How Rescue Groups Can Help Reduce Stress Among Volunteers

by Sheila Webster Boneham

Rescue work is stressful - there's just no way around it. Here are some suggestions that organizers/directors of rescue programs (and other types of programs, for that matters!) may want to consider to help reduce stress among volunteers. 

• Mandate rotation of duties among volunteers, especially those duties that are physically demanding or emotionally taxing – euthanasia is a biggie.
• Make sure than each volunteers responsibilities and limits are clearly defined – lack of clarity adds to stress, and over time can lead to burnout. So be clear about who can and should make which decisions.
• Find ways to enhance the sense of community among rescue volunteers & possibly adopters – picnics, reunions, etc. bolster that sense and remind volunteers of the success.
• Find ways to empower volunteers – encourage them to continue their education about animals, and when possible help them in that endeavor. Sponsor workshops with experts, charge outsiders, but let your volunteers attend for free or a reduced rate, for instance.
• Say thank you! Acknowledge people’s work, even the small things they do. It can make an enormous difference.
• Try not to call on the same few people all the time just because they’re experienced. Create a volunteer mentor program so that new volunteers can learn from the more experienced and thus be in a position to give them a break.
• If you have a volunteer who works in mental health, ask her or him to give an occasional talk or workshop to help volunteers keep their work in perspective. If not, maybe you can recruit someone, or invite a counselor to speak to your group as a guest speaker.
• Educate your volunteers – too many people in rescue know too little about modern training methods, other breeds or types of animals, responsible breeding, nutrition, young animal development, and so on. The more you know about the big picture, the more effectively you will work on your little portion of it, and the better you will feel about the overall situation.

 Feel post the link to this note to other pages where it may help people! Here it is -- http://rescuematters.blogspot.com/2013/09/how-rescue-groups-can-help-reduce.html

 ©Sheila W. Boneham, 2010. For permission to reprint in other formats, email Sheila at sheilaboneham @ gmail.com (no spaces). Thank you!

For more about effective rescue work, see Rescue Matters! How to Find, Foster, and Rehome Companion Animals by Sheila Webster Boneham, Ph.D., available in paperback, Kindle, Nook, Kobo, large print, and Audible formats.