committed to civic engagement. Volunteer Match attracts millions of visitors a year, and has become the preferred internet recruiting tool for more than 79,000 nonprofit organizations. Using their services, your chapter can produce an effortless recruiting tool to increase the number of volunteers at your chapter. The First Tee of Greater Kansas City uses Volunteer Match, here is an example of their post for a Programming Volunteer: The First Tee of Greater Kansas City - Programming Volunteer The overarching quality that any good volunteer has is a great attitude, someone who wants to be there, smiles easily and shows up when asked and stays until scheduled. Additionally a volunteer has to recognize that they are part of a team that helps young people learn to live by our Nine Core Values™ of honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy, and judgment. An exemplary volunteer will display consistency in their demeanor and interactions with PLAYers (participants), parents, guardians, coaches, chapter office and facility staff. Visit www.VolunteerMatch.org to start recruiting your volunteers!

21. Steps in Supervising Volunteers • Step 3 • Ensure that volunteers feel rewarded and recognized • Focus on intrinsic rewards for helping participants and the community • Define reward recognition programs • Hold collaborative sessions with volunteers to learn how they would like to be rewarded Step 1 • Define and communicate clear expectations • Convey chapter policies, procedures and operations • Relay The First Tee’s Responsibility toward them Step 2 • Guide and support volunteers by Instructions, Direction, G-B-H, Correction, Information & Freedom • Convey chapter policies, procedures and operations • Provide resources they need to perform their functions to foster continuous learning

22. Special Thanks Leading Resources: The First Tee of Akron The First Tee of Aiken The First Tee of Greater Houston The First Tee of Greater Seattle The First Tee of Kansas City The First Tee of Metropolitan New York The First Tee of Monterey County The First Tee of Nashville The First Tee of Northern Nevada The First Tee of Greater Saint Louis The First Tee of Phoenix Peter Ryan, The First Tee Consultant Volunteermatch.org VolunteeringinAmerica.gov If you have any questions regarding the manual or would like to submit a supporting document from your chapter, please contact Michelle McGriff mmcgriff@thefirsttee.org