If you’ve ever managed volunteers, you know volunteer screening can be a surprisingly complex topic. When a nonprofit/voluntary organization decides to take on a volunteer, there are numerous factors to consider:

• What exactly will the volunteer be doing?
• Is this volunteer a good fit for your organization?
• How much time will it take to get them up to speed?
• Are there any red flags that you should be aware of?
• Is this a good use of your time and the volunteer’s time?
• What if something bad happens while they’re volunteering?

And every nonprofit organization is different. They have unique challenges and missions that affect how they approach volunteer screening.

Volunteer Alberta is dedicated to providing resources about volunteer screening that meets nonprofit organizations where they are at. Our upcoming volunteer screening webinar series is a take-what-you-need educational opportunity developed to provide nonprofit/voluntary organizations in Alberta with necessary information about several important topics related to volunteer screening

Please note: Volunteer Alberta does not provide legal advice. This webinar provides some useful information, but you should bring any concerns specific to your organization and work to a legal professional.

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Is a Police Information Check The Only Way?

February 26, 2020 | 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Have you ever asked a volunteer for a police information check? Nonprofit/voluntary organizations in Alberta request police information checks, vulnerable sector checks, and child intervention welfare checks from their volunteers all the time, but not everyone knows why. These checks are a tool to help keep people safe, but are they are the only tool you need?

Help us kick off the first of our seven-part webinar series on volunteer screening by attending Is a Police Information Check the Only Way! In this short webinar, Volunteer Alberta will guide you through:

• The basics of police information checks.
• What they are.
• What information they disclose and where it comes from.
• How you might approach using it (or not using it).
• How to possibly incorporate these checks into your organization’s broader volunteer screening policy.

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Developing Screening Policies and Assessing Risk (co-hosted with The Cooperators)

March 11, 2020 | 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Policies can be a nonprofit/voluntary organization’s best friend or worst enemy, depending on how you develop them. Your organization’s policies can help you prepare for and address difficult or complex situations your organization may face. For organizations working with vulnerable populations, these situations may even be a daily occurrence! Developing comprehensive policies creates a strong foundation for a robust volunteer screening program.

Learn the basics of policy development and understand how to identify potential risks and liabilities as it relates to volunteer screening in the second instalment of our seven-part webinar series.

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Volunteer Position Development

March 25, 2020 | 11:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.

Volunteers are the lifeblood of nonprofit/voluntary organizations, but not every nonprofit/voluntary organization considers what each volunteer is capable of. Volunteers aren’t just an extra set of hands—they are people with skills and history!

It can be challenging to recruit new volunteers and engage current volunteers when a volunteer feels interchangeable. Thoughtfully developed, mutually beneficial volunteer roles and positions can help volunteers feel valued and engaged, while also strengthening your volunteer screening processes.

In the third part of our seven-part webinar series, you will learn how to recognize opportunities for mutual benefit in volunteer positions, while also understanding how volunteer positions factor into your organization’s volunteer screening practices and risk assessment. You will also be introduced to some emerging forms of volunteering such as: family, group and micro volunteering.

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Where To Find Volunteers (co-hosted with Propellus)

April 8, 2020 | 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

One of the top reasons Canadians don’t volunteer is because they don’t know where to find volunteer opportunities. Often, volunteer organizations also don’t know where to find volunteers! A lack of connection between these organizations and their community members can become a significant problem when trying to recruit volunteers.

In the fourth webinar of our seven-part series on volunteer screening, we’ll be diving into how nonprofit/voluntary organizations can find volunteers and connect with people in their communities. In Where to Find Volunteers, learn what platforms and strategies could be used for finding volunteers and the ways you may be able to leverage existing community connections.

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Volunteer Recruitment and Hiring

April 22, 2020 | 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Your organization may know where to find potential volunteers, but how do you get them involved with your work? In the fifth part of our seven-part webinar series on volunteer screening, you will learn how to ask people to volunteer with your organization and communicate the who, what, how, when, and why of a volunteer position to them.

In this session, we will demonstrate how to structure the recruitment and hiring process through the use of application forms, interviews, and reference checks. Whether your recruitment and hiring process is formal and rigid or informal and flexible, we hope this session will give you a better idea of how to create commitment and shared understanding with your volunteers.

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On-boarding and Welcoming Volunteers

May 6, 2020 | 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Nobody likes to show up ready to volunteer, only to end up feeling like they’re not truly helping. When volunteers show up to volunteer, they want to feel like they can perform their work effectively and make an impact.

That’s why it’s so important to give your volunteers the information they need when they show up. It’s vital to guide volunteers into their roles, regardless of the volunteer or position. It’s also crucial for your volunteers to feel like they are welcome and accepted as part of the organization’s team. An active, passionate volunteer is one that feels appreciated.

Join us for the sixth part of our seven-part webinar series on volunteer screening, On-boarding and Welcoming Volunteers. Learn what might be required to get a volunteer ready to work with your organization and how to make them feel prepared for and comfortable with their volunteer position.

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Volunteer (Re)engagement

May 20, 2020 | 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Despite their giving nature, volunteers burn out too. In the same way employees can become overwhelmed or overworked or exhausted, volunteers can become tired of their work. Nonprofits often have a core group of volunteers, and if you lose even one volunteer from that group due to burnout, it can have a substantial impact on the organization.

In the last part of our seven-part webinar series on volunteer screening, we talk about how a robust volunteer screening program can keep your dedicated volunteers engaged and interested. Come and learn how the feedback loop can improve the work of your volunteers and account for change and growth within your core volunteer group.