Abstract
Volunteers are essential within the not-for-profit sector primarily due to consistently limited financial resources and paid staff members, and they hold great responsibility in accomplishing an organization’s mission. However, despite a heavy reliance on volunteerism, the training and orientation of volunteers has received less attention within nonprofit organizations. Research has shown that training holds a pertinent role in volunteer satisfaction and retention, factors that influence an organization’s overall efficiency and sustainability. The Hobe Sound Nature Center (HSNC) is a not-for-profit organization that, likewise, heavily relies on its volunteers to support the daily operations vital to completing the institution’s mission. This project established a standardized volunteer training program for HSNC, which previously lacked a formal training program. This was particularly significant due to volunteers' roles within HSNC including animal care, handling, and educating the public about South Florida's distinctive habitats and wildlife. Using limited financial resources, an online training program was established using free and widely accessible technology like YouTube, Canva, and Survey Monkey. Through a progression of five “levels” consisting of instructional video and non-video materials, volunteers will receive the necessary knowledge and skills required for success in a volunteer role within the nature center. Seven instructional videos, six quizzes, six non-video instructional materials, and an exit survey were produced and two documents were updated in relation to this project. Training quizzes were created and implemented to assess the program’s effectiveness and gauge volunteer’s understanding of the information embedded in the videos; however, time constraints prohibited the analysis of preliminary results. This program was designed to promote volunteer motivation, satisfaction, and confidence, while also improving the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the training process. This project aimed to create a standardized training program mandatory for all incoming volunteers and interns serving at the center, to ensure individuals are well prepared to perform their responsibilities efficiently and effectively according to the respective expectations, policies, and procedures. Future directions for this project will consist of reviewing data on program effectiveness reflected through volunteer quiz results and tailoring the program to maximize efficiency.