Smarter Impact Starts Here
Virtual Learning
Gain skills, tools, and templates while convening with peers across your organization – or across the continent! – by joining one of VQ’s lively and informative virtual learning sessions. From perennial favorites designed to help you build foundational skills or advanced practices to opportunities to gain insights from guest experts and authors, all VQ webinars are designed to stimulate and inform. Plus, you can ask questions, share your ideas, and learn from peers, too.
In addition to hosting our own VQ virtual learning sessions, we regularly present webinars through partner organizations.
See each session listing below for details on registration and pricing, if applicable.
Virtual Learning Designed Especially for You!
By offering volunteer engagement content virtually, VQ Volunteer Strategies can help your organization reach more people, more efficiently. We will create customized online programs on the topics of your choice to be presented to your staff and volunteer leaders.
Upcoming Live Webinars
Come back soon to learn about upcoming live webinars. In the meantime, select from the many on-demand recordings available below.
Free, On-demand Webinars
Whether 30 or 60 minutes long, these webinars each provide background, best practices, and tools you can apply immediately to your volunteer engagement efforts.
Recruit and Rebuild Your Volunteer Base
59 minutes
Are you challenged with recruiting new volunteers? You aren’t alone. Recruitment difficulties are pervasive across the sector. While new circumstances demand new tactics, no one “quick fix” exists. Instead, by understanding shifting volunteer expectations, we can adjust our strategies accordingly. In this session, learn what research tells us about recruitment and volunteer expectations, then explore such tactics as adapting volunteer roles to attract new volunteers, leveraging volunteer personas, and nurturing partnerships to build your volunteer pipeline.
SterlingLive - Rethinking Engagement Amid Disruptions in the Volunteer Community
50 minutes
Join VQ Volunteer Strategies President, Beth Steinhorn, and Sterling Volunteers CEO, Katie Zwetzig, for this lively conversation about the ripple effects of disruptions and the strategies that helped organizations endure. Get a sneak preview of the upcoming book, Transforming Disruption to Impact: Rethinking Volunteer Engagement for a Rapidly Changing World, due out November 1, 2022.
Presented in partnership with Sterling Volunteers. Click here to view this conversation.
Transforming Disruption to Impact
60 minutes
For generations, engaging volunteers has been a vital strategy for communities to solve problems. Yet, the events since 2020 have disrupted how people work and volunteer. While disruption can be devastating, it can also be the impetus to release ourselves from “the way we’ve always done things.” If viewed as an opportunity, disruption invites us to revisit, rethink, and reinvent the way we achieve mission. In this session, hear stories of organizations that unlocked that potential and learn from the lessons which you, too, can apply to sustain your organization regardless of what the future holds. This session will also be a preview of the new book, Transforming Disruption to Impact: Rethinking Volunteer Engagement for a Rapidly Changing World.
Presented in partnership with Sterling Volunteers. Click here to view this session.
Virtual Volunteers: Keys to Success and Sustainability
60 minutes
More and more organizations have begun to rely on a blended workforce – with staff and volunteers working on-site and on-line. However, in recent years, engaging volunteers virtually became the norm for many organizations. Learn tools and tips to adapt best practices in engagement to the virtual arena and expand virtual training opportunities. Participants will receive tools to assess virtual volunteer roles, support accountability, and develop effective virtual training plans.
Presented in partnership with Sterling Volunteers. Click here to view this session.
Top to Bottom Volunteer Program Planning
60 minutes
Are you considering starting a volunteer program – or expanding the program your organization already has? Planning is the key to developing a program that is sustainable and impactful. This session will demystify the planning process through 5 key steps to planning a volunteer program, including the Why, How, Who, What, and When of engaging volunteers. Planning is what can transform your program into a strategy, and it can convert your organization’s volunteer involvement into impact.
Presented in partnership with Sterling Volunteers. Click here to view this session.
Scoping, Sourcing, and Supporting Projects for Skills-Based Volunteers
60 minutes
The prospect of engaging a pro bono team of volunteers to address a specific project at your organization can be both appealing and daunting. Through case studies and tips, we will demystify the process by sharing steps to guide you through scoping a project, sourcing a volunteer team to complete the project, and establishing a culture of support and accountability. Through your success, you will then be able to inspire others to engage skilled volunteers in project-based work across the organization.
Presented in partnership with Sterling Volunteers. Click here to view this webinar.
Navigating the Changing Volunteer Landscape: Exploring Key Trends
60 minutes
Volunteerism is continuously changing – and certainly the last year brought more change than usual. Not only do social, economic, and generational trends affect how individuals volunteer, but now the pandemic has transformed how organizations can attract, engage, and retain qualified volunteers. Learn how successful organizations are shifting from a traditional culture of volunteer management to a robust culture of volunteer engagement. Explore how safely leveraging the skills and interests of volunteers can still build your capacity and help to sustain your organization no matter what challenges come along.
Presented in partnership with Sterling Volunteers. Click here to view this webinar.
Sustaining and Adapting Volunteer Engagement in our New Reality
60 minutes
Facing change has been a challenging reality in 2020 – that’s why keeping volunteer engagement at the forefront can advance your organization through these challenges. Wherever your organization is along the path to reopening or resuming standard services, there is much to navigate and consider. Get useful tips on how you can adapt and engage volunteers safely and meaningfully to help achieve your mission. Explore issues to consider when restarting services, learn best practices in redesigning roles to address new needs and reconnect with volunteers through strategic communications, and gain tips on how to effectively manage change with your colleagues and leadership as well as with volunteers.
Presented in Partnership with Sterling Volunteers. Click here to view this webinar.
Volunteer Engagement Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic: A Virtual Convening
The recent outbreak of coronavirus and the associated response has changed our way of life … including how we think about and engage volunteers. The pandemic requires all of us to put protections in place for volunteers, staff, and clients, while also finding innovative ways to maintain some services or endure while suspending other services. We will share how some organizations have shifted their engagement practices to respond to the pandemic and provide a list of volunteer engagement considerations. Come together with fellow engagement leaders for support as we move through this together. Offered in partnership with Sterling Volunteers.
Generational Trends in Volunteer Engagement
60 Minutes
Generational differences affect everything from recruitment to how we support volunteers and acknowledge their contributions. Learn how you can create and maintain a diverse volunteer corps that leverages the skills and talents of Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and beyond.
Presented in partnership with Sterling Volunteers (formerly Verified Volunteers).
Volunteer Roles
Designing for Success: Developing Volunteer Roles
60 minutes
Successful engagement begins with the right opportunity – one that meets the needs of both the volunteer and the organization. Crafting position descriptions ensures that the role is meaningful, and can be instrumental in finding qualified people, making a good match, and setting volunteers up for success. This session will focus on the elements of position descriptions, who should be involved in writing them, which elements should be negotiable, and how to leverage position descriptions for recruitment.
Screening and Placement
Finding the Fit: Interview and Screening Tips
60 Minutes
Impactful engagement relies on finding the best match between your organization’s needs and the skills and interests of prospective volunteers. This session will explore the elements of a volunteer screening process and best practices for interviewing volunteers, including behavioral interviewing techniques, and understanding and overcoming bias. Learn how to develop a comprehensive screening strategy, develop high-impact interview questions, and what to do when the fit isn’t there.
Support and Accountability
Enhancing Volunteer Engagement through Internal Partnerships
60 Minutes
In a culture of volunteer engagement, volunteer managers and directors do much more than “just” manage volunteers. Instead, they are strategic partners, change agents, content experts, administrative leaders, and champions. In other words, they serve as internal business partners – supporting and inspiring staff throughout the organization to engage volunteers impactfully and efficiently. It can be challenging to influence without authority – but business partnering can be a path towards success. In this session, learn the competencies of being an effective business partner and how they can apply to strategic volunteer engagement.
Presented in partnership with Sterling Volunteers. Click here to view this webinar.
Building and Nurturing Volunteer Communities
60 minutes
Whether volunteers serve on-site or remotely, ensuring that volunteers feel a part of something bigger than just themselves can transform one-time volunteers into truly engaged volunteers. In this session, discover the benefits of nurturing a sense of community among volunteers and discover seven principles that foster community. Leave with tips on how to leverage social media, strategically design communications, check-in regularly, and celebrate together – even if virtually. Remember, individuals often start volunteering to make a difference, but they stay when they develop relationships and feel a part of a team.
Presented in partnership with Sterling Volunteers. Click here to view this webinar.
“Real” Best Practices for “Virtual” Volunteers
60 Minutes
More and more organizations have begun to rely on a blended workforce – with staff and volunteers working on-site and on-line. However, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, engaging volunteers virtually is now the only way for many organizations to sustain current volunteers and engage others in their mission. Join Beth Steinhorn, President of VQ Volunteer Strategies, for a discussion on how to identify needs that can be addressed by virtual volunteers and learn about tools and tips to adapt best practices in engagement to the virtual arena. At this challenging time, you can still engage volunteers while keeping them, your staff, and the community safe – and, by establishing systems now for virtual engagement, you will build your capacity to engage volunteers for years to come. Receive a virtual volunteer checklist to help assess roles and tools to support accountability. Specifically, this webinar will explore:
- The evolving definition of virtual volunteers
- Screening and placing volunteers virtually
- Equipping volunteers for success
- How to best leverage technology
- Holding virtual volunteers accountable
Presented in Partnership with Sterling Volunteers – Click here to view this webinar
Setting up for Success: Training Staff and Volunteers
60 Minutes
Organizations that effectively train both volunteers and the staff who engage and support them are more adaptable, sustainable, and impactful. Boost your team’s job satisfaction and effectiveness by training staff and volunteers for success.
Presented in partnership with Sterling Volunteers (formerly Verified Volunteers).
Click here to view this webinar
On-site to On-line - Adapting Training for Virtual Presentation
60 Minutes
Delivering volunteer training on-line is not as simple as just recording in-person trainings and posting them online. Effective training through virtual technology requires planning, thought, and – believe it or not – more time from the trainer. Join Beth Steinhorn, President of VQ Volunteer Strategies, for a discussion on how to pilot or expand your organization’s virtual training opportunities – particularly given recent circumstances amid COVID-19 that has limited our ability to gather in groups.
Learn how virtual training may be the crucial step to help retain current volunteers and onboard new ones. Receive a training plan template and technology checklist for facilitators to use in your own work. Specifically, this webinar explores how to:
- Adapt existing curricula to on-line delivery
- Fully leverage technology for new trainings
- Encourage volunteer participation
- Check for learning
Presented in Partnership with Sterling Volunteers – Click here to view this webinar
Beyond Potlucks: Building Unity and Community within your Volunteer Corps
60 Minutes
Many individuals start volunteering to make a difference, and they stay when they feel a part of the team. How can you transform your volunteer corps into a community? Join this webinar to discover the benefits of nurturing community among volunteers and gain strategies to get beyond the traditional potlucks. We will explore how to structure volunteer roles, leverage social media, and train volunteer leaders to promote social interaction among volunteers to build unity. Presented in partnership with Sterling Volunteers.
Keep 'em Coming Back
60 Minutes
How do you parlay service days into longer term commitments? Learn how to design days of service so that you not only deliver valued assistance but also connect participants to future opportunities for impactful volunteering.
Presented in partnership with Sterling Volunteers (formerly Verified Volunteers).
Retaining Volunteers Amid Uncertainty: Converting One-Timers to Repeat Volunteers
60 Minutes
Though volunteer rates are rising, individuals are less likely to make long term commitments, especially in a world of uncertainties. Yet, certain best practices can help transform episodic volunteers into repeat volunteers so that you not only deliver valued services but also connect participants to future opportunities for impactful volunteering. This session will explore changing definitions of retention and feature case studies of organizations who effectively inspire some first-timers to return again and again.
Presented in partnership with Sterling Volunteers
Recognition and Measuring Impact
Measuring and Communicating Volunteer Impact
60 Minutes
Demonstrating results goes beyond counting the number of volunteers in your program and the hours of service they provide. This session will explore trends and emerging tools designed to demonstrate quantitative and, more importantly, qualitative results that position volunteer engagement as a valuable and effective resource within your organization. Learn some of the latest metrics to track volunteer impact and gain tools to make the case for volunteer engagement as a vital resource.
Tracking and Recognizing Impact of a Hybrid Volunteer Community
60 Minutes
With engagement practices having changed over the past year, many of our traditional methods of tracking volunteer impact and recognizing volunteer contributions have required at least a rethinking, if not a complete reinvention. How can we track and measure volunteer impact even when volunteers are increasingly serving remotely? What does research tell us about how volunteers seek to be recognized and how have others in the field leveraged these preferences creatively and safely? Join this session to explore these and related questions so you can not only develop a meaningful recognition plan but have the data to help advocate to sustain your engagement efforts in the future.
Presented in partnership with Sterling Volunteers
