The LAST VeGA is a volunteer lifecycle model. Lucky 7’s in LAST VeGA expands on the model to include how volunteers are managed.

There is no shortage of volunteer lifecycle models. So why create another? Because the LAST VeGA and Lucky 7’s model provides a more integrated and comprehensive overview.

Starting in LAST VeGA

LAST VeGA is a mnemonic for the key elements of the lifecycle.

First Three (Learning, Acquire and Socialize) are on the left hand side as they are precursor activities for new volunteers. They may also be repeated for existing or returning volunteers to some degree.

• 1. Learning: The mutual exchange of information between the organization and the prospective volunteer.
  • Does the potential volunteer know the organization exists, what are the available roles, and their expectations?
  • Is the non-profit aware of potential volunteers with critical skills, interests, and aptitude?
• 2. Acquire: The official association of the volunteer with the organization; managing volunteer objections to taking on the role and any due diligence (e.g. mandated screening) required by the organization.
  • Once aware, the dance of recruitment begins. This involves alignment of values, managing objections and establishing a value proposition for both parties.
  • Activities in this stage include recruitment, screening, interviews, due diligence (e.g. passing criminal records check) and confirming a fit for both.
• 3. Socialization: Normalization of the volunteer to the organization (aka the honeymoon period).
  • How friendly an organization is will determine whether the individual will stay or exit early. Can the volunteer adapt to the organization’s culture and norms?
• 4. Tenure: The period of mutual reciprocity in which the volunteer is active, and the organization makes use of their time.
  • Tenure can be very short (think a one-time musical festival) or lasting years (receiving your 25-Years of Service Award).
  • The experience during this time will determine whether they return or beat a hasty retreat.
  • The volunteer may encourage or dissuade others from volunteering based on how well they are paid as a volunteer (see: ‘Paying your Volunteers Well‘).

• 5. Volunteer-Exit: The permanent or temporary disassociation between the volunteer and the organization. the moment every volunteer coordinator dreads, ‘Bob’, your stalwart volunteer has quit.
  • Planned-Exit: ideally, after a long tenure age, health or circumstances cause the volunteer to move on. In this ideal case, there is good-bye luncheon, speeches and a few tears shed over shared memories.
  • Unplanned-Exit: Sometimes there is a sudden change in health or circumstances for the volunteer. It may also be unresolved misalignment between the organization.

Stage-Management and Return Engagements (to continue with the Vegas theme).

• 6. Governance: The People, Processes, and Infrastructure to best support the volunteer experience within the organization.
  • Is the organization doing the right things for our volunteers?
  • Mostly importantly, gather formal and informal feedback on the volunteer experience.
  • This communication can improve organizational policies, procedures, training, management and infrastructure.
• 7. Alumni: Disassociated volunteers who may be re-recruited or form a cadre of individuals dissuading others from being recruited.
  • Former volunteers are a pool of talent for the non-profit.
  • They might be interested in one-time activities (e.g. a fundraising initiative), to bridge capacity issues (e.g. to cover an illness or vacation) and mentor new volunteers.

What is the ASK? – the Lucky 7’s Perform in LAST VeGA

The above lifecycle is nice but does not answer specific questions from the volunteer:

• Where do I need to be and what time do I start?
• What do you need done exactly?
• … or the all-time favourite…
• How Much time will this take?

This is where the core of the LAST VeGA model comes in – the Lucky 7’s. Why lucky? Because a non-profit is lucky to have a Volunteer so pay attention to these steps!

• 1. Opportunities: The specific ‘ASK’ of the person to help achieve the organization’s objectives; there may be multiple ASKS one a single, longer term, involvement.
  • What needs to be done, how long is the engagement, what skills are needed, are there risks. What is the volunteer getting themselves into?
• 2. Assignments: The explicit or implicit agreement for the volunteer to agree to take on the Opportunity, per the schedule specified and benefits/costs accrued to them.
  • The volunteer agrees to take on the opportunity, the organization specifies who to contact if there are questions.
  • This may be done online and be part of the scheduling process or as part of a nomination process at an Annual General Meeting.
• 3. Scheduling: The specific time parameters in which volunteers hours will be donated; this may be part of a larger group (e.g. an event or a board meeting) or independently at the volunteer’s discretion (e.g. building bird houses for a nature project).
  • When the volunteer is needed, where to meet, who has volunteered, and any empty slots. This meshes what needs to be done with the time the volunteer can spare.

Numbers 1, 2 and 3 might be combined or paired up.

• 4. Briefing: (In)formal Induction and orientation to the Opportunity covering both the organization’s and any mandated content (e.g. OHS/Safety).
  • Reading about an opportunity is great but getting a walk through and some FAQs is critical. This is also a time to distribute SWAG and conduct an OHS briefing.
• 5. Attendance: Confirmation that the (ex)/implicit agreement between the volunteer and the organization was met.
  • Did the volunteer show up and how many hours did they work?
  • Did the organization show up – no I am serious, did the station, booth, material, etc. show up?
• 6. End-Shift: The termination of a specific assignment the volunteer has; the Opportunity may continue with future Scheduled-shifts or this may represent the sum-total expectation of the volunteer after which the individual Exits the organization and/or becomes Alumni.
  • When is the volunteer done, to whom do they return equipment, and debrief the experience. Did the organization honour how long they needed the volunteer or try to ‘squeeze’ a few more hours out of them?
• 7. Evaluation and THANK YOU!: Mutual evaluation of the reciprocity provided by the volunteer experience.
  • Would the volunteer return for another shift?
  • Does the organization want them back in the same role?
  • Can the volunteer be used in a more complex role?
  • Irrespective, don’t forget the THANK YOU! to close out on a big Finish.

Three Important Things to Do in LAST-VEGA

Tenure: The most important letter is the middle one, ‘T’ for Tenure. Every other letter is important but does not create value for the non-profit. The organization is not in the business of recruiting, socializing or terminating volunteers – it is in the business of delivering services.

Governance: While Governance does not add value, it does protect it. Volunteers are expensive and understanding why and how to retain them can cut your cost of volunteer management and improve the services you offer. For small organizations, Governance is probably done informally. As an organization grows, Governance must be scaled.

Alumni: Word of mouth is the most effective recruitment strategy for volunteers. Former volunteers can tell the organization’s story, donate and help to recruit new volunteers. That is the good news. The bad news is that a non-profit relies on the currencies of trust and reputation which a volunteer with a bad experience may be undermining. Keep your volunteers close and your alumnus closer.

What Happens in LAST-VEGA, Can Improve LAST-VEGA

LAST-VeGA and the Lucky 7’s Model helps organizations think about volunteers in a systematic way. What are your thoughts, would you visit LAST VeGA and could the ‘Lucky 7’s and the Volunteer Experience’ perform in your volunteer organization? Let me know in the comments, etc.

Notes and References

1. Yes, I know I cheated with ‘Volunteer-Exit’ – but hey, it is a pretty cool mnemonic.