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Providing volunteers with the resources and information they need, not only to do their specific volunteer position but also to be a bona fide member of the organization’s team, means setting aside time for training and orientation

The difference between the two? Where training tends to be skill- and volunteer position-specific, orientation is the opportunity to introduce the volunteer to your organization, giving them a broader view of the history, mission, and current programs and activities. Put another way, orientation is the formal welcome, where the volunteer is introduced around the workplace, and training is the digging in, the time-to-get-our-hands-dirty work of preparation for volunteering.

Here are some training and orientation ideas, resources, and models to consider:

Also see Resources for Volunteer Management Professionals for population, organization, and volunteer position specific information.

Energize, Inc.: Volunteer Training Tools

Training and Orientation: How to Develop

• Conducting Value-Based Volunteer Training - Shanti National Training Institute @ Corporation for National and Community Service
• Essential Volunteer Management: Orientation and Training – Rick Lynch and Steve McCurley @ National CASA Association
• Icebreakers – The Resource Center, Corporation for National and Community Service
• The Importance of Good Orientation – Merrill Associates New to Field
• Induction & Training – Volunteering England
• Induction & Training – Volunteering Ireland
• Prepare for Training and Orientation – Volunteering in America: Resources for Retention, Corporation for National and Community Service
• A Toolkit and Guide for People Who Train Volunteers – Volunteering Australia
• Training – The Resource Center, Corporation for National and Community Service
• Training Volunteers as Project Leaders – Volunteering in America: Resources for Retention, Corporation for National and Community Service Exp Vol

Training and Orientation: Examples

• Diversity Awareness Group Training Exercises – Volunteering England
• Induction & Training – Volunteering England
• Orientation and Training for Project-Based Volunteers – Volunteering in America: Resources for Retention, Corporation for National and Community Service
• Providing Guidelines for Inexperienced Volunteers – City of Service Consortium Higher Education Service-Learning Project @ Corporation for National and Community Service
• Sample Volunteer Management Policies: Volunteer Training and Development – Steve McCurley, VM Systems @ National CASA Association
• UNICEF Training – U.S. Fund for UNICEF (A great example of an online training/orientation for volunteers; enter any email address to begin)
• Volunteer Placement, Orientation and Training – Monika Penner @ Charity Village

Didn’t find what you were looking for? Let us know and consider checking out the following sites:
Energize, Inc.
The Resource Center (CNCS)
Volunteer Canada
Volunteering Australia
Volunteering England
World Volunteer Web