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How to Automate the Volunteer Vetting, Training or Onboarding Process

This article is most useful for:

  • Organizations with multi-step training or volunteer vetting processes
  • Organizations that only allow vetted volunteers to sign up for their Opportunities

Background

Does your organization recruit volunteers from the general public but require them to be vetted, trained, or interviewed before they're allowed to sign up for volunteering opportunities? If yes, this article will help you set up a chain of linked Opportunities to automatically move volunteers through your multi-step process.

Goals

  • Make it clear to volunteers what to do
  • Automatically notify volunteers when to perform the next step
  • Save you time!

Example

Let's use the "Golden Community Center" as an example. The Golden Community Center recruits mentors to match with students for mentoring sessions every Tuesday afternoon. To become a "Verified Mentor," prospective volunteers must complete a 4-step process.

The Golden Community Center creates 4 linked Opportunities to move prospective mentors through that process:

  1. Apply to be a Mentor
  2. Online Training Session
  3. Video Interview
  4. Weekly sessions with your Mentee

Each of these steps becomes an Opportunity. When a volunteer completes an Opportunity, they're automatically added to a Group for all volunteers who have completed that Opportunity. Subsequent Opportunities target this completion Group, creating an automated progression through your vetting process.

Setting Up the Opportunities

Here's how you might set up this flow:

"Apply to be a Mentor" Opportunity

Template: Choose a template appropriate for your application process

Privacy: Set to "Open" (so anyone can apply!)

Step 4 - "Timing" settings:

  • Choose "Time Window" or "Deadline" if you want the Opportunity to become unavailable automatically after a certain date
  • Choose "On Your Own" if this application is available on an open-ended basis
  • Note: Do NOT activate the "Reminder to Log Hours" if you select "On Your Own"

Step 5 - "Extras": List the relevant information and questions you need volunteers to provide. If they need to send you additional materials (like a resume), use the "Post Registration Instructions" section to direct them appropriately.

Managing Applications:

  • When a volunteer submits their application, you'll be notified
  • To "accept" their application and move the volunteer to the next Opportunity, go to the Opportunity Management page and log their Completion
  • To "deny" their application, go to the Opportunity Management page and cancel their registration

"Online Training Session" Opportunity

Template: Choose a template appropriate for your training format

Privacy: Set to "Private-Closed" and target the Group titled "**Completed Apply to be a Mentor"

Note: By targeting this Group, you ensure that as soon as a volunteer's application is verified by you, they'll receive an email prompting them to sign up for the Online Training Session.

Step 4 - "Timing" settings: We recommend setting up a regular schedule that volunteers can choose from.

When a volunteer completes the "Online Training Session" (we recommend using Check-In to log their attendance), they'll automatically be added to the "**Completed Online Training Session" Group.

"Video Interview" Opportunity

Template: Choose a template appropriate for your interview format

Privacy: Set to "Private-Closed" and target the Group titled "**Completed Online Training Session"

Step 4 - "Timing" settings: We recommend setting up a regular schedule that volunteers can choose from.

When a volunteer completes the "Video Interview" (we recommend using Check-In to log their attendance), they'll automatically be added to the "**Completed Video Interview" Group.

"Weekly sessions with your Mentee" Opportunity

Template: Choose a template based on your session format (in-person or virtual)

Privacy: Set to "Private-Closed" and target the Group titled "**Completed Video Interview"

Step 4 - "Timing" settings: We recommend setting up a recurring schedule so that volunteers:

  • Get reminder emails every week
  • Can easily notify the program coordinator if they need to cancel

You're all set!