Volunteer Leaders in Action! Mental Health, Adaptability, and Setting Boundaries
This month we're exploring mental health for volunteer leaders in an interview with Sarah Sukhram, CVA, Volunteer and Foster Care Coordinator at Animal Services in Pasco County, Florida. Sarah talks about the role of volunteer leaders, setting boundaries, and ways to show support and appreciation for volunteers. Here are some key takeaways: Oftentimes, volunteer leaders feel the need to be everything for everyone all the time and make sure that every volunteer has a positive experience.
Volunteer leaders are “fixers” and “adaptability” is their superpower!
Volunteer leaders will ignore their own mental health while striving to provide 24/7 support to others. After a challenging situation, take time to check-in with yourself and ask “How am I feeling?”
Supporting our own well-being and mental health so we can show up as our best selves with our teams starts with defining and communicating our boundaries. Boundaries are the "oxygen mask" volunteer leaders need to put on first.
Sarah's 3 easy strategies that help her set healthy boundaries with volunteers: ✅ Honor your personal time off! ✅ Do not friend volunteers on social media ✅ Set clear expectations about your meetings with volunteers to give them ownership over the expected outcomes by asking two questions:
❗Do you want me to be a listening ear or a helping hand?
❗Is this going to impact my mental health and well-being? Learn and leverage your volunteers' experiences to improve work environment
Create safe spaces and processes where volunteers will feel they can work through traumatic experiences and get the support of other volunteers and staff. For example, monthly volunteer support groups.
Set aside time regularly for yourself to nurture your own well-being and professional development.
Show ongoing appreciation for volunteers’ efforts and commitment to the mission of your organization with small gestures – birthday cards in the mail, post-it notes on a volunteer board recognizing specific efforts and showing support during difficult times.
In wrapping up, Sarah could not emphasize more that volunteer leaders should not try to be everything for everyone all the time but be human, allow themselves to be vulnerable, and take care of their mental health first.Note: This interview should not be used as medical advice. Please, reach out to a mental health professional for support.
Mental Health Resources for Volunteer Coordinators and Managers
Caring for Yourself – Learn more about the basics of mental health from the National Institute of Mental Health. Find a Mental Health First Aid Training through the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.Self-Compassion, Dr. Kristin Neff – Explore a variety of resources related to cultivating compassion for yourself.Burnout and How to Complete the Stress Cycle – From Brene Brown's Unlocking Us podcast, this interview with sisters and authors Emily and Amelia Nagoski is a game changer for working through stress and burnout.How to Set Boundaries – This article from Science of People offers some helpful exercises and language to help you define your boundaries.10 Ways to Build and Preserve Better Boundaries – A thorough discussion of how to set boundaries from PsychCentral.Rising Tide Volunteer Solutions Can Help
Looking to build skills as a volunteer leader to set clear boundaries and expectations with your volunteers, or thought partnership around strengthening your leadership and team building approaches? Rising Tide Volunteer Solutionsprovides individualized consultation and interactive workshops like “Success from the Start: Support, Expectations and Supervision”, “Building Skills for Difficult Conversations” and “Blazing a New Trail: Volunteers and Change Management”. Schedule a free 30-minute call today to learn more.