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   -Metrics and Dashboards
   -Role Descriptions
   -Coaching Roadmaps
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-Mentor Recruitment
-Mentor Development
-Mentor Retention
-New Program Startup Checklist
-Blogs About Mentoring
-Why Mentor

Mentor for Purpose
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Volunteer Solutions
For Individuals:
-Volunteer Mentoring
-Development Playbook
-Link Skilled Volunteers
-Lead Volunteers
-Skill-Based Volunteerism
-Retire with Purpose
-Blogs About Volunteering

For Organizations:
-Volunteer Vision
-Best Practices
-Metrics and Dashboard
-Volunteer Mgt Processes
-Strategic Volunteer Mgt
-Other Resources

Life Skills
-Life Skills Wiki
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-250 Words Blog

Organizational Capacity
-High-Capacity Non-Profits
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-Operational Excellence
-Volunteer Programming
-Talent Management
-Managing Work as a Process

Social Media
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-GCMLA Facebook Group
-Work with Purpose on LinkedIn

 

Mentor Retention

This page outlines ideas to retain volunteer mentors (and volunteers in general).

Volunteer mentors are a particular type of volunteer, those in which you make an investment to deliver an impact directly to your clients (mentees).  You want to maximize your investment because it takes significant time and effort.  Imagine what your client impact might be if most of your volunteers stayed year-after-year.

Volunteer Management Best Practices

Following the Volunteer Management Best Practices delivers many good outcomes but in particular it delivers “retention”. Retention starts with recruiting and screening and must be built in various volunteer management processes.  Here are some of the tactics you might consider:

  • Provide a voice in planning.  Establish a Volunteer Committee focused on continual improvement.  Consider a Lead Volunteer to lead this ongoing committee.
  • Communicate regularly through newsletters, social media, bulletin boards and in-person meetings.
  • Connect regularly and personally (monthly or at least bimonthly).  This could be done by the Volunteer Coordinator or Supervisor, through a personal 1:1, a phone call, an e-mail or text.  Consider the following:
    • Simple surveys (ask “how is your experience” on a scale of 1-10).
    • Ask specifically what is going well and what could be going better.
    • Ask if there is anything they would like support for.
    • Ask their ideas for improving the volunteer experience.
    • Encourage persistence and resilience if the mentor-mentee relationship not evolving as quickly as they would hope.
  • Identify key metrics (see below).  “You get what you measure” is an important organization design principle.
  • Prepare them with skills.  Volunteers want to do a good job but some have never been mentors before.  Confidence grows with experience and skill-building.
  • Create a welcoming environment.
    • New volunteers are personally welcomed on the 1st day and ongoing.
    • Staff members know the volunteers by name (consider name tags).
    • Facility access is easy. There is a place to relax when not actually volunteering.
  • Provide a process to raise concerns.  You don’t want lose volunteers for the wrong reasons.
  • Demonstrate appreciation through formal and informal feedback and “thank you’s”.  Consider an annual recognition ceremony.
  • Support volunteer goal achievement.  Ask volunteers why they are volunteering and seek input on personal goals.   Some want to learn; some are there for the social connection and some want to achieve an outcome.  Every volunteer has a “love language”.
  • Care about your volunteers.  Treat them as employees (or better).

Suggested Metrics

Consider tracking these metrics and reporting them on the Executive Dashboard.

  • Length of service (months)
  • Participation (involvement in projects, new ideas, surveys)

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