Certainly this is the season of thinking of all of the things we’re thankful for.  Whether it’s the person who volunteers to assist your nonprofit with reception duties, the volunteer who works at his computer in the middle of the night writing articles for your newsletter or keeping your website up to date, or the volunteer who provides direct services on a weekly basis, you probably appreciate your volunteers more than words can say.  Many managers work on the premise that volunteers should be thanked early and often.  Whether this is the case or not, thanking your volunteers is not necessarily enough.  Do you take the time to provide appropriate ongoing supervision and evaluation for your volunteers?  Do you provide them with opportunities to grow and stretch their skills as volunteers?  The Standards for Excellence:  An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector states that “With respect to volunteers, the organization's policies and procedures should also address initial assessment or screening, assignment to and training for appropriate work responsibilities, ongoing supervision and evaluation, and opportunities for advancement.” Did You Know? The Standards for Excellence® Educational Resource Packet, “Volunteer Policies” includes a sample set of volunteer policies that you can customize for your organization.  This packet is free and available to Standards for Excellence Institute® members through the members only section of our website. Hard copies are also available upon request. Not a member? Join now!