While different agencies need to cover different sorts of information during volunteer orientations, the most important goal is to educate your service learners about your agency and be sure they have all the information they need to start volunteering successfully. Don't assume any prior knowledge. Click here for a sample checklist of orientation topics. Understand that an initial one-time volunteer orientation almost never provides all needed information. Work with colleagues and other agency staff to find additional opportunities early in the volunteer relationship to orient students to topics you can't cover in an initial orientation.

Tips

• Give background and big-picture context for your agency: mission, history, purpose, goals.
• Explain your agency's conduct/behavioral and dress code expectations and their importance to service learners before their first shift. Students cannot adhere to policies which aren't clearly communicated to them. 
• Provide the service learner with a specific "report to" location (floor, suite, room) and necessary entry instructions. 
• Make sure students know the full names and contact information of their supervisors and/or staff person to whom they should report.
• Give a detailed facility tour and describe where and how to access necessary agency tools/resources.
• Clearly identify the expectations for service learners.
• Notify other staff at the agency when students are coming so students are welcomed and greeted with enthusiasm, especially for their first shift.

In order for a volunteer placement to be successful, volunteers must know  their assigned tasks and have adequate instructions each time they come. While orientation answers the questions: who? where? when? and what?, training answers the questions: how? and why? Training is a form of teaching and agencies must understand that training is ongoing.

Tips

• Ask students about any special skills or talents they have and if possible, match them with tasks that capitalize on these skills.
• Be sure students know what they're expected to do, especially if the tasks change daily.
• Explain why certain tasks are important to the agency and its clients.
• Task for learning. This means describing tasks in a way that emphasizes their learning value.
• Give volunteers meaningful tasks. While the best volunteers are willing to chip in wherever needed, constantly being assigned menial busywork is one of the most common sources of negative feedback from volunteers.
• Make the volunteer's first shift a "shadowing" shift. Have them observe an experienced volunteer or staff member doing tasks similar to the ones the volunteer will be expected to do. This is training by example.

Tips

• Know volunteers' availability. Ask them to provide a copy of their schedule, when they are truly unavailable and when they prefer not to serve. Offer placements to volunteers whose availability matches your program.
• Offer students placements with a regular weekly shift and hold them to it.
• Familiarize yourself with Loyola's breaks and holidays. Students are not required to serve when Loyola is not in session during breaks, holidays or evacuations. However, a student may volunteer during these times if they wish, but it must be by mutual agreement with your agency.
• Adopt a clear absence and notification policy and explain it to students. 
• Be sure to tell service learners at least a week in advance about any cancellations, closures, or disruptions to regular programming.
• Devise a sign-in/sign-out or hours tracking system that works well for your agency. Methods can vary, but be sure students know what your system is.
• Keep accurate account of students' service learning time in order to verify times they submit.

Managing and supervising volunteers is an ongoing task. When done well, it will maximize the value of volunteers to your agency. It is not a good idea to train volunteers, assign them tasks, and then ignore them for the remainder of the volunteer relationship.

Tips

• Schedule brief check-in meetings with volunteers every 3-5 weeks.
• Get to know your volunteers. Talk to them about their interests, goals and backgrounds.
• Treat volunteers as adults, and don't coddle underperformers. 
• Recognize the power of the positive: praise good work; celebrate achievements; thank students for their time.
• Adopt a clear, step-by-step performance management system that details expectations and the consequences for failing to meet expectations. 
• Provide constructive feedback and suggestions for improvement throughout the service experience. Don't wait until the end of the volunteer relationship to provide positive or negative comments.
• Address problems as they arise; don't let them build up. Be honest about needed improvements.
• Be sure service learners know who will evaluate their performance at the end of the semester.
• Meet with service learners face-to-face during a final shift. Ask them to give feedback about their experience. Have an honest conversation about their performance. Share your performance evaluation with the student, or go through it together during your final meeting.

TELL THEM WHY: Make sure they know how their tasks—both big and small—are contributing to the mission of the agency

BE VISIBLE: Pay attention to them and be accessible in case they have questions

COMMUNICATE: Try to give ongoing feedback, be available to talk as well as listen

INCLUDE THEM: Introduce them to staff, invite them to events, and share the agency’s triumphs with them

SAY THANKS: Sometimes a simple handwritten note or just saying, “Thanks” can be even better than a gift. You can also post your thank-you on your organization’s social media. 

NOMINATE THEM FOR AWARDS: We award one star student every spring

GIVE GIFTS: A great way to show your appreciation is with a small gift (ornament or cards, movie passes, Starbucks gift card, or food/snacks)

Dress codes should be developed with the safety of service learners and agency clients in mind. Dress codes should follow work place safety standards and should be adjusted to fit your agency’s needs. Please be descriptive in your dress code policies and state consequences for dress code violations. Click here for a sample dress code policy.

PLACEMENT OFFER WITH STUDENT’S SCHEDULE

Dear [STUDENT],

Thank you for your interest in [AGENCY]! I am writing to offer you a service learning placement with us here at [AGENCY]. Our days and times of operation are [X], and the volunteer shift you are being offered is [Y]. Please reply to this email by the end of the Placement Acceptance Period and let us know:

1. If you will be accepting this placement offer and completing your service learning at [AGENCY] or if you plan to accept an offer with a different agency; and
2. Whether you will accept this service shift. If not, please reply with your availability to make sure we can arrange a suitable shift.

Please remember that if you are accepting a placement with us, you must (1) email me back and let me know and (2) go online to ocelts.loyno.edu and fill out the placement acceptance form during the placement acceptance period.

Finally, please remember [AGENCY] requires [LIST PRESERVICE REQUIREMENTS here, such as training, fingerprinting, etc].

Please let me know if you have any questions, and we look forward to having you serve with us!

Thank you,

[YOUR NAME]

PLACEMENT OFFER NEEDING STUDENT’S SCHEDULE

Dear [STUDENT],

Thank you for your interest in [AGENCY]! I am writing to offer you a service learning placement with us here at [AGENCY]. Available volunteer shifts include [list available shifts here]. Please reply to this email by the end of the Placement Acceptance Period and let us know:

1. If you will be accepting this placement offer and completing your service learning at [AGENCY] or if you plan to accept an offer with a different agency; and
2. Which available volunteer shift you prefer, and whether there are any other shifts that also fit your availability.

Please remember that if you are accepting a placement with us, you must (1) email me back and let me know and (2) go online to oclets.loyno.edu and fill out the placement acceptance form during the placement acceptance period.

Finally, please remember [AGENCY] requires [LIST PRESERVICE REQUIREMENTS here, such as training, fingerprinting, etc]. Please let me know if you have any questions, and we look forward to having you serve with us!

Thank you,

[YOUR NAME]

EMAIL TEMPLATE 2: WARNING, LATE/MISSED SHIFT

Dear [STUDENT],

Greetings, it has come to my attention that you [missed your shift/were late] on [DATE] and did not notify your supervisor or anyone at [AGENCY]. Please remember that your regular service learning shifts are [INSERT NORMAL SERVICE SCHEDULE].

As you know, failure to give prior notification to a supervisor at least [X] days in advance is against [AGENCY]’s policy. Our policy states: [INSERT YOUR POLICY]. Next time we expect you to: [INSERT EXPECTATION]. Please consider this correspondence your official warning. If you violate [AGENCY]’s notification policy for [tardiness/absenteeism] again your consequence will be [INSERT CONSEQUENCE]. Please do not hesitate to come and find me or contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Thank you,

[YOUR NAME]

[CONTACT INFO]

EMAIL TEMPLATE 3: WARNING, INAPPROPRIATE CONDUCT

Dear [STUDENT],

Greetings, it has come to my attention that you have violated [AGENCY]’s [-----] policy when you [DESCRIBE VIOLATION].

Our policy states: [INSERT YOUR POLICY]. Next time we expect you to: [INSERT EXPECTATION]. Please consider this correspondence your official warning. If you violate this, or any other policy [AGENCY] has set forth, your consequence will be [CONSEQUENCE]. Please do not hesitate to come and find me or contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Thank you,

[YOUR NAME]

[CONTACT INFO]