'Could do better' – Results of The National Survey of Volunteering Issues 2006
By Vanessa McQuarrie

Volunteering Australia's first national survey of volunteers and organisations that use volunteers indicates that many best practice volunteer management strategies are being adopted. However, many organisations still need to ensure that their volunteers gain all the benefits these strategies have to offer. Areas where organisations could improve their work practices include:

• Volunteer recruitment.
• Job descriptions for volunteer roles.
• Managing relationships between paid staff and volunteers.

1.  Volunteer recruitment
While 97% of organisations surveyed rated recruiting suitable volunteers as an important issue, only 44% of organisations said they had accessed quality information about volunteer recruitment, and 16% said they require more information about volunteer recruitment.

2.  Job descriptions for volunteer roles
The survey found the conceptualisation and communication of volunteer roles and responsibilities need improving since 42% of volunteers stated they did not have clear, written job descriptions for their volunteer roles.

The volunteers without job descriptions were more likely to report feeling unsupported in their work, inadequately trained and without the opportunity to participate in decisions that affect them and their work.

3.  Managing relationships between paid staff and volunteers
Both volunteers and organisations responded similarly to questions about the relationships between paid staff and volunteers, with 28% of respondents reporting confusion, uncertainty or conflict between the two groups.

Most of the volunteers who indicated these feelings elaborated on them in an open-ended question. Their responses can be grouped into the following four broad themes:

1. The skills of volunteers are not recognised and valued as highly as those of paid staff.
2. Confusion between roles – paid and unpaid workers performing the same functions.
3. Resentment towards paid staff and their roles ('we don't want to be managed').
4. Paid staff sometimes feel threatened by skilled, experienced volunteers.

Ninety per cent of the organisations surveyed identified managing the relationships between paid and volunteer staff as an important issue for their organisation. Their responses centred on the following three themes:

1. Power imbalances and struggles between paid staff and volunteers.
2. Uncertainty about whether certain roles within individual organisations should be performed by volunteers or by paid staff.
3. The difficulty of openly addressing these issues within organisations.

The survey also found that 23% of organisations surveyed believed their own organisation had implemented the National Standards for Involving Volunteers in Not for Profit Organisations.  A significant number of other organisations indicated they used the Standards as a reference but have not implemented them yet.

The sound volunteer management practices outlined in Standards include the purchase of public liability and personal accident insurance for volunteers, the maintenance and periodic review of written volunteer policies and appointing managers of volunteers.

While these are positive steps, the survey findings also show that some organisations do not take even basic steps (below) to support their volunteers:

• 20% of volunteers surveyed feel they do not get the information and support they need to perform their roles.
• 16% of volunteers surveyed feel they have not been given enough training to perform their roles.
• 15% of volunteers surveyed said their organisation does not involve them in decisions that affect them and their work.
• 29% of volunteers surveyed cannot claim reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses.

Volunteering Australia will use the survey results to continue advocating for positive public policy outcomes for volunteering and the provision of resources to the volunteering sector.

More information
Read the The National Survey of Volunteering Issues 2006

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