West End House
Volunteer Development
Focus Group Questions
Board
Vision

Imaging that the WEH’s volunteer program was a nationally recognized program, how
would people be describing it?
o From the community’s perspective?
o From the organization’s perspective?
o From the staff’s perspective?
o From the volunteer perspective?
o From the members perspective?
Qualities of Good Volunteers

Tell me about the best volunteer that you know?
o
o
o
What did/does that person do that made them a good volunteer?
Tell me a story about something what made them special?
Tell me how they made a difference?
Volunteer Commitment
The Volunteer’s Commitment


If someone makes a commitment as a volunteer, what should the WEH expect from
them?
What shouldn’t they expect?
WEH’s Commitment


If someone makes a commitment as a volunteer, what should they expect from the
WEH?
How should the WEH better support their volunteers so that they can keep the
commitments they have made?
Current Volunteer Program


What is working about the current volunteer program?
o What contributes to making this a good experience?
What do you think we can do to improve our volunteer experience?
1
o
What would you recommend be done differently?
Volunteer Retention



Why do you choose to be on the Board at the WEH?
o Why have you continued to be on the Board at the WEH?
What has contributed to making this a good experience?
What else could we be doing to make this a better experience for you?
Other Organizations


What have you seen other organizations do that contributed to creating an excellent
volunteer experience?
What have you seen that did not worked in relationship to the volunteer program?
o Why didn’t it work?
2
Staff
Vision

Imaging that the WEH’s volunteer program was a nationally recognized program, how
would people be describing it?
o From the community’s perspective?
o From the organization’s perspective?
o From the staff’s perspective?
o From the volunteer perspective?
o From the members perspective?
Qualities of Good Volunteers

Tell me about the best volunteer that you know?
o What did/does that person do that made them a good volunteer?
o Tell me a story about something what made them special?
o Tell me how they made a difference?
Volunteer Commitment
The Volunteer’s Commitment


If someone makes a commitment as a volunteer, what should the WEH expect from
them?
What shouldn’t they expect?
WEH’s Commitment


If someone makes a commitment as a volunteer, what should they expect from the
WEH?
How should the WEH better support their volunteers so that they can keep the
commitments they have made?
Current Volunteer Program


What is working about the current volunteer program?
o What contributes to making this a good experience?
What do you think we can do to improve our volunteer experience?
o What would you recommend be done differently?
Utilization of Volunteers



Describe your experience in using volunteers in your programs?
Under what circumstances has it been helpful to have volunteers?
Under what circumstances have volunteers been more of a hindrance rather than a
help?
3


What support do you think staff needs ensure that the experience of having volunteers in
their program is a good one?
What support do you think volunteers need ensure that the experience of having
volunteering in their program is a good one?
Other Organizations


What have you seen other organizations do that contributed to creating an excellent
volunteer experience?
What have you seen that did not worked in relationship to the volunteer program?
o Why didn’t it work?
4
Members
Vision

Imaging that the WEH’s volunteer program was a nationally recognized program, how
would people be describing it?
Qualities of Good Volunteers

Tell me about the best volunteer that you know?
o What did/does that person do that made them a good volunteer?
o Tell me a story about something what made them special?
o Tell me how they made a difference?
Volunteer Commitment
The Volunteer’s Commitment


As a member, what do you want volunteers to do?
What do you think they shouldn’t be doing?
Members’ Commitment

What do you need to do for volunteers?
o How can we get the members to do it?
Current Volunteer Program




Why do you like having volunteers at the WEH?
When or where would you like to see more volunteers?
Do you ever wish that the volunteers weren’t around? Why?
What do you think we can do to improve the volunteer program?
o What would you recommend be done differently?
5
Current Volunteers
Vision

Imaging that the WEH’s volunteer program was a nationally recognized program, how
would people be describing it?
o From the community’s perspective?
o From the organization’s perspective?
o From the staff’s perspective?
o From the volunteer perspective?
o From the members perspective?
Qualities of Good Volunteers

Tell me about the best volunteer that you know?
o
o
o
What did/does that person do that made them a good volunteer?
Tell me a story about something what made them special?
Tell me how they made a difference?
Volunteer Commitment
The Volunteer’s Commitment


If someone makes a commitment as a volunteer, what should the WEH expect from
them?
What shouldn’t they expect?
WEH’s Commitment


If someone makes a commitment as a volunteer, what should they expect from the
WEH?
How should the WEH better support their volunteers so that they can keep the
commitments they have made?
Current Volunteer Program

What is working about the current volunteer program?
o What contributes to making this a good experience?

What do you think we can do to improve our volunteer experience?
o What would you recommend be done differently?
Volunteer Retention
Current Volunteers

Why do you choose to be a volunteer at the WEH?
o Why have you continued to be a volunteer at the WEH?
6


What has contributed to making this a good experience?
What else could we be doing to make this a better experience for you?
Previous Volunteers




Why do you choose to be a volunteer at the WEH?
Why have you left?
What contributed to making volunteering at WEH a good experience?
What else could we have done to make this a better experience for you?
Other Organizations


What have you seen other organizations do that contributed to creating an excellent
volunteer experience?
What have you seen that did not worked in relationship to the volunteer program?
o Why didn’t it work?
7