What should you consider when you bring on volunteer staff for your community?

[Amelia]

Bringing on volunteer staff for your forum community can be a valuable step in growing and maintaining a vibrant online community. However, it's important to consider several factors to ensure a successful and positive experience for both the volunteers and the community as a whole:

Clearly Defined Roles and Responsibilities:

• Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of each volunteer position (e.g., moderators, administrators, content creators).
• Ensure that volunteers understand their specific duties, including moderating content, enforcing community guidelines, and assisting members.

Selection Process:

• Develop a fair and transparent process for selecting volunteers. This may involve applications, interviews, or evaluations of past contributions.
• Consider the qualifications and skills required for each role, such as communication skills, technical expertise, or subject matter knowledge.

Training and Onboarding:

• Provide comprehensive training to volunteers, including an overview of community guidelines, moderation tools, and conflict resolution strategies.
• Create an onboarding process that helps new volunteers become familiar with the community's culture and values.

Clear Communication:

• Establish open lines of communication between volunteers and community administrators.
• Ensure volunteers have access to a private channel or forum for discussing issues, asking questions, and seeking guidance.

Code of Conduct for Volunteers:

• Develop a separate code of conduct or guidelines for volunteer staff, emphasizing professionalism, impartiality, and the importance of setting a positive example for the community.

Accountability and Evaluation:

• Set up a system for evaluating the performance of volunteers regularly.
• Provide feedback and opportunities for improvement, and be prepared to address any issues or concerns that arise.

Conflict Resolution:

• Develop a process for handling conflicts or disagreements among volunteers or between volunteers and community members.
• Ensure that there is a clear escalation path for addressing more serious disputes.

Resource Support:

• Equip volunteers with the necessary tools and resources, including access to moderation tools, guidelines, and documentation.
• Provide ongoing technical and emotional support to help them perform their duties effectively.

Recognition and Appreciation:

• Recognize and appreciate the contributions of volunteers publicly and privately.
• Consider offering badges, titles, or other forms of recognition to acknowledge their commitment.

Avoiding Burnout:

• Encourage a healthy work-life balance for volunteers, and avoid overburdening them with excessive responsibilities.
• Ensure that there is a plan for recruiting and training new volunteers to prevent burnout.

Documentation:

• Keep detailed records of volunteer activities, communications, and any actions taken by volunteers, especially when it relates to enforcing community guidelines.

Bringing on volunteer staff can greatly enhance your forum community's effectiveness and engagement, but it requires careful planning, support, and a commitment to providing a positive experience for both volunteers and community members.

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[Kane]

As far as I know most communities are managed through volunteers. If you have staffs who are working as volunteers and if you are not paying any kind of incentives, you should never be too demanding. You sure want the to be very active but you cannot ask them too much because you are not offering them anything in return

[Maria]

If you are running your community through volunteers, you need to make sure your volunteer staffs are treated well as well as receive some kind of community benefits. If you are not respecting your volunteer staff and if your staff do not get any kind of benefits, they will desert your community pretty soon.

[Kane]

On 3/20/2024 at 9:45 AM, Maria said:

If you are running your community through volunteers, you need to make sure your volunteer staffs are treated well as well as receive some kind of community benefits. If you are not respecting your volunteer staff and if your staff do not get any kind of benefits, they will desert your community pretty soon.

Staff benefit is very important. Just giving a title of staff will not be enough, you also need to compensate your staff with something. Well, you can offer free advertising space, free signature advertising and things like these but unless you are offering monetary incentives, you cannot have staff loyal to your community. You need to either offer staff bonus or allow ti withdraw the forum credits (if you have implemented this option)

[Dilip]

Personally, I don't like the idea of volunteer staff. You pay them whatever you can.

I know that a lot of people think above money, but it is a good practice to reward loyalty wherever we can.