Making Volunteers Work: Best Practices in Volunteer Management
"MOUSE is a nonprofit organization that provides technological, leadership, and career readiness opportunities to underserved middle and high school students. The Capstone team was asked to assess MOUSE's organizational readiness and present recommendations on whether the organization should expand its core programs to involve volunteers formally. The team used qualitative research methods to better understand volunteer use and best practices at MOUSE and similar organizations. The team performed a literature review of volunteer management, program design, and best practices, and conducted a SWOT analysis, environmental scan, and interviews with staff members from MOUSE and various nonprofit and private sector organizations currently utilizing volunteers. Research findings served as the basis for recommendations about the appropriateness of integrating volunteers into MOUSE's programs, focusing on topics such as volunteer management systems and best practices, the need for partnerships and networking, and specific steps for planning volunteer program expansion."