Volunteer Appreciation: How Recognition Retains Your Volunteers

 Showing volunteers appreciation and recognition on a regular basis is a high impact management strategy that can boost volunteer satisfaction and is a key driver of high volunteer retention rates. Never assume that volunteers know they are appreciated. Recognition of their contributions should be part of the formal and informal operation of the organization. But how do you weave recognition into your daily practice, rather than reserving it for one week out of the year? And how can you pull this off with a limited, or no, budget? This presentation will explore how volunteer recognition significantly impacts volunteer retention by demonstrating appreciation, fostering a sense of belonging, and ultimately, encouraging continued involvement. 

Speaker Bio: Lin Chao is the Office of Georgia State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Service Coordinator/ Social Services Program Consultant 3. Long-Term Care Ombudsmen are advocates for residents who live in Skilled Nursing Facilities, Personal Care Homes also known as board and care homes, Assisted Living Communities, Community Living Arrangements, and Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities. Lin is Georgia Association for Volunteer Administration board member, a member of United States Ombudsman Association serving as Conference Planning Committee, a member of the Gerontology of Society, and an Alumni of American Society on Aging Rise. 

Prior to taking on the role with Ombudsman Program, she was Case Management Coordinator with Iowa Area Agency on Aging and Aging Program Specialist with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, advocating on behalf of older adults and people with disabilities and those who serve them.