Break-out #1 : Cultivating volunteer leadership
Notes from Sandy Frost
All are leaders, being provided the opportunity to take responsibility. Engaged and effective volunteers eliminates the need for micro-management.
Opportunity for volunteers of any age to realize potential to do good. Engagement is useful either short-term or long-term.
To develop leaders, time must be spent with volunteers.
Recognize their motivations. The effort is not only for the harvest. It is for building community and doing the hard work. Get to know the volunteers and harvest leaders, spare time, motivations for volunteering.
Communication by email or phone call.
Advance scouting of the trees and site. To aid volunteer leaders to prepare equipment and crew.
Offer sign-ups or slots for picking on-line.
Volunteer Spot, Volunteer Match, to list who is needed, what roles, general information: to bring any equipment; always bring sunscreen, hats, water. Describe what is needed for the crop, for new volunteers.
Pick and distribute nearby. Hold park space events. Hand out bags of produce.
To start in neighborhoods:
• Storage of materials
• Clean-up of tools for next use.
• Records of weight and distribution.
• Signing off service letters.
Create a steering committee. Glean SLO has website information.
? farmer connection for road trips. Student gleaners participate as if this were a field trip. Release of liability and signature of parental permission. Responsible adult chaperones (parents, teachers, etc)
Volunteer Match offers free webinars about building volunteer buy-in and loyalty. Wiki offers team-building exercises to make the work fun and keep volunteers connected (particularly youth volunteers for community service hours). Confidence and skill building.
Increasing satisfaction in volunteering. Appreciation
Search for field safety, food safety, harvesting technique, plant protection when harvesting.
Homeowner has insurance for persons on property. Waiver for hold harmless.
Building a manual for process. ? Tracking harvests, pounds