Building the foundation for volunteer-driven service delivery.
Framing a new model for volunteer experience
To face the growing epidemic of Alzheimer’s disease, the Alzheimer’s Association needed to quickly expand their reach beyond a one-size-fits-all volunteer model. To understand challenges and limitations with the current model, Upstream conducted qualitative research with existing volunteers, former volunteers and target volunteers. This research revealed four stages of the volunteer journey, each with a number of opportunities tied to the categories of awareness, value proposition, access and ease of use. This work exposed the key motivations people have for volunteering, criteria by which they’re evaluating available opportunities and a number of new volunteer pathways for the Association to design in the future.
Identifying the right volunteer problems to solve
Orienting the Association to a volunteer-centered perspective was key to coming up with new solutions falling outside of the existing model. At the Association’s annual Leadership Summit, Upstream presented the new model for volunteer experience, revealing another side of the story never seen by the organization. Upstream also facilitated activities with team members and volunteers across chapter offices, gathering ideas to address key “How Might We…” challenges to create the future volunteer experience. These ideas were integrated into the strategic roadmap and informed the design of expanded volunteer roles throughout the Association chapters.
Driving best practices across volunteer opportunities
In order for chapter offices to maintain consistency with new volunteer opportunities, it was important to establish principles of best practices to guide their efforts. The principles of unity, consistency, focus, clarity and abundance were established as pillars of best practice to guide key questions arising in the management of new volunteer opportunities. This work has been foundational for not only evolving the volunteer program but for arming chapter offices with the tools they need to create greater impact.
“Upstream’s work helped us think strategically about designing and scaling our nationwide volunteer program at the Association. The experience map model helped us better understand the experience of volunteers and explore new roles that are a better fit in the lives of volunteers.”
- Director of Volunteer Programs, Alzheimer’s Association