Are there resources for running volunteer service organizations?

February 25, 2024 11:47 AM

I would love to find the equivalents of the "ask a manager" column or videos or podcasts geared toward running all-volunteer community service and social organizations. I know that some of the management and organizing strategies from workplaces transfer, but in an all-volunteer space I also feel like different strategies may be useful. Any suggestions would be most appreciated!
posted by mortaddams to Human Relations (2 answers total)

This is not exactly what you asked for and also really old, but actually quite relevant in that it is intended to think around how and why structures of organization work or don’t work in any given organization or situation. I found it in part three of Graeber’s “Utopia of Rules” which is about bureaucracies but also about his experience with Occupy Wall Street

https://www.jofreeman.com/joreen/tyranny.htm
posted by toodleydoodley at 1:23 PM on February 25

maybe the book how organizations develop activists would be helpful to you.

Midwest Academy also comes to mind- more background on them here.

both of these resources are more about community organizing in the campaigning sense but worth checking out because it's a lot of volunteer wrangling and you might get some more breadcrumbs for your searches.
posted by wowenthusiast at 5:59 PM on February 25