VM = Volunteer Management?

Well, I attend various co-op networks and forums, and I've helped to run some in the past. Unlike other businesses (even some other co-ops), some co-ops are unusual in that the work is voluntary rather than necessarily contract-required.

The top tip is that you cannot manage by fear, or even anything close to it, because if you even start to drift in that direction, people will stop volunteering, the democracy will ask you to leave or both. You've got to use a whole different toolkit of ways to get people to want to work towards your goals.

Happily, you've probably got an advantage in that people are inclined to work for you already, else they wouldn't have volunteered for your group rather than someone else.

Hi MHR thanks for a comment but I am not sure how it relates to my question - I can see where you are coming from and agree - basic management training but that is not what it's about - the people I am referring to are in the voluntary sector as vol managers/co ordinators/leaders/ organisaers and just meet for a bit of informal learning or achat around issues they are experiencing and others help with their experiences - The outcome from my post is to get tips or an insite as to how others do theirs and what the outcomes may be ready for a blog for the #ttvolmgrs day every Thursday - todays topic is student volunteering and you can follow this if you fancy by reading Sue Jones's blog and the links - I don't employ people I broker people to volunteering opportunities across our county, develop volunteering programmes for charities, run training programmes and speak for the VMmovement nationally and very involved in the huge voluntary/3rd sector and very happy to see your involvement with co-ops.