Embracing Virtual Training Options: Utilizing Better Impact E-Learning Modules

In volunteer management, it is becoming more and more important to provide a progressive and accessible volunteer program for your organization.

For Denver Animal Shelter (DAS), e-learning modules have played a major role in streamlining our volunteer training options and expanding our program to be more accessible. Better Impact's e-learning modules are easy to use. Working with animals in a shelter setting is completely different from interacting with animals at home, with friends or even at a pet-friendly brewery on the weekend. Animal shelters can be loud, overstimulating, and stressful for all animals. Therefore, at DAS, we place high importance on our initial training for new volunteers. Effective onboarding is a key component of a strong volunteer program, as highlighted in The 5 Aspects of a Strong Volunteer Program. Many people join our program never having experienced working in an animal shelter setting before and most of our volunteer positions require some type of animal handling. After new volunteers have attended the new volunteer orientation and taken a tour of the shelter, the next step is to take an animal handling training.

Save Staff Time

At DAS, one of the primary ways we train our volunteers on animal handling is through video. You may be thinking “Wait, but how does watching a video help with learning how to interact with animals in a shelter setting?”

Well, pre-pandemic we hosted two monthly in person animal handling trainings - one for cats and one for dogs. In these monthly trainings our staff presented in front of a classroom-sized group of new volunteers and then broke the class up into smaller groups to do the hands-on training. Post-pandemic we wanted to look at other ways we could offer group trainings and get the same information across. Conveniently, in 2021 we were introduced to Better Impact and learned about their e-learning modules, and we were sold!

Once we signed up with Better Impact, we changed our model for animal handling training so that we could use the e-learning module options. This freed up staff time from having to physically present every month in a classroom setting. We utilized other virtual meeting platforms to record the training while the staff presented, saved the recordings, and then added them to Better Impact to create e-learning options for our volunteers. Since we implemented this process, we have saved approximately 190+ hours of staff time. In addition to utilizing the e-learning modules, we have supplemental in person training with some of our lead volunteers. They take smaller groups of people (no more than 3 per group) to practice everything the volunteer learned in the video training. This allows for a more personal touch as well to the onboarding and we can continue saving more staff time. With these smaller trainings, this also allows us to expand on our capacity to support individual learning preferences and create a more accessible program.

Check volunteer knowledge

You might be thinking, "But how can I be sure that volunteers are actually engaging with the content and are prepared for their roles?"

The great thing about Better Impact’s e-learning modules is that you can include questions and check volunteer knowledge to ensure they understand what you need them to know. At DAS, we have a variety of training videos. Some of them have several questions following the video and volunteers must get a certain number correct to pass, while others are only instructional videos and then once they complete the video, they are considered trained.

Use the tools available to you

Once volunteers have successfully passed by watching the video and completing questions, you can set it up so that Better Impact automatically updates the volunteer’s record under a qualification. Again, this is continuing to save staff time!

Volunteers extend our capacity to support our organization's mission. Let’s ensure our onboarding, training, and learning opportunities set them up for success and expand our ability to provide progressive and accessible training. Better Impact has an incredible set up for e-learning opportunities.

If you are not already using the e-learning modules, I highly encourage you to check them out. Even if you think you might not be able to use them, consider how you could use this tool for your benefit or the benefit of your volunteers. Could you use this tool to facilitate your orientation? What about ongoing learning for volunteer development? By providing an option for volunteers to watch a video training from wherever works best for them- it expands your ability to support your volunteers and set them up for success.

Explore Better Impact today to discover how their tools can help you streamline your volunteer management and save valuable time.