Getting and Keeping Volunteers and Members

By Raven Simons, Fall 2007

Small non-profit organizations rely heavily on its membership base and those members willing to do the organization’s work without financial compensation. They have many ambitious goals and people are needed to meet them. How can groups dedicated to saving the right to responsibly own pets find enthusiastic, willing, motivated, responsible individuals who also have the ability to follow through with their commitments?

I have noticed in my long time experience serving non-profit entities in an organizational capacity that there are a few issues that seem to heavily effect people’s willingness to be involved and remain involved as members and/or volunteers. I’d like to share with you some of my observations and insights in hopes of improving volunteerism within the groups dedicated to responsible exotic pet ownership.

Belonging – People like to feel like they wholeheartedly belong to an organization and have input in to how the organization functions. Certain behaviors that are a consequence of group dynamics can put a cramp in this feeling of “belonging”. One of the issues that can drive away members, potential members, and volunteers is the negative expression of politics between individuals and subgroups within the main group.

I have learned that personal politics are universal whenever you get more than a couple of folks together. The trick with politics is to have guidelines and mechanisms to keep these politics positive and group building rather than group rending. Internet groups like the Yahoo groups can be positive or negative when it comes to personal politics. Flame wars between individuals and subgroups devastate attempts to build the group and come together to meet common goals.

I have seen organizations torn apart in Yahoo groups when the basic group rules and guidelines are not enforced or only administered to certain people and not others. When observers see a lack of fairness and impartiality on a conscious or subconscious level they will begin to fear that the inequality will at some point be applied to them. When basic guidelines and rules are not enforced people will not feel safe to express themselves or participate.

Seeing people attacked on a group will put fear into any individual who wants to become more involved. I can honestly share that I have pulled back when I have seen or felt the effects of drama and negative personal politics seen or experienced on a Yahoo group or behind the scenes. I do not have the time and energy to put myself out there for possible attack, drama, or any other negativity. Life brings enough to my door without my volunteer activities bringing any more. I imagine that many others share my feelings.

Equality – People enjoy feeling like they are part of a group of peers. Even a newbie will wholeheartedly throw her/his self into working for the shared goals of an organization if he/she feels respected and equal, even while she/he might lack experience and/or expertise. Once a group or individuals within a group, knowing or unknowing, start a caste system, you can expect a drop in active participation. How might a caste system or negative hierarchy look like in a group that promotes responsible exotic animal ownership?

Who actually owns or works regularly with exotic animals? I can see an individual currently living in a ban state not feeling like an equal member because it is illegal for them to own any type of exotic pet or the particular exotic that they are interested in owning. Another issue to consider is hierarchy and structure. An organization with a tiered membership may cause people to feel disenfranchised. I say this because what is going to determine where an individual membership sits in the tiers? Will people be considered a lower tier because they cannot have an exotic pet, lack experience, can’t pay a higher membership fee, or some other criteria or combination of criteria? What is more important in meeting organizational goals, having lots of enthusiastic members and volunteers, or establishing a rank of the potentially elite?

Communication, Follow Up, and Encouragement – People need to feel that they are wanted when the calls for volunteers go out. There is nothing more frustrating than to e-mail an organizer or head of a committee and not have any response. Even more maddening is to follow up with repeat e-mails and have the only response be the sound of crickets. One begins to wonder if only “certain” volunteers are welcome. This actually relates back to the “equality” issue.

Positive communication and prompt feedback are very powerful tools to get and keep people motivated. When an organizer takes the time to remain in ongoing communication with his/her volunteers they will get better results than a coordinator who is absent. Human beings like to feel “in the loop”. Inclusion is a positive experience for volunteers. When there is a lack of positive communication one begins to wonder if one’s efforts are even seen or appreciated.

Regular encouragement keeps moral boosted. When individuals are reassured that they are doing a good job and given that extra bit of pep talk, you will be amazed at the results and work you can get out of them. This is a special communication skill that takes sincerity. Leaders need to feel genuinely interested in their helpers to communicate this type of feedback.

When asking an individual if she/he is willing to step up to volunteer for a particular position, job, or duty, be sure that this is the person you really want if they happen to say “yes”. If you are a board member, head of a committee, task force, or any other organizational potentate please be sure that you consider this issue. It is very discouraging to get asked to do a job, search one’s soul to see if time, skills, and resources are available, come to a “yes” decision, then later hear nothing or on inquiry be told that the group/board/whatever decided a different person would be better for the job. Personally if this happened to me, I would prefer not to be asked in the first place. If I have searched my soul and gotten a “yes” for an answer, I am usually now quite excited to take on the job and feel good that some official thought me the appropriate candidate. I know that leaders are very busy people, but volunteers have lives, too. Taking time to get back to your potential helper goes a long way with fostering a positive work force.

Recognition and Appreciation – Individuals feel good when they know that their efforts are seen and appreciated. Volunteers do not receive financial compensation. Why would anyone take on a job and not get paid? Recognition and appreciation are high on the list of non-monetary compensation. When one is getting active appreciation and recognition for a job well done, one feels a special satisfaction. When a person can see and recognize that they are actively helping an organization meet important goals and that they are uniquely valued and seen as important to meeting these goals, then reward is felt within the heart.

On the other hand, if the leaders take all of the credit for the jobs well done, then the organization will lose helpers. I saw this happen in several organizations that I was involved with in the past. Take note of the “in the past” part of the preceding sentence.
It is sometimes easy for leaders and organizers to forget the contributions of their helpers in the flush of kudos and success. You will get farther if you can be humble and see that your help is well appreciated, especially in a very public (as far as the organization goes) way. You will keep the loyalty and future work of your volunteers when you keep this in mind and actively practice it.

Matching Volunteers’ Interests and Talents with the Work/Goals Needed - People enjoy making good use of their unique talents and abilities. They will also maintain longer focus and greater follow through if they are interested in what they are doing. Many people will enjoy learning new things or stretching their abilities, but nobody likes to feel like they are bored or thrown in to the deep end of the swimming pool without knowing how to swim.

If an individual is interested in doing a particular job, then it may be productive to try and facilitate their interest as much as practical. Perhaps the person currently doing the job they are interested in could make use of an assistant or helper. Most busy and productive leaders have more work on their plate than they can easily get done. An assistant could perhaps help with some of the tasks and learn more about how that particular job functions. An extra bonus when this system is used is that you have a person in training should the need arise. The organization will not be left in the lurch should life change for the person currently holding the position, even if the helper only steps in on an interim level. I have seen a few groups make good use of their volunteers. I am hoping with these reminders to make these issues conscious and used as tools to obtain and keep helpers.

Keep Goals, Committees, and Work Focused One Step At A Time – Finally even with the best volunteers and hardworking leadership it is important to look at the issue of growth, goals, and focus. Sometimes organizations and businesses try and grow too fast and actually fail because nothing really gets done due to confusion, disorganization, and dropped communication. New volunteers need clear direction and training to properly do their jobs. When you have massive calls for volunteers trying to start too many new projects and committees, work begins to become confused. Too much ambition can dilute the efforts of all. It is often better to go slower, establish new jobs, titles, and projects a few at a time, and allow for stability before more growth is attempted. Remember the Tortoise and the Hare, slow and steady wins the race.

Given the flurry of bans, the success of the Animal Rights Agenda in outlawing pets and husbandry, and the uphill battle that all animals will face to survive extinction, it is vital that the organizations that promote the rights of individuals to responsibly own exotic pets rally their members and volunteers to be part of this battle for the animals. Every individual has something to offer and is valuable. It will be the challenge of the board members, committee heads, and other leaders within the various groups to gather and challenge their members/volunteers in a positive fashion. The above observations are just a few issues to look at when you are organizing and considering getting individuals to support the many ambitious goals of the various groups and people needed to keep, win back, and protect our rights and the animals that need us.


Raven Simons has worked on animal welfare issues for over 20 years, including a 2 year appointment by the County Commissioner to her local Humane Education Advisory Board. She owns exotic pets and can be reached at ladyraven_69@yahoo.com

Photo copyright © Raven Simons & Shapelifting, Inc.



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