Integrated Human Resources

It is the absolute beauty of the not-for-profit world that we have access to all kinds of human resources, all kinds of talent, all kinds of experience. The more people with specific experience and skills that we involve in mission delivery the more rich and thick and full the reach of the organization. So much more can be accomplished – and there are so many roles to play. Are we able to engage a large number of people with experience and skills to work with us?

Over the years not-for-profit organizations have grown to involve volunteers in two distinct ways: as members of the board and in service delivery. When we really examine that, it seems there must be more and better ways.

At Volunteer Vancouver, we think that one better way might be “Integrated Human Resources.” By that we mean that we recognize all the roles that organizations have to deliver their mission can be filled by a workforce of paid staff and volunteers. Every time we have a new idea and think of working in a different way, we must think about what skill sets we require and if it is best to have a paid staff position - or if the role can be constructed in a way that a volunteer can do the task. So as we examine our human resources, we construct a plan that includes all paid staff and volunteers. It is totally integrated. There are paid and volunteer staff members at every level of the organization, not only in the traditional places. The Integrated Human Resources Plan at VV includes how we maintain roles for some past Board members, how we react to volunteers with special skill sets that walk into VV, which volunteers we have (and also will require) to manage projects, which staff might be leaving, which might be potential maternity leaves, which volunteers are on advisory committees, which volunteers and which staff are acting as mentors, which staff know parts of the Executive’s role, which volunteers have traditional roles, what team volunteer opportunities we have, and which volunteers and which staff can be part of our extensive training and consulting team. It is about what skill sets we lack in both staff and volunteers – and where we lack diversity in the kinds of people that work with us.

Developing an Integrated Human Resource Plan is a task for the senior staff person, the Executive. It is that position that must wholeheartedly embrace volunteer engagement. The role must examine all the ways of delivering the mission - and that often means engaging many individuals that are more skilled than the Exec and many of the staff. That means, like a parent, s/he must be confident and secure – and willing to involve many people in the life of the organization to make it rich and viable. The Exec must be able to engage varied skills and much experience. The Exec must ensure the organization truly makes a significant and sustainable contribution to planet Earth.