Nurturing a Pipeline of Volunteer Talent – A Strategic, Data-Driven Approach

Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) are the lifeblood of any certification organization. Without the lived experience of what is required to be a certified professional in the role, we would not be able to create programs that are valid and relevant. However, as recent research from ASAE illustrates, our approach to working with volunteers requires us to adapt our systems to reflect a more holistic definition of professional volunteerism. While the NCCA Standards are the starting point for building the framework for a volunteer program, including qualifications and representativeness, there are other factors that greatly influence the performance of a volunteer group, or the satisfaction derived from the volunteer experience. An understanding of how quality programs are developed, or the value of a strong volunteer-staff partnership can provide aspiring volunteer leaders great insight into how the work of the organization is done. Even more importantly, a group that has been exposed to learning on topics such as self-awareness, effective group engagement and the value of a growth mindset can result in volunteer service that is more fulfilling, productive, and meaningful. This session will describe how to build a robust dataset that allows us to connect the right people with the right work so that all stakeholders realize a return on the investment of time and talent that are the bedrock of our programs. More broadly, this session will discuss how to build a trajectory of volunteer engagement that supports development of the knowledge, skills and leadership competencies that result in an engaged and motivated volunteer workforce.