# Working with Volunteers

## Building A Volunteer Team

Building a strong volunteer team is a vital component of creating a thriving psychedelic society. Volunteers are often the backbone of these organizations, playing a crucial role in helping to run events, support community initiatives, and ensure day-to-day operations run smoothly. However, managing volunteers requires thoughtful planning and a clear strategy, especially when you’re just getting started. From coordinating events to setting clear expectations for volunteers, a well-organized approach will not only improve efficiency but also help your community members feel valued and connected.

One of the key factors to successfully managing volunteers is fostering a sense of engagement and ownership. Volunteers are more likely to stay involved and committed when they feel their contributions are meaningful and aligned with the society's mission. This can be achieved by offering clear event guidelines, empowering volunteers to take on leadership roles, and providing mentorship and training opportunities. By creating a space where people can grow and take initiative, your society will not only retain dedicated volunteers but also foster a deeper sense of connection and belonging within your community.

## Getting Started

* When you are getting started, the best volunteers are likely going to be the first people showing up. The true believers and the superstars who want to see your society succeed.&#x20;
* As you grow, having a volunteer coordinator is very valuable&#x20;
  * Managing the influx of people who want to be volunteering through an automated intake process
  * Managing events depending on the scope and scale of the event&#x20;
* Underneath this desire to volunteer and get involved is a desire to be seen and connected to the community, so have a human answer them directly.&#x20;
* Make sure that their intentions are to truly contribute. If someone is volunteering then they should be truly volunteering which means not expecting anything in return for their time given. It is great if you would like to offer volunteers some token of appreciation but make sure this is not expected because then you will get yourself in the wrong kind of relationship with your volunteers.they are not fishing for access to medicine as opposed to growing the community&#x20;
* When recruting volunteers, make sure to utilize vVolunteer postings (ie., very specific, like job postings)., this way we found people would be much more willing to commit to one particular thing. This ends up being a metric for how mature your organization is when you're able to demonstrate what exactly you need and two you're gonna have people that continue to show up.
* Volunteers love swag and rewards. If your society has swag, perhaps they can get a free t-shirt if they helped with an event. This is also nice because it serves as an advertisement for your society.
* Be intentional about creating a volunteer application&#x20;
  * Ask people to share what their expertise are&#x20;
  * In lieu of a network of advisors you can have a network of volunteers for people to offer their expertise&#x20;
* Can be a great starting point for committees&#x20;
* Get a publicity statement ready for volunteers, they might be featured in media for example&#x20;
* Make sure to check the legal considerations around working with volunteers. LLCs cannot have volunteers

## Fostering Engagement

Fostering engagement with volunteers is key to keep them interested and engaged in what you are building and so empowering your community members to take on leadership roles is key. Here’s how you can support them:

* Provide clear event guidelines so members can easily organize their own gatherings where possible. This works really well for simpler events where there is little to no setup required
* Establish an events committee to help coordinate logistics. One of the first things you want to focus on as the creator of a psychedelic society is delegating the work involved in delivering the product. In many cases, your products are your events so try to build volunteer support around them.&#x20;
* Create a shared place for communication. Ensure that you have a dedicated space for volunteers to chat with one another and to receive updates and opportunities from you.&#x20;
* Offer mentorship and leadership training to long-time members.

By creating a strong engagement strategy, your society can foster a deep sense of belonging and ensure that members and volunteers remain actively involved in the community. Whether through ongoing conversations, structured cohorts, or diverse events, engagement is what transforms a group of people into a thriving, purpose-driven society.

\\
