How to Manage a Voluntary Organisation

OCVO

How To Manage a Voluntary Organisation

To effectively manage a voluntary organisation, the voluntary organisation needs to define its vision and mission, ensure sound governance with clear rules and appoint a dedicated board, so it can foster a culture of transparency and volunteer care, establish effective financial management and reporting systems, recruit and support volunteers, and consistently monitor and evaluate it’s operations.

Governance & Leadership

Establish a clear mission and vision:
The organisation's purpose, aims, values, and ethical principles should be clearly defined in the voluntary organisation’s statute.
Form a management committee:
This unpaid board of administrators provides oversight, exercises decision-making authority, and acts in the best interests of the voluntary organisation.
Ensure accountability and transparency:
The voluntary organisation is to openly share financial records and accounts to build trust with funders, beneficiaries, and the public, and submit annual returns to OCVO on time as required by law in order to obtain Compliancy.

Volunteer Management

Recruit the right volunteers:
It is to seek individuals with specific skills, talents, and interests that align with the organisation's needs, collecting data like qualifications, skills, and languages.
Clearly define roles and responsibilities:
It must ensure everyone understands "who is doing what and by when" to prevent confusion and frustration.
Cultivate a supportive environment:
The voluntary organisation is to show care for volunteers as individuals, fostering a culture of openness and transparency where people feel comfortable saying no to tasks they cannot or should not do.
Provide training and support:
It must offer resources and training to volunteers to enhance their skills and contribution to the organisation's goals. To this regard services and training are provided also both by OCVO and also by the Malta Council for Voluntary Organisations (MCVS).

Financial & Resource Management

Implement robust financial controls:
It is to maintain a dedicated bank account for all transactions and handle minimal cash.
Utilise budgets for planning:
The organisation should also employ budgets as a key tool for management accounting, helping to achieve objectives and ensure long-term financial stability. Financial stability is discussed even at Intent stage prior to the enrolment of the voluntary organisation where the importance of a financially sound business plan is vital for the long-term existence of the VO.
Seek resources strategically:
It is to develop a plan for the financial and human resources needed to support the organisation's activities and volunteer involvement.

Operations & Evaluation

Create dispute resolution mechanisms:
It must establish clear processes for resolving disagreements to maintain fairness and cohesion within the volunteer team.
Maintain compliance:
The voluntary organisation must adhere to legal requirements and submit all necessary annual returns and financial statements to OCVO which is the regulatory body in Malta for the voluntary sector.