Identity, Credentials and the Lifelong Journey to Being of Service

In the beginning, there were sign-in sheets. Then there were time-tracking tools, followed by web registration forms. While these processes began to engage a volunteer, they did little to help understand who that volunteer is. At the fundamental level, knowing a person means validating who they legally claim to be (think date of birth, social security or other government-issued identification number, etc.). Beyond that, identity can be defined as a profile representing aspects of who each person considers themselves to be (think gender, ethnicity, professional skills, etc.). But people are more than the sum of their historical markers; they typically have a vision, sense of purpose, values and aspirations with multiple associations from work, school, faith and lifestyle organizations.

Considering all of these possible inputs, what do we need to know about a volunteer in order to work with them? How do we collect this information most efficiently and equitably, and how can we evolve this relationship over time? In this Ahead of the Curve, author Sam Fankuchen presents a detailed exploration of what Volunteer Managers really need to know about their volunteers, how to collect that data, and how to use it to best serve the volunteer and the organization.