By April Welch, The Mental Clutter Coach
Many schools {and students} are counting down the 2 months left in the academic year. Warmer weather, less scheduled days, vacation time and all around layed back attitudes.
But wait, this is the time of year to keep your head in the game! This is the time to get some serious planning done for next year! {eeek!}
How hard do you think it will be to find all those great volunteers in the summer months???
Now is the time to set initial dates for fall meetings, back to school events, fundraising ideas and who will need to be where ~ when!
Trust me, do it now and you'll have a much more enjoyable summer!
So let's think about this for a minute ... what's on that list? More importantly, how are you going to ensure your volunteers don't get burned out before the school year even begins?
Create an action plan:
Provide current and potential volunteers with plans for next school year.
- How many fundraisers?
- When are Parent-Teacher conferences?
- What special events are planned, like musical performances?
Consider including how many volunteers you'll need for each commitment. Be sure to use VolunteerSpot's online sign up sheets to organize and coordinate efforts. And like I said back in Athletic Plan of Action, listen to your volunteers. If they sound resistant or hesitant, address their concerns right away! If you ignore the volunteer, the volunteer may ignore your requests.
Communicate:
Know when you'll need to contact people, let them know they can expect "an email", "phone call", "packet" around - set a date. Then wish everyone a great summer break! When clear communication is in place everyone can feel as though they are in the loop and rely on the pre-set system to work. When it does work, you get a very involved and committemd community!
Be considerate:
- When someone says No, respect it.
- Don't call their home after traditional business hours.
- DO NOT use their email for personal communications unless they have given you specific permission {no one appreciates the "funny" email from a person they don't know well}.
- Evaluate your action plan and try to spread the overall effort across multiple events or projects.
A little planning this spring will bring a successful back-to-school season next fall!
Are there other things you do in your spring planning as a PTA/O? Share your thoughts or ideas below in the comments or over on our Volunteer Spot Facebook Page.
Keepin' it Tidy,
April
***
April is a Mental Clutter Expert | Mom of 2 boys | Wife to 1 Fireman | Horrible Cook | Loyal Friend | National Public Speaker who gives you permission to be imperfect
For more ideas on how to work with and coordinate your volunteers effectively, see: Avoiding Volunteer Burnout
