Over the years, I have volunteered for a number of different organizations. And I’ve done it for a number of reasons: desire to help people in need, passion for a particular cause, and an interest in growing my community. Never once did I decide to do it because of a strong need to feel appreciated.

That said, I have a confession: when, at one organization, I felt frustrated over their poor communication and unresponsiveness, I kind of lost the drive to continue giving my valuable time and talent. And, after repeated incidents of feeling like all of my work was just being sucked into a gaping void, I decided to step down.  

Does this make me a bad person? Maybe a little. But I am also human and, from what I’ve heard, so are a lot of other people. Honestly, if we’re going to put forth an effort, most of us need to know what we’re doing is making some kind of difference.

If you’re an organization that thrives on the time, skills, and unpaid labor of volunteers, you know that these folks aren’t in it for money, or fame, or recognition. But that doesn’t mean that they’re OK with working in a vacuum.

So, what can you do to ensure that your volunteers feel their work is worthwhile and meaningful? Show volunteer appreciation and cultivate an environment of growth and acknowledgement by offering:

Information: Above all, provide proper tools, information, and feedback so your volunteers can be as effective as possible. This can be in the form of educational materials, newsletters and event calendars, and email updates.

Communication: Not only do you need to be available to answer questions and give direction; you also want to reinforce your goals, identify achievements and setbacks, and express a clear message that through everyone’s contributions, you are fulfilling your mission.  

Appreciation: This is the easiest part. Say thank you. Say great job. Say you’re making a difference. Say together everyone achieves more. You don’t need to do it every day; but you really do need to do it.

We’re here to help you with that, with two new volunteer appreciation themes for the new year that are perfect for inspiring and motivating.

 
Together Everyone Achieves More is a team-oriented, gender-neutral theme that helps you emphasize the unique skills of individual volunteers  - and the success they can attain when they bring those skills together.

Making a Difference 2012 is lively and energetic, with a message that will reassure volunteers that they matter - and galvanize their spirits every day of the year. It’s also an ideal theme for your annual volunteer appreciation celebration!

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Allison is a self-proclaimed Copywriting Diva and has the certificate to prove it! She’s been writing for Baudville for three years and has worked in a variety of business settings for more than 18 years. Before becoming a professional writer 11 years ago, Allison worked as a department manager where she used Baudville products to motivate her team. She’s what we call a true believer!

As our days are becoming shorter and the air crisper, nature is telling us back to school is around the corner. My first day back to school is the 29th, which is less than a week away. Yikes! Back to school for me means, last year of classes, running my advertising club, volunteering for a professor, and of course, enjoying my friends. Oh but wait, best of all I will still be here at Baudville writing blog posts for you to enjoy!

Last year, another student and I helped a professor of mine put on an advertising competition in Grand Rapids. Throughout the entire experience the three of us would go get coffee once a week to meet and talk about what had been accomplished, what needed to be fulfilled, and then how our lives were going. He took time out of his busy schedule to sit down with us, see how we were doing, and get to know us a little better.

On top of the weekly coffee meetings, I would get emails once or twice a week with words of encouragement telling me to keep up the good work, and praising me for a job well done. These would always bring a smile to my face. The emails motivated me to keep up the hard work, even though I was really busy.

At the end of the year, Grand Valley State University put on a dinner party recognizing all the volunteers and workers for their efforts. This was a perfect way to end the year! I was told that I did a great job and thanked for all my hard work.

Recognizing your student volunteers and workers doesn’t need to be super expensive or grand.  Trust me; students understand the importance of free!

 

6 Inexpensive tips for acknowledging back to school student workers or volunteers:

1.    Make sure you take time out of your schedule to get to know your student workers because they are taking time out of their busy schedules to help you.

2.    Acknowledge your student workers with a fun low-cost note card, pocket praise, email, or ePraise, our free ecards. These are great was to let your student workers know you care. 

                         Thank You theme Pocket Praise are a great way to write a small note of praise!

3.    Throw a pizza party, have a potluck picnic, bring in cookies, or just have a candy jar. Let's be serious - what student doesn’t like some type of free food!

4.    Have a team bonding day. If your school has volley-ball courts, go out and play a couple games, or get a bocce ball or cornhole game going. Do something as a team that is easily available to you.

5.    Take your student workers or volunteers out for a cup of coffee. Coffee shops are a nice relaxing area to learn more about them!

6.    For more free ideas check out our Recognition Resource Center.

 

Come on, join the conversation!

Click the button below to start sharing your inexpensive tips to recognize student workers or volunteers!

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Kendra is the newest Baudvillian. She is currently an advertising intellectual at Grand Valley State University, and is ecstatic about the change of atmosphere as Baudville’s web marketing intern. Watch out because this young professional just touched down at Baudville.

Spring is here! (At least that’s what they tell us. Parts of Michigan got 9 inches of snow last week!) And many schools, teachers, and room moms will soon be planning the annual spring field day in the upcoming weeks. To make your event fun and memorable, incorporate recognition into your plans. 

First, streamline the planning and coordination of all the field day volunteers An online sign up sheet by VolunteerSpot saves time and makes it super easy to coordinate parents and volunteers.. They have a free web application that allows you to easily sign up and organize your volunteer efforts online. No more sign up sheets, reply-all emails, or confused volunteers. VolunterSpot will help you coordinate everyone. It even sends reminder emails to your volunteers! The easy-to-use system makes volunteer scheduling easier and increases participation.

Once you get your volunteers organized, remember to thank them for their time. A small gift as a token of your affection or a simple thank you card can make a volunteer feel sincerely appreciated. Plan your volunteer recognition ahead of time so you can recognize volunteers at the event.

At the end of the day, hand out Field Day Certificates to all the students who participated in the events. Presented in a certificate folder, this simple recognition of participation will give all students a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day.

Students can earn Milestones for completing field day events. At the end of the day, students will have a collection of different charms to display on their backpacks or wear around their neck. Receiving a small token at each event will reinforce the behaviors and attitudes they displayed while participating: teamwork, positive attitude, collaboration, can-do attitude, and respect.

Incorporating recognition into your field day event will make the day memorable event for both students and volunteers! For field day activities and ideas, visit the VolunteerSpot blog.

Colorful foil certificates are perfect for Field Day participation certificates.  

 

 

 

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Cori is Baudville's in-house Recognitionista (she's officially a Certified Recognition Professional, too)  and a member of the Millennial generation. Get her employee recognition tips and special discounts by liking Baudville on Facebook.

National Volunteer Week was last week, April 10-16, and many organizations celebrated their volunteers during the week with a party or event. The Women’s Resource Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan, annually honors their volunteers during National Volunteer Week.

The Women’s Resource Center strives to improve women’s workplace and economic opportunities, and volunteers donate more than 2,500 hours a year coaching, mentoring, and working with the women who utilize the center’s resources.

The volunteers at the Women’s Resource Center make a difference in the lives of every woman who comes through their doors, and the organization knows how important it is to recognize their volunteers. “The Women’s Resource Center has been truly lucky to have these dedicated people land on our team,” said Lee Vandenberg, Volunteer Coordinator at Women’s Resource Center.

To celebrate their volunteers, Lee hosted a gardening themed event that used the lady bug motif in its decorations. Lee said the garden party was a huge hit!

Lee presented each of her volunteers with a Lucky Us Character Pin. She chose this pin because the story was “perfect for our presentation.” The connection with the garden theme certainly helped, too!

Express your appreciation for your volunteers, and they will remain dedicated to you and your organization. Employers, likewise, recognize their employees to help maintain and improve retention of top talent.

How did you recognize volunteers this year during National Volunteer Week?

Did you forget to do something during National Volunteer Week? It’s not too late! Check out our additional volunteer appreciation articles for tips and ideas.Send a Volunteer ePraise right now!

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Cori is Baudville's in-house Recognitionista (she's officially a Certified Recognition Professional, too)  and a member of the Millennial generation. Get her employee recognition tips and special discounts by liking Baudville on Facebook.

Whether it’s working on home construction for Habitat for Humanity or helping kids read at a local elementary school, volunteers make the difference. Be sure to recognize the contributions and accomplishments of your volunteers this year during National Volunteer Appreciation Week April 10-16.

Our customers have found the use of recognition themes to effectively express appreciation for their volunteers. Some customers host volunteer appreciation events like luncheons and award ceremonies, and others may have more informal gatherings in someone’s home. Regardless of the location or type of recognition, using a recognition theme can make the appreciation more memorable.

Baudville has more than 100 recognition themes in its repertoire, but our customers have clearly made the following 10 their favorite volunteer appreciation themes. Which one will you use for National Volunteer Appreciation Week ?

1. Essential Piece. A classic recognition theme, this theme's sentiment, "can't imagine us without you," will help you to convey the value of each volunteer. 

2. Making a Difference. One of the most popular themes for National Volunteer Appreciation Week,  the inspirational story that accompanies this theme is perfect for recognizing the impact of volunteers.

3. A Helping Hand. We just released **new products** in this favorite theme!

4. Making the Difference. Focus on the impact of your volunteers. Share stories of exceptional volunteer work when you have the entire group together.

5. Thanks For All You Do! Keep your message simple during National Volunteer Appreciation Week and just say thanks!

6. You Are Truly Appreciated. The objective of National Volunteer Appreciation Week is expressing appreciation to your volunteers. This theme keeps your message simple and effective!

7. You Make a World of Difference! I once attended a volunteer appreciation reception with this theme. The volunteers were given globe stress toys, and the tables were decorated in green blue. It was a lot of fun and - obviously - very memorable!

8. Together We Can Make a Difference. Recognize teams of volunteers during National Volunteer Appreciation Week, too. 

9. Imagine Believe Achieve. Inspire your volunteers with this motivational recognition theme. 

10. Volunteers Make the Difference. Volunteers are proud to be volunteers, so recognize their special role in your organization with this Character Pin!

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Cori is Baudville's in-house Recognitionista (she's officially a Certified Recognition Professional, too)  and a member of the Millennial generation. Get her employee recognition tips and special discounts by liking Baudville on Facebook.