Volunteer Program Management Certificate (In-Person)

Are you feeling overwhelmed or lost with the day-to-day operations of your volunteer program? Have you recently been tasked with building a successful volunteer base for your agency? Running a successful volunteer program requires implementing smart management systems and procedures. This certificate will cover best practices and common pitfalls for building a volunteer program and managing those volunteers.

To complete the Volunteer Program Management Certificate, complete the three core workshops and the follow-up virtual group coaching session. (Participants who do not attend the group coaching session will need to attend an additional CNE workshop to complete their certificate.)

To sign up, register for Part 1 and you will automatically be enrolled in the three core workshops and the virtual group coaching session.

Part 1: Planning and Recruitment (In-Person) - 1/28/2025, 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM 

This interactive session will go over key skills you need to know to evaluate where your volunteer program currently stands, and how to make a map to where you want to go. You’ll learn to get buy-in from key stakeholders and how to create strong volunteer position descriptions. We’ll also discuss why having policies and procedures in writing is critical before getting started. 

Learning Objectives:  

•    Evaluate your current volunteer program and create a road map of where you want to go 
•    Learn to create buy-in from key stakeholders in your organization 
•    Create strong volunteer position descriptions and consider other policies and procedures 

Part 2: Orientation and Supervision (In-Person) - 2/11/2025, 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM 

The second session will delve deep into an impact-based approach to recruiting volunteers and how to write a persuasive ad. We’ll also explore why orientation is a critical piece of managing volunteers, and brainstorm ways to succinctly describe your organizational value proposition and what format works best. 

Learning Objectives: 

•    Effectively recruit volunteers 
•    Understand why volunteer orientation is crucial for success 
•    Create an impactful elevator pitch 

Part 3: Evaluation and Recognition (In-Person) - 2/25/2025, 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM 

Part 3 focuses on the last pieces of the volunteer cycle. From creating training that works for every type of learner to developing an overarching system for recognizing volunteers, each component is a chance to retain volunteers. Why is that important? Volunteers are your fan club, your advocates, your donors, and your organization's friends. Build an excellent program to keep them coming back!  

Learning Objectives: 

•    Create a training outline that works for various types of learners 
•    Develop or systematize your volunteer recognition system  
•    Request feedback from volunteers  
•    Retain the volunteers you’ve worked so hard to recruit  

Part 4: VPM Group Coaching Session (Zoom) – 3/11/2025,  1:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Management Certificate candidates to review what they have learned and discuss strategies to incorporate the concepts shared into their organization’s volunteer program. 

(*CNEMT reserves the right to move in-person workshops to Zoom or an alternate location if public health conditions or other logistical considerations warrant.)

Note: This workshop can be used as an elective for all CNEMT Certificate programs requiring additional electives for completion.

*Workshop times are Central Standard Time.

Registration deadline is January 22nd,2025