Florida 4-H Program Handbook
SECTION 6:Recognition, Evaluation and Supervision of Volunteers
Recognition
Recognizing volunteers for their good work is very important to the system. The section addressing recognition for members has some good background information appropriate for volunteers. The usual plaques, certificates, thank-you mugs, etc. can be valuable. Also, sending thank you’s to the volunteer’s family or employer are of benefit. The key to recognition is for it to be honest, fair, sincere and pervasive.
Evaluation
Feedback on the quality of volunteer service and our volunteer program are important to the success of the individual volunteers and the overall volunteer effort. Volunteers want objective feedback accompanied by assistance in improving their service. The goals and standards should be established collaboratively with the volunteer. The standards set a benchmark for how well the service should be performed. Discussing the standards with a volunteer helps communicate what is needed and the reality of the external constraints on the volunteer time.
Better understanding can lead to enhanced contributions by the volunteer and more targeted support from the agent. We also owe it to them and to the program to periodically ask how we can better support their efforts through an evaluation of the program by volunteers.
Evaluation of the County Volunteer System
The typical county 4-H volunteer program will get some idea how they are doing by the level of complaints they are receiving. Either no complaints or a high level of complaints can be a problem. "No complaints" usually indicates the complainers have given up and the implications of "many complaints" is obvious.
It is strongly recommended that you use some more structured ways of getting information about how your volunteer program is doing. An Evaluation by Volunteers Form (Appendix W) that is an example of a simple means for gathering the opinions of your current volunteers as to the programs strengths and growth opportunities. Use this or some more creative way to gather information from current volunteers to improve your program
