Leveraging Community Volunteers

 

Leveraging Community Volunteers


One of the most important aspects of serving in local government is the relationship you have with community volunteers.  Local government politics may be the front line of democracy and in a vibrant, healthy community the front line is populated by active community volunteers.

So I developed three rules for myself that helped to leverage their efforts into what I called ‘happy endings.’  Rule #1: get out of their way.

Our municipality owned a rundown heritage home and the neighbourhood wanted to restore it and create a unique seniors’ centre.  Most of my colleagues were skeptical and municipal staff were aghast at the potential cost but I just kept clearing ‘yah-buts’ out of the way.  I wasn’t their champion – the volunteers were the best champions such a project could possibly have – I was their ally.  I opened doors to Cabinet Ministers that could obtain grants, service agencies that could provide advice and introductions to a similar centre in Vancouver.  All the while, I screened the volunteers from the doubters – those who would get in their way - and didn’t ask for support from staff and Council until ‘all the ducks were in a row.’ Long story short: volunteers obtained funding for 2/3rds of the restoration cost and formed a society that has run a community centre there for decades.

Another favourite ‘get out of the way’ project came when a community association leader came to me and said they’d like to close a main road on Canada Day in order to have a parade and community picnic.  I simply said ‘yes’ and then told Council and staff.  A risky move for a Mayor but I just kept nudging ‘yah-buts’ out of the volunteers’ way and this community event continues to this day.

Rule #2: promise to cost share a project.  I was never much for straight handouts and always countered such requests with ‘if you want to have your project get to the front of the line, fundraise half or even two thirds and we will jump to fund the balance.’  Once again I recall a group of seniors wanting a community centre and when we thought of using surplus space in the local elementary school, I challenged them to raise funds so that the project could happen sooner rather than later.  Senior government funding, lottery grants and good old fashioned Christmas fairs soon fell into place…..as did the centre.

I followed this rule with soccer, lacrosse, hockey and baseball leagues, lawn bowling clubs as well as with seniors’ centres.  While never saying ‘no’ to a grant request for full funding as I was only one vote on Council, I did find that countering with my ‘front of the line’ offer worked politically and certainly for the benefit of the community.

Rule #3: let today’s volunteers benefit from their efforts.  This is particularly true for youth sports organizations.  My experience was that parents were asked to fundraise for a project that wouldn’t come to fruition until well after their own children had graduated out of the program.  Albeit noble, I found these efforts less than effective so I suggested we ‘loan’ the volunteer society a share of the funding and let the fundraising coincide with the new clubhouse or turf field construction.  What was the risk? An asset got built on municipal property and the fundraising fell short.  What was the reward? Far more projects had ‘happy endings.’  For me, there was no debating such a ‘risk-reward’ evaluation.

What not to do? At time of writing, my former Council went in-camera and terminated the lease for a community volunteer sports organization – one that has raised money for the facility and for youth programs.  Such a move puts a chill on all community efforts to raise funds for projects and programs on municipal property.  So sadly I must add an obvious rule: never break trust with volunteers.


 Check out my website at http://frankleonard.ca/ for information on Local Government and Consulting


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