Training volunteers

When turn-of-the-century socialites wanted to volunteer at one of New York's Lower East Side settlement houses, they quickly realized that they were in need of training. Enter Mary Harriman. In 1901, Harriman founded the Junior League for the Promotion of the Settlement Movement, now known as the Junior League. Despite Harriman's efforts, as the Junior League celebrates its centennial, well-intentioned volunteers without the know-how still struggle to make a contribution. Though it may seem impractical, training is just as important in the not-for-profit world as it is in the corporate world, asserts Logue. The training and experience that volunteers receive is often of service in their day jobs. It gives them the opportunity to network, round out professional skills, and even develop new expertise. "The concept of a trained volunteer is [at the] core of what the Junior League is," says Jane Silverman, executive director of the Association of Junior Leagues International. New or provisional members are required to spend the initial year in an intensive training program, which covers the organization's objectives and includes study of the projects that the local league operates. In addition, provisional members organize and participate in fundraisers under the watchful eye of a mentor. It's a process that includes a combination of classroom learning, mentoring, and hands-on experience. And it's a process that continues to set the standard for training volunteers.