Health & Human Services, Enrichment, and Business and Management Enrichment Health and Human Services Business & Management

Certificate Program in Volunteer Management for the 21st Century

You make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give.

-- Winston Churchill

Volunteerism has a long and honorable history and the millions of new dollars from the federal government promise a vibrant future. Expanding programs and the explosion of baby boomers eager to offer their professional expertise as volunteers or consultants create both opportunities and challenges for volunteer administrators. The need for leadership and professionalism is greater than ever.

In this intensive certificate program, you will have the opportunity to (a) examine your own skills in light of the key functions and core qualities of successful volunteer managers, (b) discuss best practices, (c) review risk management, and (d) explore strategies for managing people, projects, and operations. To encourage critical thinking as you consider the variety of complex issues surrounding effective volunteer program management, we will use professional ethics as the key underpinnings of this certificate program. By using a "cumulative case study" approach, you will be able to apply the skills and knowledge of volunteer management and also demonstrate the important role leadership plays in effective volunteer administration.

This course will provide a framework for those of you who are interested in pursuing the Certification in Volunteer Administration (CVA). The course will incorporate all elements of the Body of Knowledge that form the basis of the CVA program. For more information about the CVA credential, visit www.cvacert.org.

1. Overview of the Field/Managing Oneself, Thursday, October 22

  • history of volunteering in America
  • essential elements of quality programs
  • professional ethics
  • concepts of leadership
  • competencies for managers of volunteers

2. Managing People: Human Resources and Supervision, Thursday, October 29

  • key functions of an effective manager of volunteers
  • human resources basics
  • generational differences, cultural competency, inclusion and universal design
  • working with Pro Bono/professional volunteers
  • principles and methods of supervision
  • providing feedback/performance management
  • volunteer motivation

3. Management and Operations: Project Planning/Data-driven Decision Making, Thursday, November 5

  • logic models
  • planning, managing, and overseeing projects
  • building a budget
  • online tools
  • record keeping and documentation systems
  • risk management
  • managing quality

4. Personal Leadership Skills/Leadership in the Community, Thursday, November 12

  • approaches to leadership
  • leadership self assessment
  • empowering others
  • partnerships/collaboration/advocacy
  • next steps

Anne Schink CVA has been a volunteer leader for more than twenty five years, providing leadership and training in volunteer management. For ten years Anne served as Program, Training, and Disability Officer at the Maine Commission for Community Service. Anne currently has her own consulting practice, ABS Consulting.

Larry Ullian, EdD, CVA is a senior research associate at the Muskie School of Public Service. Larry has designed both face-to-face and online training programs and has directed training and development programs primarily in health care settings.


4 Thursdays, October 22-November 12, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Registration has ended. Please browse courses for future offerings of this course.

$525 (24 contact hours/ 2.4 CEUs)

 

Please bring a laptop to the course.