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Volunteer Management Network

The Volunteer Management Network was established by NORC at the request of ombudsmen wishing to discuss issues related to volunteer management. NORC hosts conference calls, webinars and shares resources related to volunteer management on the NORC website.

Volunteer Management Conference Calls and Webinars

 

Three-Part Volunteer Management Webinar Series: Successful Practices in Volunteer Recruitment, Training, and Retention


NORC hosted a series of three webinars designed to help Ombudsman programs recruit, support, and retain volunteers. These 75-minute webinars included examples from programs across the country and plenty of time for brainstorming and sharing from all participants.

Part I:  Developing a Work Plan to Recruit Volunteers (February 19, 2020)

View the sides as a PowerPoint or PDF.

Speakers: Patty Ducayet, Texas State Ombudsman; Amanda Sedeño, Managing Local Ombudsman, Area Agency on Aging, Concho Valley Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, St. Angelo, TX; Melody L. Elston, MSW, Regional Ombudsman Program Director, Kansas City, MO

Part II: Mentoring and Monitoring Volunteers (March 11, 2020)

View the slides as a PowerPoint or PDF.

Handouts

Speakers:  Mark Miller, DC State Ombudsman; Mary Ann Parker, DC LTCOP Attorney; Genesis A. Cachedon, DC Volunteer Specialist; Joseph Rodrigues, CA State Ombudsman; Carolyn Tenaglia, PA NE Regional Ombudsman

Part III: Retaining Volunteers (April 22, 2020)

View the slides as a PowerPoint or PDF.

Speakers: Dana Gargus, Kitsap WA Regional LTC Ombudsman; Aaron M Riley, Spokane WA Regional LTC Ombudsman; and Carol Scott, Ombudsman Specialist, National Ombudsman Resource Center

Using Technology to Recruit, Train, and Keep Volunteers in the Loop (6/19/2019)


View the slides as a PDF.

This webinar is for Ombudsman programs that work with volunteers. Participants heard successful practices in using technology for recruiting, “on-boarding”, training, and retaining volunteers (e.g., an informative program website, social media, video conferencing, on-demand training, etc.). For example, the speakers talked about strategies for utilizing social media to tell consumer's stories and other appealing content, to attract potential volunteers. Whether you are looking for new ways to recruit or retain volunteers, listen as speakers share how to incorporate technology into many aspects of volunteer management. Speakers include Mitzi E. McFatrich, Executive Director of Kansas Advocates for Better Care; Gregory K. Shelley, Managing Local Ombudsman of the Harris County LTCOP in Houston, Texas; and Betsy McAllister, Florida LTCOP State Training Administrator. 

LTCOP Volunteer Management: Model Materials and Sharing Best Practices (5/31/2017)


This 90-minute webinar is applicable to all staff representatives who recruit, train, and work with volunteer Ombudsman program representatives. The speakers shared the new model volunteer intake and risk management materials (e.g., application form, interview questions, code of ethics, acknowledgement form) and highlighted recruitment ideas.

Speakers include Amity Overall-Laib, Director, National Ombudsman Resource Center; Carol Scott, Ombudsman Specialist, National Ombudsman Resource Center; and Lenè Garrett, Volunteer Recruitment Specialist, Oregon Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.

Handouts

 


Effective Training, Oversight, and Communication: Key Practices to Support Volunteer LTCO and Minimize Risk (5/31/2016)

Our webinar last year discussed risk management related to volunteer recruitment, screening, and initial certification training and this webinar continues the discussion about how risk management applies to every aspect of managing and supporting volunteer long-term care ombudsmen.

This webinar demonstrated how oversight of volunteer activities (e.g., facility visits, complaint investigation, consultation, reporting), continuing education training opportunities, and performance evaluation can reduce risk and improve program consistency, effectiveness, and advocacy. 

Presenters: Mary Ann Parker, Interim State LTCO for the DC LTCOP; Kellie Miller, Volunteer Services Supervisor, WI LTCOP; and Sarah Hinzman, Volunteer Ombudsman Program & AmeriCorps VISTA Project Coordinator, IA LTCOP.

Handouts


Supporting Volunteer LTC Ombudsmen and Minimizing Risk (April 30, 2015 - re-recorded on May 27, 2015)

During this webinar we discuss how risk management applies to every aspect of managing and supporting volunteer long-term care ombudsmen. Presenters provide tips for screening volunteers, identifying and removing risk, and responding to situations when the actions, or inaction, of a volunteer LTCO negatively impacts your program. 

Presenters: Sarah Hinzman, Volunteer Ombudsman Program & Americorps VISTA Project Coordinator, IA LTCOP; Darlene Cray, Volunteer Program Coordinator, NH LTCOP; and Amity Overall-Laib, Manager, LTCO Program & Policy, NORC

During this webinar we discuss how risk management applies to every aspect of managing and supporting volunteer long-term care ombudsmen. Presenters provide tips for screening volunteers, identifying and removing risk, and responding to situations when the actions, or inaction, of a volunteer LTCO negatively impacts your program. 

Presenters: Sarah Hinzman, Volunteer Ombudsman Program & Americorps VISTA Project Coordinator, IA LTCOP; Darlene Cray, Volunteer Program Coordinator, NH LTCOP; and Amity Overall-Laib, Manager, LTCO Program & Policy, NORC

Handouts

Additional Resources (shared during webinar)

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Create the Good Webinar for Long-Term Care Ombudsmen (July 30, 2014)

During this webinar representatives from AARP explain how LTCO can utilize Create the Good to connect with and recruit skilled volunteers. AARP staff provide instructions on how to register and post opportunities, tips for making an appealing post and respond to questions.


Webinar: Modernizing Your Program to Attract and Retain Today’s Volunteer

This webinar provides recruitment, training and retention strategies to help your program attract and retain “today’s” volunteer. In addition to explaining what it means to “modernize” your program, the webinar reviews current volunteer demographics, why volunteers serve, what volunteers want from their experience and how to best utilize their time, skills and expertise.

Representatives from three LTCO programs share their experience regarding a variety of volunteer management practices that help them recruit, train and retain volunteers, including the following:

  • The value of assessing your program and volunteer satisfaction surveys
  • Successful recruitment using traditional approaches and free, online resources
  •  Working with volunteers that are employed full-time
  • How to match a volunteer’s skills, knowledge and experience with their role and responsibilities
  • Creative uses of technology to enhance training and communication

Call Materials

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Webinar: Tips for Successful Volunteer Recruitment

This webinar is for all Ombudsmen responsible for volunteer management and features four presenters from a variety of program structures representing the state, local and volunteer ombudsman perspective. Kathie Gately, State Long-Term Care Ombudsman (AR), Darlene Cray, Volunteer Program Coordinator (NH), Juanita Beale, Volunteer Coordinator, King County (WA) and Diane Bishop, Certified Volunteer Ombudsman (OR) share their successful volunteer recruitment strategies (including online recruitment, creative recruitment advertising, collaboration with other agencies and innovative program materials). In addition to the materials shared by the presenters the webinar resources include a NORC Tip Sheet regarding volunteer program assessment, retention and program expansion.

View the webinar

PowerPoints:

NORC:

Materials from Kathie Gately, State Long-Term Care Ombudsman (AR)

Materials from Darlene Cray, Volunteer Program Coordinator (NH)

Materials from Juanita Beale, Volunteer Coordinator (WA)

Materials from Diane Bishop, Certified Volunteer Ombudsman (OR) 

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Conference Call - Volunteer Evaluations: A Tool for Retention - 12/16/09

This call features Mary Fogh, Washington Regional Ombudsman, and Marie Frey, New York Regional Ombudsman, who are both Volunteer Coordinators as well sharing information about volunteer evaluations. Mary and Marie walk us through the process of the evaluation, share their evaluation tools and give tips for using evaluations to keep good volunteers.

The resources for this call include evaluation tools from multiple programs across the country along with best practice tips and resources for evaluations.

Handouts from Marie Frey, NY

Handouts from Mary Fogh, WA

Additional Resources

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Conference Call - Balancing Volunteer Coordinator and Ombudsman Responsibilities – 6/04/09


Conference Call - Ombudsman Volunteer Recruitment: Focus on Rural Recruitment Strategies – 2/28/07


Conference Call - Retaining Effective Ombudsman Volunteers – 6/20/06

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