Three andragogy-based questions to apply when designing for volunteers

The Tool: Malcolm Knowles’ principles of andragogy, modified for learners who are not being paid to receive your training 

The Purpose 

Everyone who facilitates and attends the trainings I design is a volunteer.  When I explain this to others in my industry, I am met with a shocked pikachu face. “You mean you design 2-day trainings run entirely by volunteers?! Indeed. 

Fresh out of graduate school and high on a steady supply of evidence-based practice, I would have argued that “adult learning is adult learning” and volunteers are no different than paid employees. 
But three years in the international non-profit space have shown me it is not quite that simple. 

Malcolm Knowles (1978) principles of andragogy is one of my favorite ways to explain how being an expert in adult learning is not the same as being a K-12, or even University, instructor. But when you apply Knowles’ principles to learners who are not being paid, a few of these principles take on a new meaning. 

Use Case: 

By combining Knowles’ Principles of Andragogy with smart questions about your volunteer audience, you can conduct a needs analysis that helps your designs resonate with the wide range of learners you may encounter in the volunteer learner space. 

You can learn more about Knowles, but the principles are, in summary: 

1. Adults are self-directed

2. Adults have prior experiences 

3. Adults have internal motivation to learn

4. Adults want to solve problems

5. Adults have internal motivation 

Instructions for Use: 

First, read more about the principles of andragogy, especially if you are moving from the K-12 space into adult learning. Then, consider these three questions when designing specifically for volunteers.

Principle: Adults have prior experiences

Volunteer Twist: Those prior experiences are far more varied than in the corporate setting 

Question to ask: What is the minimum prior knowledge required to become a volunteer with [organization]? 

When you are designing for adult volunteer learners, you have a much wider range of experiences than you might encounter in the corporate setting. When designing for a volunteer audience, you need to anticipate a wider gap in technological skills and resources. Tools that may be taken for granted in the corporate environment (Microsoft teams Teams, Slack, or Zoom) may need enhanced explanations or user guides. 

Principle: Adults have internal motivation to learn 

Volunteer Twist: Paid employees also have external motivation (their salary) -- but if volunteers do not like the training provided, they will leave 

Question to ask: How can we create our learning to be as inclusive as possible for our volunteers?

Anyone who has ever worked in a corporate setting knows that external motivations will play a role in your users response to learning designs -- especially if that learning is mandated by the organization. But volunteers are really only there on their own internal motivation - if they do not feel your learning product is valuable, they have no reason to stay. 

While inclusivity is a best practice everywhere, volunteers are often joining an organization for a sense of community. So how can you make sure that the community you are creating is as welcoming as possible? The topic of inclusive design is far too big for this blog, but using welcoming language and inclusive facilitation practices is a good place to start. 

Principle: Adults want to solve problems

Volunteer Twist: The problems a volunteer wants to solve might be different than the problems of your organization

Question to ask: How can we make this learning apply beyond the context of our organization? 

In the corporate space, the goal of your training is to help solve organizational problem(s). In a nonprofit space, volunteers are hoping to gain new skills that are transferable outside of your organizational context. As you design learning for volunteers, you need to keep in mind not just the needs of the organization (for example, increased revenue) but also the needs of the learners (for example, transferable sales skills). In the volunteer space, it is key to acknowledge the transferable skills gained by meeting the learning objective(s). 

Pros 

The differences between a paid employee attending your training, and a volunteer attending your training is subtle, but important. If you are stepping into the nonprofit adult learning space for the first time, your designs will benefit from a thorough understanding of your volunteers needs and abilities. 

Cons

Not all volunteer-driven organizations operate the same way. The volunteers I work with amaze me every day with their dedication and commitment - but as an individual and an organization, we need to have a high standard of service for those volunteers. Not every organization is in a place to reach these high standards, and putting together ‘good enough’ training opportunities can create an unfortunate side effect of high volunteer turnover. 

Takeaways

When conducting a needs analysis for a volunteer-led organization, keep in mind both Knowles’ principles of andragogy, and these three questions: 

• What is the minimum prior knowledge required to become a volunteer with [organization]? 

• How can we create our learning to be as inclusive as possible for all volunteers?

• How can we make this learning apply beyond the context of our organization? 

Have you designed for volunteers? What differences have you noticed?