HELPFUL INFORMATION

VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT

While a small number of larger British Columbia communities have assigned municipal staff to the key ESS roles, most ESS teams throughout the province rely entirely on volunteers to plan and carry out the ESS function for their communities. For these teams, managing the recruitment and retention of dedicated volunteers can often become their most significant, and rewarding challenge.

On smaller teams, the ESS Director will likely handle the recruitment of volunteers. However, given the singular importance of this function, it is recommended that teams designate a Volunteer/Staff Management Coordinator wherever possible, to not only assist with recruitment and retention in the planning stage, but also to process and place convergent (walk-in) volunteers, if required, during an emergency.

There are two training opportunities through the Justice Institute that address specifically the management of ESS volunteers -- the first is a one-day course for “Managing Walk-In Disaster Volunteers”, and the other is included as a component of the five-day ESS Directors course.

In addition, there are a number of excellent websites devoted to the development of volunteer resources, a few of which include:

• Energize’s Volunteerism Resources for Directors of Volunteers
  http://www.energizeinc.com/
• Volunteer Canada
  http://www.volunteer.ca/
• Western Association of Directors of Volunteers
  http://www.vcn.bc.ca/~wadv/

Page Updated: 2006 August 21