Volunteers and Technical Production: Can it be done?
The care and feeding of volunteer technical staff
Technical production and the technical staff play important roles in any kind of event. The people involved can make all the difference in the outcome of the experience whether we are discussing concerts, theater, corporate events, or a house of worship. They are responsible for both aesthetic and technical aspects of production-oriented audio, visuals and lighting needs. These responsibilities can even include design, operation, and maintenance of these same technical systems. This requires keeping up with emerging technologies and continuous innovating to set vision for the experience. That is a lot of work and requires the right kind of people to get the job done. Few of us have either the budget or professional talent pool of staff from which to draw. So, volunteers who are willing to step into the technical void are essential. This presents all kinds of challenges.
Let’s begin with management …
Once upon a time, in a previous life, I volunteered as the sound guy for a rapidly growing church. What began as a labor of love became a full-time professional vocation. It was not long before I realized that the role was as much about the people as it was the technology.
Managing and motivating technical volunteer staff for a live event is challenging. The excitement and energy surrounding an event can be your greatest ally or your gravest foe. The following are a few tips that can help steer that momentum in a positive direction.
- Provide training – Give your volunteers the knowledge they need to succeed in their task. Send key team members to seminars in anticipation of what is to come. There is a bounty of both online and in-person training but be sure to check it out first. Just send me an email if you would like some specific recommendations. See the link below.
- Communicate effectively – Communication is key when it comes to managing volunteers. Make sure you have a clear understanding of what you expect from them and what they can expect from you.
- Show appreciation – Volunteers want to feel appreciated for their hard work and dedication. Take time to thank them for their service and let them know how much you value their contribution.
- Create a sense of community – Encourage your volunteers to get to know each other and build relationships outside of the event itself. For example, people always gather where food is being served. Be intentional and budget time for such things. The gain will be significantly greater than the time and effort invested.
- Establish expectations – People need and want to know what is expected of them. Be clear about the time commitment up front in the recruitment process. More about the topic of recruitment will follow in later postings.
- Be flexible – Volunteers have busy lives outside of your event, so be as flexible as you can.
- Provide feedback – Provide positive feedback frequently when good things are happening. When problems arise show volunteers what they are doing and how they can improve. Be kind. Be firm. Be encouraging.
- Lead by example – As a leader, it is critically important to lead by example. Show your volunteers what it means to be committed. Be timely. Be professional. Be supportive.
- Pray for your volunteers – When working in a worship production environment it is always appropriate to pray for your volunteers. Pray for them specifically and regularly. Be sure to encourage them to pray for each other as well.
We hope these tips help you manage and motivate your technical volunteer staff in whatever kind of production environment you should find yourself. If you have questions or thoughts you would like to share, click the button below to send me an email.
Questions or Comments?
Brian Rice, Principal, Integra AVL
Brian has over 20 years experience in helping clients find the right solution for their audio, video, lighting and systems integration needs.
