Volunteer Coordinator_final

HOPE II Grant Evaluation Site Visit Protocol – Volunteer Coordinator

HOPE II Site Visit Protocol

Volunteer Coordinator

Organization:

Site Visitor Name:

Date:

Location:

Interviewee Name(s) and Titles:

Description of Organization and Surrounding Area/Neighborhood:

Introduction

My name is ________ and I work for Abt Associates, a research organization located in Cambridge, MA. Our firm has been hired by the National Institute of Justice in order to evaluate the HOPE II grant program and these sites visits contribute to that effort. The purpose of my interview with you today is to understand how the HOPE II funds have been used to implement and support strategic goals of your organization pertaining to volunteers. The interview will take no more than 1 hour. I will be asking questions pertaining to general information about [organization name], your organization’s use of volunteers, whether or not this has changed as a result of HOPE II, technical assistance received from the Maryland Crime Victims Resource Center (MCVRC), and your opinions of the HOPE II grant overall.

The purpose of this interview is not to evaluate your organization’s activities or performance with respect to the HOPE II grant, nor do your responses have any bearing on your organization’s future competitiveness for receiving Federal funding.

Background

1. Prior to your work with [organization name], did you have any previous experience coordinating volunteers? If so, please explain?

2. How did you find out about this opportunity/position with this organization?

3. Prior to your position as a volunteer coordinator, did you have any previous relationship with this organization as an employee, volunteer, or client?

Volunteers

4. How many volunteers does your organization currently have?

1. Has this number changed since receipt of the HOPE II grant? How?

5. How long have most of your volunteers been with your organization? Please explain.

1. Do you think that volunteers feel that they are important members of your organization?

2. Do you recommend any specific methods/activities/procedures that you employ for making volunteers feel like important members of your organization? Please explain.

6. Did any of your current staff start out at your organization as volunteers? How many? Please explain or give examples?

7. What activities or responsibilities are given to volunteers in your organization?

1. Are these responsibilities different or similar to those responsibilities given to paid staff? If different, how are they different?

2. Do you think that clear expectations are communicated to volunteers? Please explain?

3. Do the assignments given to volunteers change regularly or are there specific and consistent responsibilities given to each volunteer?

8. Do volunteers receive regular performance reviews? How similar are they to those given to paid employees?

Daily Responsibilities/Experiences

[OBTAIN COPY OF VOL COORDINATOR JOB ADVERTISEMENT]

9. Please describe your general responsibilities as a Volunteer Coordinator?

1. Have the Volunteer Coordinator’s responsibilities changed since receipt of the HOPE II grant?

2. [IF APPLICABLE] Were these changes due to recommendations made by your Site Mentor or other MCVRC staff or were they due to the requirements of the HOPE II grant?

10. How did [organization name] propose to use the HOPE II sub-grant in your application to expand volunteer services?

11. Have your organization’s priorities with respect to volunteers evolved or changed since you received the HOPE II grant?

12. Have the goals for use of HOPE II funds with respect to volunteers evolved or changed over time?

13. How successful has your organization been to date in realizing its volunteer plans? Why or why not?

1. What factors facilitated or impeded that success?

2. [IF APPLICABLE] Did your Site Mentor or other MCVRC staff help guide you through or contribute to this process?

14. Have/How have your organization’s clients benefited from volunteer activities that have been supported by HOPE II?

15. What has been the most difficult part of your volunteer plan to develop or implement?

1. What other challenges/issues have arisen and how have they been resolved?

16. What recommendations do you have for organizations trying to start or expand their current volunteer program, in terms of:

1. Recruitment and marketing?

2. Management of volunteers?

3. Retaining volunteers?

Sustainability

17. After HOPE II ends, what do you think will happen to the volunteer program you have helped expand/develop?

1. If it will stay in place, how will it be maintained?

18. What do you think would be different about your organization today if you had not received a HOPE II grant?

Opinions on MCVRC and HOPE II

19. Did you work directly with a Site Mentor or another staff person from MCVRC?

[SITE VISITOR SHOULD ONLY ASK IF NOT ASKED OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR]

1. Do you think the TA provided by your Site Mentor or MCVRC was useful? In what ways?

2. Did you feel your Site Mentor or MCVRC understood and respected the goals you set for your volunteer program?

3. Were you satisfied with the method of communication (i.e., phone, email, face-to-face) and the frequency of communication you had with your Site Mentor? With other MCVRC staff?

4. Was the Site Mentor or other MCVRC staff able to answer your questions?

5. Did you feel comfortable going to your Site Mentor or other MCVRC staff to discuss obstacles or difficulties in developing or implementing your volunteer plan?

6. Is there anything you wish your Site Mentor or MCVRC had done differently? Could have done better?

20. What are your opinions on the HOPE II grant?

1. Do you agree with the design of the grant (i.e., amount of funds provided, timeframe of grant, the “Intermediary model”)? Please explain. [SITE VISITOR SHOULD DEFINE INTERMEDAIRY MODEL]

2. What has the FBCO liked the most about the HOPE II program?

3. What could be improved?

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A bt Associates Inc.