The Process of “Managing” Volunteers: The Ironic Importance of Helping Your Helpers

It is imperative that staff of non-profit organizations effectively “manage” their volunteers to ensure their needs are met: this is the two-directional process of volunteering. Volunteering events at “People Helping People”, a small non-profit in Southern California that caters to homeless families with minor children, demonstrate the importance of helping your helpers. This study identifies four social types of people who come to volunteer at these events – all for different reasons. It is the staff member’s responsibility to read the social type and effectively address the needs of each volunteer in order to create a positive volunteering experience where volunteers have a desire to return and are likely to donate financially. This study examines the staff members reading of the social types of volunteers and their efforts to meet each volunteer’s expectations in order to advance their non-profit within the community