Friends Will be Friends, Right Till the
End
Friends
organisations and how to manage them before they manage you
By Lynn Blackadder
(reposted with permission
from cv, © 2004)
Friends and volunteers
If memory serves, about seven years ago the British Association of
Friends of Museums (BAFM) said - in the preface to their excellent
Volunteer Management Handbook - that there was a blurred line between
Friends and volunteers. Both had the same aim, that of supporting
an organisation they had an affinity with, so it wasn't necessary
to make a distinction between the two. BAFM, I think, were probably
referring to Friends who also volunteer. As many cv
readers will have both Friends and other volunteers, I thought it
would be useful to look at the roles of the two groups, and why it's
important not to confuse them, focusing on the often tricky business
of managing Friends who also volunteer.
Time is money
The traditional model is that Friends give their money, whilst volunteers
give their time. Of course, many Friends are volunteers too, but not
all volunteers will be Friends. Is this distinction important? I think
confusing the two can be problematic. First and foremost, Friends
pay an annual subscription to support the organisation, for which
they receive certain benefits - for example, monthly magazines, private
views or performances, or reduced entry to shows. If they also volunteer,
giving their time freely has no material connection with the subscription
or the benefits received (risking their benefits being taxed). Though,
of course, there may be a strong moral connection. Although it will
depend on the type and size of organisation - especially if it is
an entirely volunteer-run organisation - most Friends probably don't
volunteer. Their wish to support their chosen organisation will mainly
be about giving to a good cause generally, as well as receiving the
benefits. If I'm honest, my now lapsed Tate membership was most valued
because of access to the Members' bar!
The fact that Tate has a 'membership' rather than a 'Friends' scheme
suggests a more modern approach to engaging supporters, and perhaps
a conscious move away from the stigma I find is still often attached
to the supporters groups of some of our older, establishment cultural
organisations - for example, the British Museum, or the V&A. In
institutions such as these we still find Friends helping out in front-of-house
roles on information desks and as guides. No doubt, they are also
behind the scenes, though probably to a lesser extent. The majority
of these Friends will fit into a stereotype that most of us would
agree is the traditional profile of 'Friend' - or, more likely, a
volunteer. This is because, whilst many of us will be Friends or members
of all kinds of institutions, only those of us who have the time (not
forgetting the inclination) to volunteer will do so. Thus the visible
supporters will mainly be those who are retired - hence the unfortunate,
but much used 'twin-set-and-pearls' label that is attached to groups
of Friends and / or volunteers. Thankfully, with an increase in awareness
of why people volunteer, and a diversification of those who do it,
these sorts of stereotypes are being challenged. And cultural organisations
are gearing up to manage the range of people who want to give their
time for free - as regular readers of cv will be
aware. However, I have for a long time been aware of the 'influence'
enjoyed by many Friends organisations - and particularly those that
have an on-site presence, usually through volunteering. It is a phenomenon
that I find particularly intriguing, and one that I believe brings
unique - but not insurmountable - management challenges.
Feeling the presence
Because money changes hands, Friends are donors. Donors who also give
their time (as volunteers) who have a deep-felt affiliation with their
chosen organisation sometimes assume that their dual contribution
endows them with certain privileges that extend beyond discounts in
the shop and monthly glossies. In other words, they believe they are
entitled to have a say in how the place is run on a daily basis. Sound
familiar? Don't get me wrong. I certainly don't want to make a sweeping
generalisation about Friends, members or other supporters who also
volunteer. But I am guessing that more than half of those reading
this are nodding in acknowledgement. It is simply a fact that some
organisations struggle to manage enthusiastic Friends groups - particularly
when there is a core group of volunteers within, or leading them -
and hence a strong presence in the institution. It can lead to a tail-wagging-the-dog
relationship not uncommon in volunteer management that can infuriate
(and even terrify) management at the most senior levels.
Senior management who recognise the importance of the contributions
of Friends, and the need to keep them involved, might worry that one
disaffected Friend could start a ripple effect which is more like
a Mexican wave: lose one, and you lose them all. I have more than
once been astonished at the response and level of senior management
input into sensitive problem-solving situations involving Friends.
I heard recently of one organisation that considered automatically
admitting Friends volunteers to their new volunteer programme without
an interview or a security check, unlike regular volunteers. Management
didn't want to rock the boat, and it was thought that Friends wishing
to volunteer would refuse to be interviewed ('You're happy to take
my money but don't trust me').
Integration of Friends volunteers and other volunteers can be problematic,
as can introducing new volunteer management procedures which bring
Friends volunteers and other volunteers under the same umbrella. Again,
this scenario is often rejected by Friends, who see their role as
different. Many Friends groups are as old as the institution they
support, so naturally they may have a view of themselves as being
in with the bricks and mortar. These groups will probably be harder
to influence than those that are just starting out. Whilst these are
challenging management scenarios, to try and avoid them is to risk
alienating other volunteers and being accused of double standards
because of the financial benefits attached to keeping Friends volunteers
happy.
Some Friendly advice
The trick is to communicate that everyone who volunteers is of equal
importance, and to make clear the different roles that supporters
have in the organisation:
o Clarify the purpose of your Friends (members or supporters)
organisation as a group, its status (is it a charity in its own right?),
its relationship with your organisation (voting rights at AGM?), and
any privileges Friends are entitled to.
o Acknowledge that some Friends also volunteer, and in doing
so come under the volunteer management function. If there are separate
volunteering roles that Friends perform (e.g. guiding) make these
clear (it is easier if all roles are open to all volunteers to avoid
equal opportunities and 'them and us' situations).
o Publish your organisation's volunteering vision, clearly stating
the value to the organisation of people who give their time.
o Clearly state that all volunteers are treated equally and
are managed in the organisation in line with best practice.
o Regularly acknowledge the contributions of all your volunteers.
Calculate how much time this adds up to each year and put a monetary
value on it.
o Make sure there are clear communications channels for
individuals (Friends, volunteers or the public) to make comments or
suggestions to management about the work of your organisation.
In these challenging financial times, cultural organisations need
all the help they can get. However, few things in life are free, and
to ensure that this good will continues, we all need to think about
the management implications that come with it. If you would like to
share your experiences of managing Friends who also volunteer, cv
would like to hear from you. Email lynn@lynnblackadder.com
.
cultural volunteer (cv)
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cv is published six times a year and comes to you
from Lynn Blackadder, arts management consultant located in the UK,
www.lynnblackadder.com .
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12/10/04
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Permission is granted for organizations to download and reprint this article. Reprints must provide full acknowledgment of source, as provided:
Originally
published in cv,© 2004, Lynn Blackadder, www.lynnblackadder.com
Found in the Energize website library at: http://www.energizeinc.com/art.html
