Critical Issues in Volunteer Management: VPA-UNO’s Approach to Assessment and Solutions
Advisor Information
Lisa; Joseph Scherer; Allen
Location
UNO Criss Library, Room 231
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Start Date
7-3-2014 2:00 PM
End Date
7-3-2014 2:15 PM
Abstract
There is no denying the importance of volunteers. In 2012, 64.5 million volunteers contributed 7.9 billion hours of service, which translates into a monetary value of 175 billion dollars (Corporation for National and Community Service, 2013). Despite the large impact volunteers have, non-profit organizations are struggling to retain their volunteers. Indeed, more than one-third of volunteers who participate in service one year do not do so the next (Eisner, Grimm, Maynard, & Washburn, 2009). The University of Nebraska-Omaha Volunteer Program Assessment (VPA-UNO) has been specifically designed to address the challenges that non-profit organizations are facing. UNO Industrial/Organizational Psychology faculty and students collect data and consult with community agencies to assess the experiences of volunteers in order to ultimately improve volunteer satisfaction, performance and retention. The five VPA branches around the country collaborate to create a VPA Norms Report every year. Organizational data from clients we work with are compiled in order to determine national industry norms. We utilize the VPA Norms Report in order to better inform organizations of how they compare to the average non-profit and to identify their strengths and growth areas. Using the VPA Norms Report, we can also identify the overall strengths and growth areas across the volunteer industry. We will present the top three strengths and growth areas as identified by the VPA Norms Report. In addition, we will provide evidence-based best practices recommended to address the growth areas (VPA-USA, 2012).
Critical Issues in Volunteer Management: VPA-UNO’s Approach to Assessment and Solutions
UNO Criss Library, Room 231
There is no denying the importance of volunteers. In 2012, 64.5 million volunteers contributed 7.9 billion hours of service, which translates into a monetary value of 175 billion dollars (Corporation for National and Community Service, 2013). Despite the large impact volunteers have, non-profit organizations are struggling to retain their volunteers. Indeed, more than one-third of volunteers who participate in service one year do not do so the next (Eisner, Grimm, Maynard, & Washburn, 2009). The University of Nebraska-Omaha Volunteer Program Assessment (VPA-UNO) has been specifically designed to address the challenges that non-profit organizations are facing. UNO Industrial/Organizational Psychology faculty and students collect data and consult with community agencies to assess the experiences of volunteers in order to ultimately improve volunteer satisfaction, performance and retention. The five VPA branches around the country collaborate to create a VPA Norms Report every year. Organizational data from clients we work with are compiled in order to determine national industry norms. We utilize the VPA Norms Report in order to better inform organizations of how they compare to the average non-profit and to identify their strengths and growth areas. Using the VPA Norms Report, we can also identify the overall strengths and growth areas across the volunteer industry. We will present the top three strengths and growth areas as identified by the VPA Norms Report. In addition, we will provide evidence-based best practices recommended to address the growth areas (VPA-USA, 2012).