An Observation of the Operational Processes of Community-Based, Non-Profit Organizations Through Use of Volunteers

Abstract This paper is an observational analysis five (5) non-profit organizations located in upstate South Carolina. The organizations are community based, non-profits that represent diverse communities. Each organization relies on the assistance of volunteer workers to accomplish operative goals. The analysis of each organization was completed through the use of observation and personal interview processes. Value stream mapping was used to detail process maps to analyze the effectiveness of each organization\u27s operations. The mapping detailed the intake, decision, and exit processes. It utilized value stream mapping to suggest possible improvements for the organizations\u27 processes to increase their efficiency. The analysis considers the effects of altering the processes to decrease length of wait times, improve intake, and increase volunteer participation. The results suggest that the proper utilization of volunteers is beneficial to the operational process for each of the programs. With the proper training and education of volunteers, intake efficiency can increase and the wait times can decrease significantly. Ultimately, increasing the program capacity through the number of skilled workers employed by the programs will certainly reduce wait-times. The results of the observation and analysis are presented such that they can be used as an aid to the organizations for improvement of outreach, operations and efficiency of valued time