Len Iaquinta's Blog

Did you think the title refers to volunteers in their 20s and 30s being a handful to manage?

Then you are not tuned in to the younger generations.  They want to be involved in positive change.  But don’t ask them to simply plug into your pre-conceived notion of what is best for them to do.

Give them a goal -- a project to accomplish.  Then step back and turn them loose.  Forty years of motivating volunteers of all ages has taught me to choose young volunteers wisely and to let go.  But stay in touch.

Over-planning and micromanaging leach your time and deaden motivation.  Focus on the outcome.  Let the young volunteers choose the methods that will enable them to motivate their peers to achieve success together.

Effective management of volunteers provides a quid pro quo.  For young people in the trades, crafts and professions, motivators include:
• Seeing a physical project through to completion – building a new kitchen, repairing a roof, painting the children’s gym
• Socializing with others in service to a worthwhile cause
• Developing skills of all kinds
• Using a “giving circle” to leverage philanthropic gifts
• Taking leadership roles

Is there a young professionals group in your area?  An alumni group of a leadership development program?  These are perfect places to recruit young volunteers in service to your agency.  But don’t offer only routine experiences requiring no training or expertise. 

Show the goal they can reach that will benefit their community.  Describe how they might achieve it.  Select the best leaders through objective brief interviews.  Inspire – don’t recruit.

The best news is that the by-product of this approach is as good as accomplishing the goal.  An active volunteer program that wisely uses all the assets young people have yields engaged, informed, committed volunteers to populate your Board and committees.

You will be surprised at how much you can achieve when you let young men and women lead.

Len Iaquinta, a member of the Alliance for Children and Families’ Resource Development Advisory Commitee and Executive Consultant Select Group, is a career fundraiser of millions of dollars in major gifts, grants, and annual funds. He is recognized as a strategic and tactical thinker, often contributing to professional practice journals and presenting at professional meetings. He has created successful fundraising programs at public and private institutions from New York City to Milwaukee and Chicago. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from Northwestern University (Medill School) and Columbia University in the City of New York (Pulitzer School), respectively.

Len is president of Excellence in Communications Inc.