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Volunteer Management
Welcome to Extension Volunteer Management! Explore our page to find resources, professional development opportunities, and much more!
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Extension Volunteer Management Conference
We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who joined us for the Volunteer Engagement Conference in April. Your presence, energy, and thoughtful feedback made the event truly special. We’ve received overwhelmingly positive responses, and your insights will play a key role in shaping next year’s conference.
Mark your calendars! We’re excited to announce that next year’s conference will be held on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. We can’t wait to build on this year’s momentum and make it even better with your continued support.
Missed a Session? Catch Up Here
Couldn’t attend a session during the conference? No problem! Explore presentation slides, handouts, and other resources from each session to stay informed and up to date. Whether you’re revisiting key takeaways or diving in for the first time, everything you need is just a click away.
Robin Kaler, a dynamic leader in strategic communications and crisis management, shared her expertise on effective communication in the modern workplace. As the official spokesperson for the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a key advisor to the chancellor’s senior leadership team, Robin offered invaluable insights into navigating complex issues and leading crisis response efforts. If you missed this powerful keynote, you can now access the presentation slides and explore additional resources on the Strategic Communications and Marketing website.
Keynote Presentation Strategic Communications and Marketing
Volunteer Management Resources
Volunteer Management Toolkit
The State Volunteer Advisory Committee has been focusing their priority work on creating a Volunteer Management Toolkit to assist all Extension staff who work with volunteers.
MyExtension Portal - Volunteerism
Statewide Resources for Volunteer Management can be found on the MyExtension Portal's Volunteerism tab.
Extension Child Protection Training
Submit your Extension Child Protection Training Request through our form. Include volunteer's full name and county.
Volunteer Management Mini-Trainings
Sessions sessions will be held on the last Thursday of each month from 10-11am and cover many topics related to volunteer management and engagement.
DCFS Background Check Portal Request
We are excited to announce that DCFS has implemented a new Background Check Portal Request system for all CANTS Reports. The University of Illinois is now active with this new system. We no longer submit paper form CF689 to DCFS via email! Please dispose of any electronic or hard copies of the CF689 form. DCFS will no longer accept these forms.
For more information, please review the New DCFS Background Check Portal Request email.
Workforce Development MediaSpace: Volunteer Management Mini-Trainings
Subscribe to Workforce Development's MediaSpace to access previously recorded trainings and presentations.
Volunteer Management Toolkit Spotlight
A report is now available for staff to check the status of a CANTS (CFS689) background check. The report will be running weekly to reflect the status of a volunteer in the DCFS Electronic Portal. The report is housed in the Volunteer Management Toolkit under Volunteer Background Screening > DCFS CANTS Information > DCFS CANTS Screening Status for Volunteers.
2024 Extension Volunteer Engagement Conference Recordings
Keynote - Tobi Johnson
Hear from globally recognized expert in volunteer engagement (and a Master Gardener!), Tobi Johnson, on "how to take your leadership to the next level and volunteers will follow". Check out her bio to learn more about her and her impact in the world of volunteer engagement.
You will learn …
- What it means to be a truly volunteer-driven organization and what can happen when volunteers lead the way
- The STAR Method for volunteers who lead and how it can ground their practice
- How to pinpoint core values and actions and build out a personal leadership philosophy
- How to use a Team Blueprint to build a shared vision of success together
- How to build a transformational communications plan that both inspires and keeps volunteers in the loop
Volunteer Management System Introduction & Panel Discussion
The new website is designed to be a tool for Extension staff to steward and manage the volunteers they work with. This means there will be a standardized volunteer application process with streamlined background check and reference check procedures, all managed through the system. Just think of all the time staff will now have to focus on programming! The Extension Web Team and Workforce Development Team facilitated an interactive afternoon session during the conference. Participants learned the “why” and “how” of the new system, including a refresher on volunteer policies, a full demonstration of the system, and resources on how to utilize the new system.
