TABLE OF CONTENTS As a manager, you may well have a responsibility for developing the skills and experience of volunteers. But you can only delegate to volunteers to the extent that they want to accept. With paid employees, you have the last resort of being able to instruct them to do something, but you don't have this option with volunteers. In fact, you have to keep them positively interested and committed all the time or you will lose them. While paid employees may tell you that they are not happy, volunteers are more likely just to stop coming.
It is therefore critically important to share what are seen to be the attractive and sought after tasks equally and fairly. You need to get to know which tasks volunteers regard as attractive. Some volunteers may be keen to acquire new skills and new experiences which will stand them in good stead for paid work in other areas. But you may also find that a particular youth club activity or a shift that fits in well with school hours represent the coveted jobs.
