PEER VOLUNTEER SYSTEM
Pairing up a new volunteer with a more experienced one can help ease onboarding and provide those starting off the confidence and skills to engage in more successful client interactions. With a peer volunteer system, new volunteers are assigned someone more experienced to shadow for their first few shifts. This system is particularly effective for volunteers in client-facing roles.
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A peer volunteer system is also meant to foster a supportive environment amongst volunteers so that they can learn from one another. A more experienced volunteer can assist their peers by fielding on-the-job questions, acting as a role model in upholding organizational values, and providing encouragement and community.
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As a volunteer manager, it is important to provide the proper support and resources to your volunteers for the peer system to be successful. Refer to the Orientation Best Practices, Volunteer Communication Guide, Reflection Tools, and Community Event for some ideas.
IMPORTANT STEPS TO CONSIDER
Setup
Identify long term volunteers in client-facing positions that are exemplars in their role and reach out to them regarding the opportunity to act as a mentor to new volunteers in the same roles. Provide them information on the protocol and expectations for their role. If you are short on staffing, you can consider making pods of 2-3 new volunteers per mentor.
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Orientation
Explain to new volunteers the benefits of the peer volunteer system. Establish clear structures, expectations, and boundaries they should have with one another and their mentors.
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First shift and on
Introduce new volunteers to the mentors that they will shadow for their first few shifts. Set aside 5 minutes at the end of their shifts for volunteers to debrief with one another about their experience. Provide resources or materials to reflection prompts or guides such as in Reflection Tools to help facilitate these conversations.
It is important to support the mentoring volunteers in managing and passing their skills to their peers. Be sure to make yourself available to mentors if they need help or have questions. Consider setting up a meeting with mentors to debrief about their experience to understand how to adapt and improve the peer volunteer system. You can also create a survey to collect feedback from both the mentor and mentee (refer to Feedback Methods).