How to Manage Volunteers with CiviEvent
If you are running events with CiviEvent, you might need volunteers to help you with various tasks and roles. Volunteers are a valuable asset for any organization, as they can offer their time, skills and enthusiasm to support your cause and mission.
But how do you manage volunteers with CiviEvent? How do you register them, communicate with them, assign them to shifts and roles, and track their participation and feedback?
In this blog post, we will explore the different options and strategies for managing volunteers with CiviEvent. We will compare the pros and cons of using the same event or a separate event for volunteers. We will also show you some of the tools and extensions that can enhance your volunteer management process.
Same event or separate event for volunteers?
The first decision that you need to make when managing volunteers with CiviEvent is whether to use the same event as your main event or create a separate event for your volunteers. Both options have their advantages and disadvantages, depending on your needs and preferences.
Using the same event for volunteers means that you can manage all your participants in one place. You can use a custom participant role for volunteers and a different profile to collect their information. You can also use price sets to offer free or discounted registration for volunteers. This option is simpler and more convenient, especially if you have a small number of volunteers.
However, using the same event for volunteers also means that you have to share the same event settings and configurations for both attendees and volunteers. This might limit your flexibility and customization options. For example, you might not be able to set different registration periods, capacities, cancellation policies, etc. for volunteers. You might also have to deal with some confusion or duplication when registering or communicating with your participants.
Creating a separate event for volunteers means that you can have more control and customization over your volunteer management. You can set different event settings and configurations for volunteers, such as date, time, location, fees, etc. You can also use different tools and extensions to enhance your volunteer experience, such as CiviVolunteer, which allows you to create volunteer shifts, roles and needs. This option is more flexible and powerful, especially if you have a large number of volunteers.
However, creating a separate event for volunteers also means that you have to manage two events instead of one. You might have to duplicate some information or tasks between the two events. You might also have to deal with some challenges or limitations when integrating or reporting on your events and participants.
Ultimately, the choice between using same event or separate event for volunteers depends on your specific situation and goals. You should weigh the pros and cons of each option and decide what works best for you and your organization.
How to use CiviVolunteer
CiviVolunteer is an extension that adds more functionality and features to CiviEvent for managing volunteers. CiviVolunteer allows you to:
– Create volunteer projects and associate them with events or other entities.
– Define volunteer roles, needs and shifts for each project.
– Allow volunteers to sign up for specific shifts online or offline.
– Manage volunteer assignments and schedules.
– Communicate with volunteers via email or SMS.
– Log and report on volunteer hours and impact.
To use CiviVolunteer, you need to install and enable the extension from Administer > System Settings > Extensions. You also need to install and enable the Angular Profiles extension, which is a dependency of CiviVolunteer.
Once you have installed and enabled CiviVolunteer, you can access it from Events > CiviVolunteer. You can also find a new tab called “Volunteer” in the event dashboard and the contact summary.
How to integrate CiviVolunteer and CiviEvent?
CiviVolunteer and CiviEvent are two extensions that work well together to help you manage your events and volunteers. You can use CiviVolunteer to create volunteer projects and associate them with your events in CiviEvent. This way, you can recruit and schedule volunteers for specific roles and shifts within your events.
To integrate CiviVolunteer and CiviEvent, you need to follow these steps:
– Install and enable both extensions from Administer > System Settings > Extensions. You also need to install and enable the Angular Profiles extension, which is a dependency of CiviVolunteer.
– Create an event in CiviEvent as usual. You can use any event type and settings that suit your needs.
– Go to Events > CiviVolunteer and create a new volunteer project. You can give it a name, description, start and end date, etc.
– In the project settings, select the event that you want to associate with the project. You can also select the visibility of the project (public or private) and the registration mode (sign up for specific shifts or express interest).
– Define the volunteer roles, needs and shifts for your project. You can use the default roles (General Volunteer) or create custom ones. You can also specify the number of volunteers needed, the duration of each shift, etc.
– Save your project and publish it if you want to make it available for online registration.
– Go to Events > Manage Events > Event Dashboard and click on the “Volunteer” tab. You will see your volunteer project and its details. You can also view and edit the participants, assignments, hours and communications related to your project.
By integrating CiviVolunteer and CiviEvent, you can streamline your event and volunteer management process and ensure that your events run smoothly with the help of your volunteers.
How to communicate with volunteers before, during and after the event
Communication is key to building and maintaining a strong relationship with your volunteers. You need to communicate with them effectively before, during and after the event to keep them informed, engaged and appreciated.
Here are some tips on how to communicate with volunteers at different stages of the event:
Before the event
Before the event, you need to communicate with your volunteers to:
– Promote your volunteer opportunities and recruit new volunteers. You can use various channels such as your website, social media, email newsletters, flyers, etc. You can also use CiviVolunteer’s searchable list of volunteer opportunities to allow volunteers to browse and sign up for specific shifts online.
– Confirm their registration and provide them with essential information. You can use CiviVolunteer’s automated email confirmation and receipt feature to send them a confirmation email with their registration details, payment information (if applicable), event location, date and time, etc. You can also customize your email templates with tokens and mail merge to personalize your messages.
– Prepare them for their roles and responsibilities. You can use CiviVolunteer’s communication tools to send them pre-event reminders or instructions on what to expect, what to bring, how to check-in, etc. You can also provide them with training materials or resources such as manuals, videos, webinars, etc.
– Build rapport and excitement. You can use CiviVolunteer’s communication tools to send them welcome messages, introduce them to other volunteers or staff members, share stories or testimonials from previous events, etc. You can also use social media platforms such as Facebook groups or WhatsApp chats to create a sense of community and engagement among your volunteers.
During the event
During the event, you need to communicate with your volunteers to:
– Check-in and assign them to their shifts and roles. You can use CiviVolunteer’s check-in feature to scan QR codes or manually enter volunteer names or IDs to check them in. You can also use CiviVolunteer’s assignment feature to assign them to specific shifts and roles based on their availability, skills and preferences.
– Provide them with support and guidance. You can use CiviVolunteer’s communication tools to send them updates or announcements during the event, such as schedule changes, emergency alerts, feedback requests, etc. You can also provide them with on-site support staff or mentors who can assist them with any issues or questions they might have.
– Recognize and appreciate their efforts. You can use CiviVolunteer’s communication tools to send them thank-you messages or rewards during the event, such as certificates, badges, vouchers, etc. You can also recognize them publicly by announcing their names or achievements on stage, on social media, on screens, etc.
After the event
After the event, you need to communicate with your volunteers to:
– Follow-up and gather feedback. You can use CiviVolunteer’s communication tools to send them post-event surveys or evaluations to collect their feedback on their experience, satisfaction, suggestions for improvement, etc. You can also use CiviVolunteer’s reporting tools to analyze and measure their feedback and impact.
– Thank them and acknowledge their contribution. You can use CiviVolunteer’s communication tools to send them personalized thank-you messages or letters that highlight their contribution and impact on your event and organization. You can also send them photos or videos from the event that feature them or their work.
– Stay in touch and retain them for future events. You can use CiviVolunteer’s communication tools to send them newsletters or updates on your organization’s activities, achievements, goals, etc. You can also invite them to join your online community platforms such as Facebook groups or WhatsApp chats where they can interact with other volunteers or staff members. You can also inform them of upcoming volunteer opportunities or events that they might be interested in.
By communicating with your volunteers before, during and after the event, you can ensure that they have a positive and rewarding experience with your organization and that they become loyal and committed supporters of your cause.
Conclusion
Managing volunteers with CiviEvent and CiviVolunteer can be a rewarding and effective way to run your events and achieve your goals. By using these extensions, you can create and manage volunteer projects, recruit and schedule volunteers, communicate with them effectively, and measure their impact and feedback.
However, to make the most of these extensions, you need a reliable and secure hosting provider that can offer you high performance, support and security for your CiviCRM site. That’s why we recommend 2020Media as the best choice for hosting your CiviCRM site with CiviEvent and CiviVolunteer.
2020Media is a UK-based hosting company that has been providing hosting services for CiviCRM sites for over 10 years. We have the expertise and experience to ensure that your site runs smoothly and securely. We offer:
– Dedicated servers with fast RAID drives and generous bandwidth
– Free or paid SSL certificates
– Daily backups
– 24/7 monitoring
– 99.9% uptime guarantee
– One-click installation of CiviCRM
– Free migration from your existing host
– Free domain name or transfer
If you are looking for a hosting company that can handle your CiviCRM site with CiviEvent and CiviVolunteer, look no further than 2020Media. Contact us today and get started with your free trial.