As a nonprofit animal shelter worker, you know the value an extra pair of hands brings. For many nonprofits, hiring reliable, full-time staff members is a big challenge—and volunteers are the key to overcoming this obstacle. As 360MatchPro's volunteer statistics report explains, roughly one-third of the nonprofit workforce is made up of volunteers.

Whether you’re recruiting online or asking for help from like-minded businesses, attracting the help you need is the first essential step. However, your work shouldn’t stop there. You need to offer a smooth onboarding experience, practice effective volunteer management, and frequently show your gratitude and appreciation to keep those volunteers.

In this guide, we’ll explore some of the top strategies your animal shelter can use to onboard volunteers and set them up for success. Let’s get started!

Streamlined Application Process

Before signing up for your volunteer opportunities, most of your helpers likely began as donors,  (or even adopted one of your animals! While they may have interacted with your shelter before, your application process is still their first touchpoint with your volunteer program. This touchpoint sets the tone for what volunteering with your shelter will look like. 

Ideally, the application process should be as brief—yet thorough—as possible. While this might sound contradictory, it simply means that you shouldn’t ask volunteers for too much information, especially if it isn’t strictly necessary. This can slow down the process, resulting in more potential applicants dropping out before completing the form. Here are some ways you can streamline the process:

• Make application materials accessible. Any time you promote your volunteer program on social media or in emails, link to your application or volunteer landing page. Additionally, feature the page prominently on your website by linking to it in the navigation bar and/or on the homepage. The landing page and application form should be mobile-friendly so supporters can easily interact with it no matter where they are.
• Pare down the application form. Limit the form to only the information you truly need. Crucial details you’ll need to gather include the applicant’s name, contact information, availability, and previous experience. Other information that is “nice to have” but not necessary might include their interests, motivation for volunteering, and references from past jobs or volunteer experiences. Consider making these questions optional.
• Be flexible with interviews. If you plan to interview applicants, offer both in-person and virtual interviews. While it’s perfectly reasonable for your organization to want to speak with potential volunteers, making this part of the process convenient and painless increases the chance that the applicant will stick with you.

This is also a good time to ask potential volunteers to review and acknowledge your volunteer agreement or code of conduct. Not only does this make them aware of the terms, but it ensures that you catch any volunteers who don’t align with your standards or values early in the process.

Defined Volunteer Roles

Volunteers may come to your organization with a specific role in mind, or they might need to browse your openings to find the one they’ll enjoy the most. Having clearly defined, detailed descriptions for each role ensures volunteers find a job that they like doing and that aligns with their skills. This prevents volunteers from ending up in a role that they don’t like or aren’t qualified for, which could waste onboarding time.

For example, perhaps you need help bathing your dogs and giving them regular nail trims. However, this can be dangerous for the dog and volunteer if the individual lacks the proper training and experience. In this case, you may require volunteers who will be grooming dogs to be certified groomers, have some prior professional experience, or go through extensive training with a professional groomer before they start.

Emphasis on Safety and Education 

Safety—for your animals and your volunteers—should be a top priority. Start by having each volunteer review and sign an activity waiver that makes them aware of the risks associated with volunteering activities. 

Next, you’ll need to educate them on the basics of your organization, facility, and safety practices, such as: 

• Emergency response plans to incidents like fires, natural disasters, and animal escapes.
• Proper handling and restraint techniques for the various species and sizes of animals in your care.
• Animal behaviors that could be signs of stress, fear, or aggression. 
• How and when to use personal protective equipment.
• Your facility’s layout.
• How to use any equipment they’ll need day-to-day.
• Health, hygiene, and sanitation standards to prevent the spread of disease.
• Animal care procedures, feeding schedules, dietary restrictions, etc.

Additionally, train volunteers to use any software you have to track animals’ behavior, eating habits, and health, as well as their shifts. Make sure they have at least one staff member they can easily find or contact in case they have a question, concern, or conflict.

Mentorship Program

In a mentorship program, you’ll assign each new volunteer (the mentee) to a more experienced volunteer (the mentor). Not only does this enhance and personalize onboarding for the mentee, but it can boost their engagement and self-confidence. Plus, they’ll always have someone to turn to if they need help. 

Designing a mentorship program will look something like this:

1. Set goals and expectations for the program. Identify your core objectives, how you plan to achieve them, and a program timeline. Clearly define the mentee and mentor roles and what you’ll expect from each participant.
2. Recruit and match participants. Invite your more experienced volunteers to apply for membership roles. Then, match them to mentees based on interests, skills, and personalities.
3. Train mentors. Before the program begins, conduct a few training sessions or workshops with mentors. Teach them basic leadership skills, communication techniques, and program expectations.
4. Introduce mentees to their mentors. Kick off the program by introducing the participants to their partners and making space for them to get to know each other. 
5. Provide ongoing support and advice. Check in with mentors often to see how the relationship is progressing and assist with any questions or issues they cannot resolve on their own.
6. Gather feedback. Ask mentees to provide feedback on the program and the strengths and weaknesses of their mentor. Mentors should offer their thoughts on how staff managed the program, how prepared they felt to mentor new volunteers, suggestions for the future, etc.

Mentors might also show their mentees innovative ways to do something that your staff may not have discovered yet. For example, if your shelter uses dog boarding software similar to Gingr for kennel management, the mentor might show the new volunteer shortcuts that save time and boost efficiency.

Leveraging the Right Technology

Specialized volunteer management technology will make the onboarding process run smoothly, both for your shelter and its volunteers. Specifically, these tools centralize your volunteer data, automate communications, provide workflows and reminders to structure onboarding, and host training materials. New volunteers can also sign documents in advance and access instructions to help them navigate onboarding and orientation.

The tool you choose should also include features to manage scheduling, shift sign-up, reminders, time tracking, and feedback collection. For example, the tool might have calendars for each volunteer so they can track their shifts and never miss an opportunity. This helps keep your volunteers organized, ensures your shelter has consistent and reliable help, and makes volunteering simple for everyone involved.

Your volunteers put in the hard work needed to keep your shelter running, from cleaning kennels to playing fetch to cuddling kittens. Remember not to take their passion and dedication for granted. Keep your volunteers engaged and coming back by frequently (and personally) thanking them for their repeated support.

Hi, I'm Casey! I'm the Sales Manager at Gingr software. Originally from Indianapolis, I now live in Colorado with my wife and dog, Dexter. Our hobbies include hiking, skiing, and visiting local breweries.