November 15, 2013
SCAN’s 250+ volunteers are absolutely critical to the work we do. Volunteers multiply the impact of our small staff and extend our reach throughout the area. We want volunteers’ experiences working with SCAN to be rewarding and beneficial for everyone involved.
As a result, we are continuously evaluating our volunteer application and screening process. August marked the launch of a new and improved approach at SCAN to ensure each volunteer is matched with the opportunity that best fits their interests and time availability.
To get started, all potential new volunteers now complete a simple one-page Volunteer Interest Form, then attend one of our monthly Orientation Sessions. These sessions, offered at a variety of times of day, will allow volunteers to learn more about SCAN’s programs and have their questions answered. We’ve had dozens of potential volunteers join our first three sessions since August, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves!
Potential volunteers will then complete a Volunteer Application. Depending on which programs they are interested in, volunteers may also attend a one-on-one interview.
The CASA program is also making a shift to behavior-based interviewing for the one-on-one interviews. We believe that past performance is the best indicator of future results. Potential CASA volunteers will be asked to share specific past examples of how they have used the skills necessary to be an effective CASA volunteer. For example, we might ask a potential volunteer to share an example of a time when they had a different opinion than a colleague and how they resolved the situation.
This process should help volunteers find the opportunity that is the best fit for them. We look forward to working with all of our potential volunteers in the months ahead as we implement the new approach!