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Regional Volunteer Intake and Onboarding Process

Stephanie Holmes
  • Updated

Purpose

This document is to serve as a guide on the standard operating procedures around the One SCORE processes related to Volunteer Intake and Onboarding.

Application

The information and  steps outlined in this document are intended to be used as a guide to help carry out the tasks related to the selection and  intake of a Prospective volunteer application and shepherding accepted Provisional volunteers through the onboarding process.

Roles and Responsibilities

Regional Operations Coordinator (ROC)
  • Train and oversee Regional Volunteer Intake Coordinators
  • Provide actionable & informative reporting to volunteer leaders
  • Escalate issues to RVP and/or Griff Lee as needs arise

Regional Volunteer Intake Coordinator (RVIC)

Summary: Serve as primary Volunteer Intake Coordinator for designated Region. Ensure consistent process and follow-up from receipt of volunteer application and initial contact through interviews (Prospective) to accepted (Provisional), Active, withdrawn or rejected. 

Analyze reports and identify red flags needing attention.

Functional Responsibilities: 

  • Process new applicants
    • Review application for base requirements
    • Conduct high level online “background search”
    • Assign interviewers
  • Facilitate volunteer journey from Provisional to Active status
    • RVIC to identify themselves as support contact for applicant and include phone number in contact information
  • Collaborate with volunteer onboarding team:
    • Interviewers
    • Coaches
    • Co-Mentors 
  • Track Provisional login and onboarding progress via daily review
    • Follow-up with Provisional if not yet logged in and/or modules not complete in 14 days
  • Provide link to register for required Mentoring in Engage training
  • Send regular reminders regarding Simple Steps to Starting Your Business workshop
  • Select Coach and introduce to Provisional via email
  • Select Co-Mentors based on availability and introduce via email
    • Confirm sessions completed and session notes entered in Engage by Co-Mentor(s)
  • Reviews Provisional's mentor profile for completion and quality
  • Update Provisional members to Active status once confirmed all training and onboarding process items are complete
  • Update systems with volunteer information and status
  • Coordinate with Chapter leadership on new volunteer process and welcome
  • Escalate non-compliance or other issues to ROC and/or Chapter leadership
  • Analyze new volunteer reports to ensure efficient onboarding for all Provisionals

Metrics

  • Conversion
    • Average days from volunteer application submitted to 2nd Interview
    • Average days from Provisional to ready for co-mentoring
    • Bonus: Average days from Provisional to Active volunteer = average days between the date a volunteer applicant becomes Provisional and the date they become an Active volunteer
  • Growth
    • % of accepted volunteers that complete onboarding
  • Engagement
    • % onboarded Mentors still Active at 12+ months

Volunteer Interviewers

Interviewers are the face of SCORE and the first welcome from a fellow volunteer! Interviewers play a critical role in determining whether a Prospective applicant will contribute positively to SCORE’s culture and the needs of our clients.

Open the interview with Mentor expectations and the benefits of serving at SCORE. This will also help Prospective applicants confirm whether SCORE is the right place for them.

Interviewers will:

  • Provide first Mentor contact with Prospective volunteers
  • Share what it means to be a SCORE volunteer
  • Ensure alignment with SCORE’s mission, vision and values
  • Provide accept or reject disposition in Engage

Interviewer Toolkit

https://help.score.org/hc/en-us/articles/22227528862995-Volunteer-Interviewer-Toolkit

Values Based Interviewing Guide

One SCORE Interview Form + Guidelines (2).xlsx | Powered by Box

Volunteer Coaches

A Coach is the local liaison for a Provisional volunteer during their onboarding period and prior to their introduction to the Chapter. Coaches are introduced after the online training modules are complete. Coaches will:

  • Welcome the Provisional volunteer to the community
  • Assist through the rest of the onboarding process as local liaison:
    • Serve as resource for questions
    • Provide local orientation and information regarding local resources and Chapter culture
  • Conduct 1 of the 3 required co-mentoring sessions with their assigned Provisional
    • The RVIC will recommend and assign 2 additional Co-Mentors from the approved Co-Mentor list for their Region; the Coach can work with the assigned Co-Mentors and/or recommend additional Co-Mentors as needed
    • If the Coach feels the Provisional needs more than 3 co-mentoring sessions to be ready to lead mentor a client, the Coach should notify the RVIC to continue certifying the mentor and pause their mentoring assignments when they become Active to ensure the new Mentor can attend additional co-mentoring sessions until they are ready to lead
  • Keep RVIC informed as co-mentoring progresses
  • Alert RVIC to any issues or concerns regarding Provisional's fit with SCORE's mission, vision and valued
  • Keep local Chapter Chair informed as Provisional progresses
  • Socialize the Provisional with other local Chapter members
  • Conduct local orientation
    • Advise RVIC when orientation has been completed so Provisional's application may be updated

Coach Toolkit

https://help.score.org/hc/en-us/articles/22227602439059-Volunteer-Coach-Toolkit

Co-Mentor Toolkit

*Guidance for co-mentors, from co-mentors coming soon!

Within this process doc are:

  • Outline of steps each role takes during the Volunteer Intake Journey
  • Process notifications sent to Provisional via email
  • Escalation policy guidelines

Process updates reflect input from One SCORE Pilot Regions and best practices developed as a result of the One SCORE Pilot.

Procedure Steps Application phase

Email Notification Triggered

  • See Resources at the bottom of article for more information about specific email notifications

Regional Volunteer Intake Coordinator (RVIC) receives the application and reviews it using the Application Review Checklist (below). Note findings in email to Interviewers.

When unsure of an applicant's suitability, RVICs may provide the applicant's resume and concern to the first Interviewer and/or Chapter leadership and ask how they recommend proceeding.

Application Review Checklist:

  • Review application including reason for volunteering, expertise and experience for the following: 
    • 4+ years experience in business management, entrepreneurship
    • Positive: other volunteering experience, mentorship experience
    • Negative: potential conflicts of interest (i.e. may be interested in SCORE for personal business sales)
    • Other positive considerations include: Strategic Partnership potential; area of expertise that is in demand by SCORE clients; representative of underserved community
  • Review Prospective's LinkedIn profile and/or other social media (if available/applicable)
    • Positive findings: Profile aligns with resume submitted, additional relevant experience 
    • Negative: Profile has discrepancies with resume, or LinkedIn profile not found
  • Search for the Prospective on Google or other search engine and review findings
    • Positive findings: Business related articles that applicant has contributed to, professional online presence
    • Negatives: Litigation or felonies; negative commentary published online by applicant
  • Note any obvious indications regarding tech competency in findings email: 
    • AOL or Hotmail addresses may be concerning
    • Online presence may indicate comfort and familiarity with online media tools
    • If you communicate with applicant prior to the interview, ask about their experience using Gmail & Google Suite Tools
  • Escalate any questions or concerns to the 1st Interviewer and/or Chapter leadership
  • If the Prospective does not meet basic requirements, the RVIC marks the application as rejected in Engage and adds Notes in Application > Coach Notes
    • Engage notification sent to applicant
    • Application record is marked as ‘Closed’ in Engage

Email Notification Triggered
  • If the Prospective meets basic requirements, RVIC assigns 2 volunteer Interviewers
  • RVIC emails Interviewers with information from screening

Email Notification Triggered
  • RVIC sends an introductory email to the Prospective volunteer and both Interviewers introducing them and asking that they schedule times to meet

Email Notification Triggered

Interviewer 1 contacts the Prospective to introduce themselves and schedule an interview:

  • Interviewer 1 conducts interview with Prospective volunteer
  • Interviewer 1 enters their disposition (accept or reject) in Engage

Interviewer 1 may outright reject a candidate only in the following circumstances: 

  • Conflict of interest (clear & documented)
  • Intent was for mentoring request, not mentoring application
  • Cannot reach the Prospective via email and/or phone after 3 attempts
  • Prospective decides not to pursue volunteering with SCORE (in this case they are withdrawn)

In these cases, Interviewer 1 should contact Chapter leadership and RVIC that the application should be rejected.

In all other cases, an applicant will participate in at least 2 interviews.

Interviewer 2 contacts the applicant to introduce themselves and schedule an interview:

  • Interviewer 2 conducts interview with Prospective volunteer
  • Interviewer 2 enters in their disposition (accept or reject) in Engage

If a tiebreaker interview is required (one Interviewer accepts and one Interviewer rejects), RVIC will assign a 3rd Interviewer. Chapter Chairs may choose a designated 3rd Interviewer for their Chapter or may interview the Prospective themselves to make the final determination if they did not serve as one of the first two Interviewers.

  • RVIC sends an introductory email to the Prospective volunteer and Interviewer 3 to schedule a time to meet
  • Interviewer 3 (Tiebreaker) contacts the Prospective to introduce themselves and schedule an interview
  • Interviewer 3 conducts interview with Prospective volunteer
  • Interviewer 3 enters in their disposition (accept or reject) in Engage

Email Notification Triggered

If 2 accept dispositions are entered in Engage, the applicant's status is updated from Prospective to Provisional and a notification is automatically sent via email.

Email Notification Triggered

If 2 reject dispositions are entered in Engage, the applicant's status is updated to Closed and the rejection notification is automatically sent via email.

Email Notification Triggered

Onboarding Phase 1: Online training modules, Simple Steps to Starting Your Business workshop, Mentoring in Engage training and profile updates

RVIC contacts Provisional volunteer to review next steps:

  • Confirm receipt of SVO email address and login information
  • Confirm access to SVO
  • Confirm first login to Engage
  • Mutual understanding of onboarding requirements and process
  • Chapter Leadership copied on welcome email
    • Chair(s) are encouraged to reach out to Provisional and welcome them to SCORE
  • RVIC to contact Coach and ensure availability prior to completion of online training modules

Email Notification Triggered

If the Provisional volunteer has received all information above, is able to log in to SVO email and Engage, and is willing and able to proceed with onboarding, they begin taking online training modules (via Learning Management System linked in Engage).
If the Provisional volunteer is not interested in completing onboarding at that time, the RVIC updates their application record in Engage to withdrawn and Chapter leadership is notified.
If the Provisional volunteer is not able to complete onboarding at the time (becomes unresponsive or otherwise does not meet timeline agreement), the RVIC updates their application record in Engage to rejected.  RVICs record the reason for any rejection of an application on the application using the Coach Notes field.  Chapter leadership is notified.

The RVIC sends a one time reminder to the Provisional volunteer (after 7 days) that they have 14 days to complete training modules. Chapter Leadership is copied on the reminder.

If all required modules are not completed within 14 days, ROC calls the Provisional to follow-up and assess readiness to complete onboarding:

  • Why have modules not been completed?
  • Is a reasonable extension necessary to complete modules?
  • Is now the right time for Provisional to pursue volunteering with SCORE?

The Provisional volunteer should follow up within 48 hours of communication from their RVIC and/or ROC:

  • If extenuating circumstances exist, an additional time period of up to 14 days will be provided to complete the requirements
  • If after 14 additional days, the requirements have not been completed, the Provisional's application is withdrawn and Chapter Leadership is notified
  • A Provisional may be reactivated on a case-by-case basis if they reach out to re-engage with their onboarding, pending approval from their Chapter Leadership

If all modules are completed within 14 days, the Provisional then moves on to the next stages of onboarding:

  • This includes co-mentoring, completing Mentoring in Engage training and Simple Steps to Starting your Business workshop, as well as completion of Mentor profile
  • These tasks are an ongoing process and the RVIC will provide continuous follow-up throughout the remaining onboarding period
RVIC reviews the Provisional's profile for completeness and quality.
RVIC coordinates with the Provisional to ensure they can access Simple Steps for Starting Your Business module in the LMS.  RVIC tracks completion in Engage and LMS.
RVIC provides Provisional with link to Mentoring in Engage training.  Provisional should either attend a live session or review the latest recording available.  RVIC to track completion using spreadsheet provided by trainer.
Important to note:  Mentor profile, Simple Steps to Starting Your Business workshop, and Mentoring in Engage training are introduced in Phase 1 but are not required for a Provisional to move into Phase 2 and begin attending their required co-mentoring sessions.  The RVIC will provide continuous follow-up on these items throughout the remainder of the Provisional's onboarding period, as they are required before a Provisional converts to Active status.

Onboarding Phase 2: Coach assignment, local orientation and co-mentoring

RVIC assigns Provisional volunteer an available local Coach and 2 additional Co-Mentors, who are introduced to the Provisional via email.

Email Notification Triggered

Coach begins to serve as a “buddy” for the provisional volunteer.

  • Serves as a resource for any questions
  • Socializes the Provisional with other SCORE members
  • Conducts local orientation
    • Notifies RVIC when local orientation with Provisional has been completed; RVIC to update application

Coach to act as first co-mentor wherever possible.  Coach may help facilitate additional co-mentoring sessions if necessary.  RVIC to provide consistent follow-up throughout co-mentoring stage.
Co-Mentor(s) and Provisional connect to review client information, mentoring request, make plan for facilitating the client session, etc.
Provisional volunteer shadows and Co-Mentor(s) conduct session(s).
Provisional volunteer and Co-Mentor hold a debrief on the client session.

Onboarding Phase 3: Provisional to Active status

RVIC reviews any outstanding onboarding tasks and follows up with Provisional to ensure timely completion:

  • Logs in to Engage to view the application record
  • Updates any manual requirements
  • Sends congratulatory notification email to newly Active mentor, Interviewers, Coach, Co-Mentors and Chapter Leadership

RVIC makes any final updates to application record in Engage, marking them as completed.

Provisional volunteer status updated to Active and profile reflects the number of MRE/CIC assignments per week requested.

Email Notification Triggered

Coach & Chair congratulate Mentor on Active status.  Invite to next Chapter meeting and introduce newly Active mentor to other Chapter members.
RVIC alerts RCIC to immediately assign next available case to the new Active via BCC on Active status email.

Reporting

Reporting on Volunteer Onboarding Process

  • ROC to send weekly (Monday) report by district to Chapter Leadership, with copy to District Director(s) and RVP with overview of all Provisionals in process

Resources

Volunteer Interviewer Toolkit

Volunteer Coach Toolkit

Volunteer Co-Mentor Toolkit  *coming soon!

Regional Volunteer Intake Coordinator Guide

Email Communications for Volunteer Intake Journey  *coming soon!

 

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Comments

3 comments

Date Votes
  • SCORE Staff

    Updates effective 2/13/24

    • VIC application screening process has been clarified. They do not currently do a tech skill evaluation or screening interviews.
      • VIC’s Application review checklist has been clarified for transparency on what they are looking for.
      • VIC will communicate to assigned interviewers the application findings and any questions.
    • VIC Metrics have been clarified to actionable items within their control. Upcoming Leadership Reports will reflect this.
      • VIC Metrics (and all pilot metrics) should begin comparing Pilot Regions (combined) to non-pilot regions (combined). Current competition is being perceived and is undermining One SCORE culture.
    • VIC is clarifying themselves as the main support contact for volunteer applicants, up until time Coach is assigned
      • For items the Support Team needs to jump in on (ie. password resets) process is being established where VIC and Support Team member will collaborate instead of directing the new volunteer to other resources without oversight.
    • Communication templates from VIC have been updated
      • Chapter Chairs/Co-Chairs/Vice Chairs (in case of no Chair) will be copied on the Initial Provisional Welcome Email, Coach assignment email, and any reminder emails if onboarding time is running out
      • Onboarding Checklist will be shared with Provisional in Welcome Email to know what to expect
      • Engage notifications have been added to the process document for transparency. Currently under review to make sure all notifications are going out consistently and as outlined.
      • All template emails are being updated with VIC feedback and improved transparency.
    • Conditions on which Interviewer #1 may reject an application without consulting a 2nd interviewer are clarified (ie. conflict of interest, applicant wanted a mentor – not to BE a mentor, etc.). All other cases not listed will require minimum 2 interviewers to enter dispositions.
    • If the interviewer learns that a prospective member cannot begin immediately, they should notify the RVIC before entering a disposition so timeline expectations can be managed.
    • Once approved – Chair will receive notification of new volunteer.
      • Chair can welcome volunteer and invite them to chapter meetings. Chairs should *not* add local processes on to the new volunteer at this time.
      • Chair can help begin to line up coach
    • Online Modules should be completed within 14 days
      • Simple Steps module has been moved to 009 in LMS so that volunteers *can* easily access this when they are doing the other modules, but noted that they have more time for this module in particular
      • Copying Chapter Chairs on reminder if 001-008 are not completed within 14 days
      • After 14 days, ROC to call provisional to let them know timeline has ended.
        • If provisional is responsive and engaged, ROC can offer 14 day extension.
        • If provisional is not responsive, they are withdrawn and notification sent to CC also.
    • Coach to act as first co-mentor and assist with assigning other co-mentoring sessions. VIC to still oversee co-mentoring assignments ultimately.
    • Coach & Co-mentoring training being updated to tailor for new provisional progress (#1 - Listen #2 - Listen & Feedback #3 - Listen & Contribute)
    • VIC to share Engage Training Recording AND let provisional know when the next live event is coming. Engaged volunteers will want to take advantage of all resources available to them – allowing them to get “credit” for completing the Engage Training in a timely manner, AND attending live for Q&A when it makes the most sense to them. (Some may choose to take Engage training again after they are Active, because they will have hands-on access to Engage at this time)
    • Once Volunteer is complete with onboarding and Active, VIC to notify CICs for quick assignment of new clients and immediate engagement
    • Reporting Updates:
      • ROCs providing each District (and all Chapters within) a weekly digest on Mondays of all provisionals in the District and their status to acceptance
    0
  • Sarah Meiklejohn

    Updated 5/9/24 to include latest RVIC email templates.

    0
  • Sarah Meiklejohn

    Updated 1/10/25 with training and role clarifications and updated One SCORE guidance.

    0

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