“Be open to the unexpected”: More tips for volunteer leadership
When it comes to leadership, Mimi Laurilla from Annecto finds that it’s often important to walk alongside volunteers to support them on their journey. Having gained experience in volunteer communities from outside of Australia, Mimi found connection into a network of volunteer managers through Volunteer West’s support programs.
We spoke with Mimi and gained insight into a range of helpful approaches when it comes to working alongside volunteers.
What was your first experience with volunteering?
Most of the beginnings of my volunteer experience was overseas. I was a volunteer choir master for the cultural committee in my mum’s office since the age of 16 and I finished up with this role around the age of 22. I also volunteered in medical missions in rural areas during my time at university. Life got very busy, I married and built a family, worked fulltime in academia that I didn’t have the time to volunteer.
My interest in volunteering was rekindled in New Zealand in 2009 when I was invited to be one of the founding members of a charitable trust that I among five other people set up to help migrants who are in need in the Wellington region. I was involved in the charitable trust for around four years and then I moved to Australia. While I continued my remote on-call volunteering with this group, I sought more local volunteering opportunities, and I had an opportunity to be a volunteer writer-contributor to a local community paper for four years before the publication folded just before the pandemic.
“I want to empower volunteers by giving them opportunities to shine and put their passion, skills, interest to work”
How long have you been a volunteer manager? What skills did you need to learn?
I started this role in 2013 and had been in the same role now ever since. This is my eighth year looking after this volunteer and advocacy program. I believe that I actually brought with me into this role a number of skills that I have accumulated over the years in my various jobs and volunteering experience overseas. I was able to leverage that. The skills that I believe were really handy were:
Community organising
Communication and negotiation skills
Relationship building skills
Being able to write reports and grants
Implementing activities and projects within set timelines
Leadership
Problem solving skills
There are more but I find myself doing a lot of the above in my day-to-day activities.
In what capacity have you engaged with Volunteer West?
I love Volunteer West! When I first heard of this organisation around five years ago, I attended because I felt all alone and I had no networks or connections then and when I discovered that there were other individuals who shared some of my challenges. I felt right at home. I then regularly attended the meetings. Volunteer West provided that safe space for me to share and get advice. They also offered a lot of training opportunities and that is where I get some of my strategies and tips that I have implemented in my program.
Volunteer West were also instrumental in linking me with NVETS where I received my Cert IV in Volunteer Management.
Volunteer West also involved me and my program in some promotional activities and they even included me in a mentoring program, where I benefitted with one-on-one coaching with an industry leader. In turn, I paid back by joining in one of their mentoring programs as well, supporting another volunteering organisation with my time and expertise and inputs into some of their activities.
Volunteer West events have always given me an opportunity to promote my program and volunteering opportunities. I love participating here.
I recently attended VolBoost and now planning on obtaining my Professional Leaders of Volunteers certification through the VolPro program.
There are so many opportunities available through Volunteer West, it is really fantastic to see it growing, and for me to feel so supported.
What do you find the most important part of empowering volunteers?
I find that the most important part of empowering volunteers is to be walking beside them to fulfil their volunteering goals. I want to empower volunteers by giving them opportunities to shine and put their passion, skills, interest to work. If we give people opportunities, we will be surprised as to how much they could give back. I feel that my volunteers are not really just volunteers, they are the most important ingredient of my successful team. Without them, I would not have a program to run. Especially when they stay for a long time, you know that they value the work that they do, and they love being a part of your organisation. The challenge always is how we tell them how much we value them and how great they are!
What is your number one tip for potential volunteer managers?
To be ready to go out of one’s comfort zone as you will be thrown into the deep end most of the time when facing unexpected challenges or barriers, or you might be asked to do things you have never done before. Be open to the unexpected, and to embrace the uncertainties of leading the program or team of volunteers. Be resilient, and show that you are genuine as this will help with your relationships with your volunteers.
For more information on Annecto, visit their website here.
For more information on Volunteer West’s programs for organisations and volunteer managers, visit here.