Scheduling and Managing Service Hours

TIPS

• Know volunteers' availability.  Ask them to provide a copy of their schedule.  If necessary, distinguish between times when the volunteer is truly unavailable and times when the volunteer prefers not to serve.  Do not offer spots to volunteers whose availability is not a good match for your programs.
• When you offer a student a volunteer spot at your agency, make it for a regular weekly shift.  Hold them to it.
• Familiarize yourself with Loyola's breaks and holidays.  Students are not required to serve when Loyola is not in session during breaks, holidays or evacuations.  However, a student may volunteer during these times if they wish, but it must be by mutual agreement with your agency.
• Adopt a clear absence and notification policy.  Explain it to students.  Use this sample absence policy as a template.
• Be sure to tell service learners at least a week in advance about any cancellations, closures, or disruptions to regular programming.
• Students' timesheets must be signed or initialed by agency staff to verify their accuracy.  This means that someone at your agency must be able to vouch that a student was actually present during times listed.  Do not sign off on any timesheets if its accuracy is in question or if the hours cannot be verified.  
• Devise a sign-in/sign-out or hours tracking system that works well for your agency.  Methods can vary, but be sure students know what your system is.