December News from GRAVA (Greater Richmond Association for Volunteer Administration)

November Problem: "Despite the fact that an applicant to my program has met all the requirements, provided references, and passed the background check, I continue to have 'a feeling' that I can't explain but am hesitant to dismiss. I don't feel right turning this individual away on the basis of intuition. Has anyone else dealt with this problem in a way that would seem acceptable to the applicant and still protect the organization and clients?"

Many thanks to all GRAVA members who provided solutions!
"If the prospective volunteer feels like a weirdo - I suggest asking another staff member or current volunteer join you for a final interview of the person and get their impression as well. This is a good way to ensure that you are not judging unfairly/solely. Remember that having a three-month probationary period is a good plan of action for EVERY volunteer brought into your organization - another means of risk avoidance."

"You can call it intuition or a gut feeling but did you think it might be the voice of God? Sometimes He gives us that feeling when something is not quite right. Whatever you may call it, check it out. Make a few more phone calls and talk to people this person has worked with in the past or talk to the applicant in person about your concerns about whether they are right for this position or your organization. Body language, facial expressions, and voice inflection can say a lot."

"I think if I were in this situation, I would go out with the volunteer initially to supervise the visit. If they seemed ok, but there was still some lingering doubt, I would give them assignments where they are not alone with the patient. If there were others close by to supervise, there shouldn't be a big danger of anything going wrong. If the person had bad intentions, but wasn't given the opportunity to act on them, they would probably drop out of the program pretty quickly. If the person did not have bad intentions, they would have the opportunity to earn your trust over time, and hopefully the 'feeling' would fade away."

"I very often have this 'gut feeling', and it is always right. Volunteer coordinators are never obligated to enroll or 'hire' a volunteer. It is perfectly acceptable to tell the applicant that you do not currently have a suitable assignment for them, but that you will keep their application on file in case something comes up in the future."