Nine Questions to Measure the Strength of the Volunteer - Staff Relationship

Here are nine questions volunteers can ask to help measure the strength of the Volunteer – Staff relationship. If your volunteers answer “yes” for most or all of these questions, congratulations! you have a healthy partnership!

1. Do I know what is expected of me as a volunteer? Are we in agreement about: a) which activities and functions should be done only by the volunteer; and b) those activities and functions that should be done only by staff?
2. Does staff provide me with the materials and support I need to do my work well?
3. Does staff understand and appreciate the priorities of the volunteer?
4. Do I receive recognition or praise from staff for doing good work?
5. Does the staff at staff seem to care about me as a person? Even better, do I have a friend among staff?
6. Is there someone on staff who encourages me, either to take on a new challenge or to learn from a failure?
7. Does my opinion count among staff?
8. Does staff believe the work of the volunteers to be important? Do they make me feel important?
9. In the last few months, has someone called to see how things are going and whether I have made progress towards meeting my goals?

Related article: Nine Questions to Measure the Strength of the HQ - Chapter Relationship