Closed Topics: Volunteers

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Volunteers

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Topic: Volunteers

Posted By: TMLiz
Subject: Volunteers
Date Posted: 3/23/04 at 12:01pm

Hi all! We're starting work on next year's budget and I've been asked to put together a plan for our volunteers. I am looking for ideas and suggestions on how you recruit, train, and reward your volunteers. Does anyone have a plan that really works? What incentives do you offer? Let's get specific! I need numbers to work with! But essentially, I'm putting together the wish list for our theatre!

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Elizabeth
Production Stage Manager
Theatre Memphis
www.theatrememphis.org

Replies:

Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 3/23/04 at 12:48pm

You probably won't find one magic plan that works in all cases. Recruiting and retaining volunteers is a really though thing to do and something that a lot of theaters have problems with.

I attend an excellent seminar at AACT fest last year given my Mary Jo DeNolf who is the Volunteer Coordinator at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre. She recommended these resources:

Books

The (Help) I Don't Have Enough Time Guide to Volunteer Management
by: Katherine Noyes Campbell and Susan J. Ellis

Best Practices for Volunteer Programs
by: Sue Vineyard & Steve McCurley

Internet: http://www.energizeinc.com - www.energizeinc.com

Dan

Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 3/23/04 at 8:03pm

G?day Elizabeth
Most venues use the ?Friends of the theatre [FOT?s] to great effect. In most cases they are a group incorporated under the wing of the venue.
In a few theatres I have organised a ?Stagecraft Guild? from the interested FOT?S organisation to primarily assist with backstage. I would run training sessions regularly for varying levels of achievements. They progressed from Trainee to crew through to specialist & eventually Trainers in various disciplines. They all received the usual ?T? shirt as guild members & certificates of participation &/or achievement, as they attained levels of competence. The guild worked well because each of their efforts were acknowledge & respected - not just used & abused. The aims of the guild were for each member to inturn give back their experience & knowledge to foster others in the game. In one theatre they organised their own Guild committee & held elections annually for office bearers. I don?t say IT has to go that far but I always allowed IT to find it?s own level. In all cases of training & levels, show work was a major factor of proceeding on to the next level & the acceptance by the other Guild members of their achievement.
I don?t know your set up - but noticed you have a volunteer Corps already in play!

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Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}