You can often get an interesting perspective on the direction of volunteer management by looking at articles on HR and doing ‘find and replace’ with VM.

The fact that HR is a more developed discipline and profession, means this exercise provides a window into what might be the future opportunities and challenges for VM.

So, Peter Cheese (CIPD Chief Executive) was asked where he would like HR to go next (HR Magazine, June 2013), and I’ve presented his answers in a volunteer management context below…

Does VM still have a perception problem?

There is a perception and understanding problem. However, sometimes perception is reality. There are too many examples of people’s exposure to VM being as a control function rather than an enabling and strategic function. We need to create a more compelling vision for what VM is about.

At the moment VM is often seen as a function for people who don’t like numbers and aren’t technical, but care for people. VM needs to be more than that. It needs to be seen as an organisational function, like any other.

Do people see VM as a career?

As a profession, VM is not well understood compared to something like law or accounting. You don’t need a licence to practice to go into VM. We need to link continued professional development to career development. If you look at something like law, you naturally continue to do professional development because you need to keep current.

Doe the lack of VM CEO role models prevent more ambitious talent choosing VM?

I think the best organisations move people in and out of functions. VM in particular can benefit from that. If I want to build a truly rounded leader, they should have operational business experience and functional experience, particularly in VM. Ask any CEO where they spend most of their time and they say people. It’s fairly obvious we should see more people coming in and out of VM as part of their own career growth.

How should we portray VM as a career?

There should be more visibility through business courses. Students should be taught the importance of engagement and building the right sort of cultures.

In terms of exposing VM to you people, it is part of a wider agenda around improving careers guidance in schools. The channel into work is often orchestrated by HR, so HR can help young people understand the world of work and present VM as a career.

Where will VM go next, ideally?

It will be recognised as a strategic function of any organisation. We won’t be talking about having a seat at the table because it will be part of everyone’s job for building capacity and the organisation of the future. Everyone has an opinion on finance and marketing because they understand why it’s important to the organisational success. Everyone should have the same point of view on the volunteering agenda.

Another interesting insight below on a potential priority for the volunteer management profession, by looking at articles on HR and doing ‘find and replace’ with VM.

These adapted HR quotes suggest that VM needs to understand the organisation, in order for the organisation to understand VM.

Steve Wing (Director at Strategic Dimensions).

…The one thing you don’t tend to get in a VM career, unless there is a seat at the table, is a real feel for the organisation. VM people have to take the initiative to understand the organisation.

Valarie Hughes D’Aeth (HR Director at Amey)

…People see VM as an admin function, or the one with the rulebook. We have that perception to overcome in attracting people. VM needs to become less VM-focused in its teaching. It should be about understanding the organisation first – how we can use VM to support the organisation. At the moment the professional body comes at it the wrong way: here are lots of VM best practices to put into the organisation. We need to turn that on its head.