Volunteer recognition

Volunteers are valuable people who deserve to be recognized for the time and energy they give to the organization. The following is a non-exhaustive list of possibilities for recognizing volunteers:

• establishing a certificate that describes their personality, commitments and talents (resume enhancement)
• offering volunteers the opportunity to participate in training courses paid for by the association
• send them a card/flowers for their birthday
• make a joint excursion
• annual invitation to a dinner for volunteers
• in case of illness, check up on them
• give them small gifts

It is important to remember that the supervision of volunteers is essential to achieve the objective of integrating volunteers into the structure of an association. This requires a great deal of know-how and interpersonal skills on the part of the co-ordinating team, which may be made up of paid staff or volunteer association managers.

Volunteers should be encouraged to use their activities within the organisation to improve, learn and develop themselves. Recognition and encouragement are essential to motivate and maintain the active participation of everyone involved in an association.