Suggestions for Increasing Volunteer Hours to make mandated 5%

[Judy White]

As a Volunteer Coordinator I am being challenged to help our volunteers help us as an agency, to reach our mandated goal of 5%matched hours with paid employees. I see by other V.C. I am not alone. Please give me any helpful suggestions you are using to increase your volunteer hours. I am finding that our declining economy is having an impact on our volunteers, as they lose jobs or have to take on extra work. I welcome any and all suggestions. Thanks! Best Wishes to you for the New Year~

[Linda Daniels]

I am as deperate as you and so many others at this point. I called the local cable TV stations, and asked to place an ad on their station. I wrote as many words as I was allowed, they said it would be on as requested.
I also went to the local village halls and asked for it to be placed on their E-News letter. Try these ideas. Anything is worth trying! I also go to local colleges- placed an ad in the student handbook- will be in any Senior Fair or Community Fair I can get in.

[Linda Daniels]

I have the same problem: getting enough volunteers to make the 5%. My colleagues are in the same boat. I would appreciate any suggestions for campaigns I can conduct. Thanks.

[Kathleen Moen]

Has anyone used Pat Carvers The Hospice Volunteer Training Series materials from the website www.hospicetutor.com?

[Ocean Sharp]

LOVE LOVE LOVE Pat Carver! awesome materials

[Linda Daniels]

Hi Greg:
I do not know what the PDV software is, can you please explain? I must have missed that segment of the discussion. Thanks

[Greg Schneider]

Hi Linda:

The Patient Data Vault (PDV) is a member-exclusive service offered to HVA Member hospices. For the cost of what you would spend on postage for sending out forms to volunteers and paying the return-mail postage for their completed form, only $1.95/month per volunteer -- you get a giant leap in productivity in volunteer management and electronic reporting that is HIPAA compliant. The PDV is a volunteer information management system that provides an electronic record system for your hospice's volunteer activities. It continues to grow in functionality and our volunteer managers and volunteer subscribers love it.

A brief description is below and you can click on the link in the previous paragraph to see more on our website.

The Patient Data Vault (PDV) is a secure place to electronically store and retrieve patient data over the Internet using security measures that comply with the requirements of the HIPAA Security Rule. Data that is stored in the PDV is encrypted and can only be accessed by the hospice that reposited the data. The greatest benefit of the PDV is that it permits volunteer coordinators and volunteers to efficiently communicate patient data between themselves and other hospice staff.

The PDV was principally developed to resolve the long-standing security problem associated with sharing sensitive patient data electronically over the Internet while meeting the stringent HIPAA Security Rule. Resolving this problem with the PDV service has led to many side benefits relating to operating a more efficient volunteer program. HVA's PDV service permits the volunteer coordinator (VC) to move from a burdensome paper-based volunteer reporting system to an electronic one while enhancing communications at the same time.

Greg Schneider
HCF Creator
President, HVA

[Judy White]

Hey there, Greg~ That's really exciting news.....my volunteers will be stoked. I will pass this info along.
Can't wait to see the changes!

[Judy White]

Glad to report that our program's volunteer hours in 2009 amounted to around 6%!!! I attribute the increase over the previous year, in part, due to the Patient Data Vault. Most of my volunteers are very happy with this method of reporting their volunteer notes and activities, and it certainly makes my life as volunteer coordinator much easier.

Thanks to Greg and his wonderful staff, for providing such an excellent service to the hospice field~
Three Cheers to HVA!!!

[Greg Schneider]

Thanks Judy -- we will be releasing a new version of the PDV software this week that will greatly improve its ease of use. Other volunteer coordinators that have previewed the upcoming changes are very excited and anticipating the new release.

[Jennifer Thompson]

You are not old fashioned. Every volunteer manager needs to get to know their volunteers. I would only use this as part of my orientation, and only after I have interviewed them and discussed the volunteer opportunity they are interested in. Remember there are all types of learners and I have found that teens and young adults learn better general information on line where older adults learn better in person.

Hope this helps. I will be reviewing the course myself before I consider using it.

Jennifer Thompson