Mini-Trainings for Maximum Impact
Editor’s note: Beth Steinhorn is President of VQ Volunteer Strategies, which supports organizations with planning, coaching, assessment, training, and tools and templates for volunteer and member engagement. We appreciate her contribution to the VIS blog.
Staff turnover is a big challenge for mission-driven organizations. High employee churn affects many aspects of the organization – including volunteers and how they are supported. As nonprofits work to attract and retain skilled employees – whether case workers, development officers, event planners, educators, or other roles – they generally prioritize hiring individuals for their expertise in their program area, not necessarily for their experience in engaging and supporting volunteers. For these reasons and more, training staff in volunteer engagement fundamentals has never been more important. Yet, the methods to support staff members through volunteer engagement training are evolving.
For years, we partnered with organizations to develop customized staff training in volunteer engagement, providing and facilitating workshops, resource guides, communities of practice, and more. However, over the past decade, we began seeing a growing trend: organizations requesting that we adapt the typical one to two-hour-long workshop or webinar series to shorter programs – sometimes as short as 20 minutes. In response to these requests was born the “Mini-Training”!
What is a Mini-Training?
A mini-training lasts 30 minutes or less and is focused on one discrete topic or engagement tool. Follow-up is expected. As a short program, it’s much easier to integrate the training into existing convenings – whether standing department meetings, lunch ‘n learns, or general all-staff meetings. As a short training program, it is also easy to record them and make them available on-demand. Whether facilitated live or offered online, mini-trainings are a great way to reduce the barriers to participation by ensuring that the trainers (usually volunteer coordinators or directors) meet the participants where they are, rather than expecting participants to come to them.
Mini-Training Topics
When determining topics for mini-trainings, consider current challenges or issues that arise through discussions with colleagues, common complaints or concerns shared about or by volunteers, and any new tools or expectations you want to roll out across the organization. Mini-trainings are most effective when focused on one concept – such as how to write a position description, providing volunteer feedback, or personalizing volunteer recognition.
Designing a Mini-Training
With a bit of preparation up front, the mini-training will have maximum impact. Follow these simple steps:
- Determine your topic.
- Develop the session.
- Complete the Mini-Trainings Guide (available under “Training” on the VQ Resources page) to refine the topic, develop objectives, and prepare a brief and focused training.
- Make sure you have buy-in from leadership and engage department or organizational leaders to encourage team members to attend the training.
- Prepare activities and handouts.
- Deliver the session.
- Show up prepared, facilitate the session, and stick to your timeframe.
- Follow up.
- Thank participants and department leaders.
- Share additional tips and tools as follow-up and request feedback and suggestions for additional topics.
Mini-trainings can be invigorating for staff. They are quick, efficient, and, most importantly, accessible. Yet their success depends on how relevant the topic is for the participants. Prioritize your topics based on not only your needs but what you are hearing from colleagues about their needs. Once staff members feel the impact of the training on their own work, they will be back for more!
If you are interested in protecting your volunteers through the unique VIS insurance program, please click on the “Get volunteer insurance now” link on the home page, or call 800.222.8920. For more information on VIS’s risk management resources for members, and our vendor partners, click on the “Member Benefits” tab.
