featuring Mr Ken Lai, Senior Volunteer Manager
Having volunteered with Blossom Seeds for the past three years, an invitation to hop on board as a full-time volunteer manager came at an opportune time for Ken Lai.
As a former real estate agent, Mr Lai’s career was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. With a child on the way, his response to the invitation was simple: “When the calling comes, it’s a no-brainer. I stepped in immediately.”
Now, Mr Lai puts his prospecting skills and thick skin developed over more than 10 years in the real estate industry to good use; recruiting volunteers to the organisation’s efforts to befriend and support lonely and vulnerable senior residents.
Stepping into the role of a Volunteer Manager
“We are the in-between of the charity and the volunteers themselves,” explains Mr Lai. “A volunteer manager is very important to bridge the expectation of the staff and the volunteers. If not, there might be a mismatch. We don’t want volunteers to jump charities, jump organisations, then we have to retrain, which wastes a lot of resources.”
Showing volunteers that they are appreciated is important too.
For instance, Mr Lai meets his volunteers for coffee, and has established an open-door policy where they can approach him with any kind of feedback.
For full report, refer to
https://thehomeground.asia/volunteer-managers-leading-the-charge-in-social-service-agencies
