Volunteer treasurers often come with a great deal of relevant experience. Some are bookkeepers or accountants, and others have run their own businesses for years. Even if that is the case, and especially if it is not, it is a good idea to give your volunteers some specific training as they start their duties as treasurer. Doing so offers great ground for discussing and confirming how things need to be done, and to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

Wild Apricot has released a useful resource for volunteer recruiters and those involved with volunteer training. Although the site is not Australian, the topics covered are of universal relevance, and will help prepare people in a range of organisations to welcome, orient and manage new volunteers.

Many NFPs would not manage their usual workload with the participation of volunteers. It is well worth it to make sure volunteers entering the organisation are helped to understand the operations and their role within it, as well as the impact their work will have on society at large. Starting Volunteers Off Right makes these and many other useful suggestions. It offers a thorough, easy to follow five step process to bring people from interested outsiders to involved volunteers.

Sometimes, volunteers experience burnout, or mention that the work they are set to do is overwhelming. The work of many NFPs is never-ending, but rather than having volunteer roles that only superhumans could keep up with, there are ways to separate duties to make them manageable for the volunteers already at hand. Redesigning Volunteer Jobs That Are Too Big gives clear instructions for those wishing to do just that.

Like all workers, volunteers feel more loyalty towards organisations that openly appreciate them. Not only are people generally more productive when morale is high, organisations experience greater rates of volunteer retention. Get some great ideas for showing how much you appreciate your volunteers in the Volunteer Appreciation Guide.

Making use of great resources like those provided by Wild Apricot will help you to plan your volunteer treasurer recruitment and training processes. With volunteers as such vital participants, it is well worth it to understand and cater to their needs, as well as have good communication with them about the needs of the organisation.