Valentine's Day (February 14) frequently elicits attention to volunteers in cloyingly sweet ways. Some organizations post "we love our volunteers" posters or ask the staff to wear badges with that message. If this isn't your style or the image you seek, why not make use of Valentine's Day to do other things to draw attention to volunteering?
Our Book Blog suggests the option of running a Volunteer Speed Matching event for singles patterned on speed dating, as explained in A Toolkit for Volunteer Speed Matching by Volunteer Centre Dacorum in England.
Or you can focus on how volunteering demonstrates the love of volunteers for your cause. Here are a few ideas:
- Hang some large sheets of newsprint in a public spot headed, What We Love Around Here -- you can even use red hearts and other Valentine's Day decorations. Supply markers and let everyone -- volunteers, paid staff, even clients -- add to the list of praises.
- Do the same thing online, maybe using a Facebook account or accumulating tweets on Twitter.
- Put out some cookies or chocolate on Valentine's Day, along with cards asking volunteers to identify what they most love about sharing their time and talent with your organization. Use their statements throughout the year in recruitment campaigns, presentations to funders, and at the annual recognition event.
- Use the opportunity to thank employees. Send a Valentine's Day card to every member of staff (especially those in clerical, maintenance, and other roles that rarely receive formal communications) from volunteers. In their own handwriting, ask volunteers to identify something this paid staff member has done in the past year that's worthy of applause or a hug. Give it! (You can also have staff send similar valentines to volunteers -- the key is to specify why they are loved individually, rather than a general one-size-fits-all thank you.)
- Depending on your type of service, you might offer clients a chance to send valentines to paid staff and/or volunteers (or, for that matter, to anyone they choose). Provide or make cards, ask volunteers to help the clients write what they wish, and send them out, and you provide an extra-touch service coordinated by the volunteer office.
If you do something out of the ordinary in your organization for Valentine's Day, please share it and we'll post it on the Energize site. Send your e-mails to info@energizeinc.com.