Providing guidelines for inexperienced volunteers
Abstract
Some volunteers may have little experience in the professional world and giving them basic standards to follow increases the likelihood of successful volunteer service at their site. This effective practice offers guidelines that were developed by the City of Service Consortium Higher Education Service-Learning project and were shared on the HE-SL (service-learning) e-mail discussion list hosted by the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse, in October 2002, by Jeff Woods, JUMP Coordinator, Sonoma State University.Issue
Providing guidelines for volunteers to assist them in having a meaningful and productive volunteer experience.Action
According to the City of Service Consortium Higher Education Service-Learning project, guidelines to provide volunteers who serve at referral sites are as follows:
1. When in Doubt, Ask for Help
Your site supervisor understands the issues at your site and you are encouraged to approach him/her with problems or questions as they arise. They can assist you in determining the best way to respond in difficult or uncomfortable situations.
2. Be Punctual and Responsible
Although you are volunteering your time, you are participating in the organization as a reliable, trustworthy and contributing member of the team. Both your supervisor and the clients whom you serve rely on your punctuality and commitment to completing your service hours over the entire course of the semester.
3. Call if You Anticipate Lateness or Absence
Call your supervisor if you are unable to come in or of you anticipate being late. Again, the site will come to depend on your contributed services and will be at a loss if you fail to come in as scheduled. Be mindful of their needs.
4. Respect the Privacy of All Clients
If you are privy to confidential information with regard to the persons with whom you are working, i.e., organizational files, diagnostics, or personal stories, it is vital that you treat it as privileged information.
5. Be Appropriate
You are in a work situation and are expected to treat your supervisor, co-worker(s) and clients with courtesy and kindness. Dress comfortably, neatly, and appropriately.
6. Be Flexible
The level or the intensity of the activity at a service site is not always predictable. Your flexibility to changing situations can assist the operation to run smoothly and produce positive outcomes for everyone involved.
On the other hand....
NEVER report to your service site under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
NEVER give or loan a client money or personal belongings.
NEVER give a client your address or telephone number.
NEVER make promises or commitments to a client you cannot keep.
NEVER give a client or agency representative a ride in a personal vehicle.
NEVER tolerate verbal exchange of a sexual nature or engage in behavior that might be perceived as sexual with a client or agency representative.
Use common sense and conduct yourself in a professional manner at all times. Every site has its own rules, policies, procedures, protocols and expectations for which you are responsible. Familiarize yourself with the workings of the organization. This will contribute to the success of your volunteer experience.
Context
These guidelines for volunteers were developed by the City of Service Higher Education Consortium in 1996, and were distributed by the Office of Community Service-Learning, the San Francisco Urban Institute.
The San Francisco Urban Institute is a non-profit research and action project of San Francisco State University whose purpose is to bring together resources from both the university and the community to address the most critical issues of San Francisco and the Bay Area. The San Francisco Institute designs and develops interactive programs, community collaborations, and campus affiliations that facilitate an intellectual exchange of information and ideas among Bay Area school districts, labor unions, businesses, and local, state, and federal agencies.
The Office of Community Service and Learning, as part of the San Francisco Urban Institute's efforts to build university/community partnerships, is responsible for coordinating and promoting campus efforts to incorporate community service-learning into the general education curriculum at San Francisco State University. The office provides both a link and support to faculty, students, and community agencies involved in community service-learning.
Posted On
November 11, 2002For More Information
Related Practices
Related sites
National Service-Learning Clearinghouse