Frequently Asked Questions
Volunteer Convertibility Calculator
What does that number under "Probability of Volunteering"
mean?
This
is the probability that an individual might be converted to (take up)
volunteering. It changes according to the answers input into the
Calculator. The higher the number, the more likely the person can be
persuaded to participate in volunteering.
This Calculator is only
applicable to people who do not
currently volunteer and have not volunteered in the recent past. How do
I determine if the prospective volunteer fits these criteria?
For the "Probability of Volunteering" to be valid, the
prospective volunteer must answer 'No' to each of the following
questions:
Q1) Have you given
time/volunteered in the last 12 months (giving time without pay to an
organisation/association)?
Q2) Have you given time/volunteered in the last 5 years (giving time
without pay to an organisation/association)?
Q3) Have you given your time freely and without pay to any to these
organisations within the last 5 years?
Your
kid's school or sport,
Your church,
Your work,
As part of your
studies.
Can I download these convertibility questions?
A
two-page questionnaire can be downloaded at this
link.
It
has all the
questions your potential volunteer will have to answer to find out
their probability of volunteering. You can use this as a stand-alone
instrument or integrate the questions into your existing recruitment
questionnaire. The wording of these questions should not be altered as
the validity of
the Calculator output may be affected.
What if I want to ask a question that is not on the list?
The
Volunteer Convertibility Calculator is the result of a nationally
representative survey of volunteer participation in Australia. These
questions have been found from an extensive range of variables,
including volunteering motives, attitudes to giving, beliefs about
volunteering, amongst others, to best discriminate between volunteers
and non-volunteers. We would encourage organisations wishing to use the
Calculator to embed these questions within their recruitment
questionnaire.
How might I use the Calculator in practice?
We intend that the Calculator should complement the existing
recruitment practices of volunteer-involving organisations. We do not
intend that potential volunteers access the Calculator directly but
rather that it be used as a tool for volunteer-involving organisations
and the voluntary sector. It should not substitute for any recruitment
practices that are currently working well in your voluntary
organisation. It has been designed to calculate the likelihood of
people (who do not currently volunteer and have not volunteered in the
recent past) taking up volunteering based on their current status,
history, perceptions and attitudes related to volunteering.
Has the Calculator been tested in practice?
The
reliability and validity of the Calculator will be tested in practice
with volunteer-involving organisations to assess if volunteer
conversion rates correlate with other indicators such as volunteer
turnover. Please
contact the
project team if your organisation is
interested in evaluating the Calculator in action as part of this
validation research phase. Additionally, we would welcome any feedback
on the experience of organisations using the Calculator.
The Recruitability Tool
How do I decide which box of each matrix aligns with my current volunteer involving organisation?
Scroll down to the questions at the bottom of each matrix page. Click on the Questions button. These questions will help you decide which square currently best describes your organisation or program.
Why do I need to click twice on different boxes of each matrix?
The instruction to click on the squre that best describes your current organisation is in green. Once clicked, the text now in blue, requests you choose a square that describes what you would like to attain. Once clicked a series of recommendations and resources will appear.
Are the recommended resources the only ones available?
The recommended resources represent a sample of those available to organisations. When using materials designed for organisations outside Australia please remember that legal and regulatory frameworks are different. You may wish to contact your local volunteer support organisation for more information. Contact your state peak body on volunteering or your nearest Volunteer Support Organisation.