Volunteers First

Volunteers First (VF) Leadership for Member Engagement

This innovative Volunteers First (VF) leadership awareness program is the product of a two-year collaboration with AAUW of Oregon leaders and the AAUW of California Branch and Leadership Development Committee, led by Peggy Shippen, dual member of AAUW of CA and AAUW Salem Branch.

Many thanks to the AAUW of California Leadership Development Committee for hosting and recording the Volunteers First slide program attended by  AAUW of Oregon, California, and Washington leaders.

  • Volunteer First is an awareness program designed specifically for AAUW leaders and members to increase their success in engaging and retaining members and developing leaders.
  • Volunteer First is founded on recent, credible worldwide research showing volunteers are motivated to keep serving the cause they choose to join when gaining something intangible that is unique to each of their intrinsic motivators.
  • Volunteer First encourages leaders to focus on building and facilitating member relationships by establishing caring, connecting, and supporting relationships and recognizing members for making a positive difference for women, girls, and equity.

Volunteers First Baseline Survey

If your branch is implementing Volunteers First, we request that you provide the Leadership Development Committee with baseline information that will be used to measure the impact of your efforts on a rolling year basis.

When to Submit the Survey

A branch leader who is involved with the Volunteers First implementation should submit the baseline questionnaire just before beginning the Volunteers First implementation.

Click to Launch the Survey

Survey Results

You will receive a follow-up questionnaire a year later. Although there is no deadline for the baseline submission, we suggest that your Volunteers First implementation begin in the fall and end in the spring; coinciding with the yearly plan.

The Leadership Development Committee will compile the information and report the results back to each branch and to the committee.

Volunteers First Part 1

AAUW leaders are introduced to research showing how and why volunteer leadership is unique from employment leadership. Leaders will learn the natural motivators that drive members to engage and continue engaging for the cause. Leaders will learn the importance of making, building, and facilitating relationships by caring, connecting, supporting and recognition. This session focuses on genuinely caring for and getting to know each member as well as connecting members. Circles of engagement are introduced.

 

Volunteers First Part 2

AAUW leaders continue learning about the importance of building and facilitating relationships through cultural and generational caring. Beyond providing tasks and training, leaders learn about supporting engaged members, growing leaders and recognizing them in ways they want to be recognized for making a difference.