Top Competencies Needed for
Volunteer Administration
Improving Lives. Improving Texas.
Supportive Research / Literature
• Council for Certification in Volunteer
Administration
• Dr. Barry Boyd’s 2004 study to determine
specific “competencies that would be required
by administrators of volunteers in the coming
decade.”
• Dr. L. Lockett’s 2007 study to determine
competencies and best practices needed by
Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinators
Core Competencies
From the Council for Certification in Vol. Admin.
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Ethics
Organizational Management
Human Resources Management
Accountability
Leadership and Advocacy
Core Competency
From the Council for Certification in Vol. Admin.
Ethics:
The ability to act in accordance with
professional principles
Core Competency - Ethics
Examples of specific competencies needed
• Fairness with everyone
• Willingness to stand firm on your
policies
• Cautious understanding that
decisions the coordinator makes
become policy
Core Competency
From the Council for Certification in Vol. Admin.
Organizational Management:
The ability to design and implement
policies, processes and structures
to align volunteer involvement
with the mission and vision of the
organization.
Organizational Management
Examples of specific competencies needed
• Ability to articulate Extension’s
mission and goals
• Creating a positive environment in
which volunteers can learn and
operate
• Ability to turn needs into plans and
plans into action
• Creative use of technology to effect
program impact
Organizational Management
Examples of specific competencies needed
• Plan and implement training for
volunteers
• Ability to identify volunteer’s
strengths and weaknesses and see
where they would best function
within the organization
• Creating “systems” for processes
Organizational Management
Examples of specific competencies needed
• Ability to “see the
big picture” and
identify individual
steps to accomplish
goals.
Core Competency
From the Council for Certification in Vol. Admin.
Human Resources Management:
The ability to successfully engage, train
and support volunteers in a
systematic and intentional way.
Human Resources Management
Examples of specific competencies needed
• Communication skills
• Positive attitude
• Ability to inspire your volunteers to
rise to the challenge
• Motivational skills
• Respect for the time &
contributions of your volunteers
Human Resources Management
Examples of specific competencies needed
• Good conflict resolution skills
• Competent in recruiting and
screening volunteers
• Competent in matching volunteers to
agency needs
• Competent in retaining volunteers
• Finding ways to secure resources,
training, etc…
Human Resources Management
Examples of specific competencies needed
• Willingness to let volunteers plan
and implement programs, yet be
involved enough to provide
guidance, assure accuracy of
information, and compliance with
organizational requirements.
• Trusting volunteers to get the job
done
Human Resources Management
Examples of specific competencies needed
• Achieving a proper balance of
ownership and responsibility
Be the change you want to
see in others and in your
organization.
Core Competency
From the Council for Certification in Vol. Admin.
Accountability:
The ability to collect relevant data and
to engage in meaningful monitoring,
evaluation and reporting to
stakeholders.
Accountability
Examples of specific competencies needed
• Competent in evaluating volunteer
efforts and accomplishments
• Articulation of volunteer efforts
and accomplishments
• Articulating the organizational
mission, vision, and goals to
stakeholders.
Core Competency
From the Council for Certification in Vol. Admin.
Leadership and Advocacy:
The ability to advocate for effective
volunteer involvement inside of the
organization and in the broader
community it serves.
Leadership and Advocacy
Examples of specific competencies needed
• Realization that you (the
volunteer administrator) don’t
and can’t possibly know
everything.
• Ability to effectively enlist the
assistance of your volunteers
Leadership and Advocacy
Examples of specific competencies needed
• Allowing tasks to be completed in
ways that you would not have
personally done them
• Setting the organization’s “tone”
when conducting business and
interacting with folks
• Guiding volunteers, yet
respecting them as individuals
Our excitement, enthusiasm, and
appreciation are contagious.
We need to model those things.
Are there competencies not
mentioned here, that you would
have expected to see?
Characteristics of Effective Teachers
Interesting similarities/correlation between this list and
Volunteer administrator competencies needed
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Clarity
Variability
Enthusiasm
Task-Oriented and/or Businesslike
Behaviors
• Student Opportunity to Learn
• Positive Reinforcement
Characteristics of Effective Teachers
Interesting similarities/correlation between this list and
Volunteer administrator competencies needed
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Positive Reinforcement
Avoiding Criticism
Use of Structuring Comments
Effective Questioning
Humor
“Research on Teacher Performance Criteria” by Barak Rosenshine and Norma Furst, in Research in
Education, edited by B. Othanel Smith for the American Educational Research Association, 1971.
Know your goal and head toward it!