Vetting Volunteers

To ensure volunteers are suitable for working at a data help desk, several steps and considerations are outlined on how to recruit and prepare appropriate volunteers. The combination of clear guidelines, information gathering through volunteer forms, targeted recruitment, and an emphasis on relevant expertise serve as a way for organizers to ensure they have a suitable and capable team of volunteers for the data help desk. The focus is on attracting individuals with the necessary skills and a willingness to help researchers with their data-related questions.

  1. Develop and Share Volunteer Guidelines
    • Creating clear Volunteer Guidelines is crucial as they clarify the opportunities and expectations for volunteers. These guidelines can outline the roles volunteers can take on (e.g., answering questions, providing demos, creating resources) and the expected level of commitment. By clearly stating what is involved, individuals can self-assess their suitability.
  2. Develop and Share a Volunteer Form
    • A Volunteer Form (e.g., using Google Forms) is used to solicit volunteers and gather information about their areas of expertise and interest. This form can include questions about the data topics they can provide help with (e.g., General Data Management, Metadata, Data Repositories, Programming). This allows organizers to understand the skills and knowledge base of potential volunteers.
  3. Targeted Recruitment
    • Organizers can decide on key topics and specific resources they want featured and may hand-pick a set of volunteers, especially for smaller events. Inviting past volunteers is also a good strategy, as they already have experience with the Data Help Desk. Reaching out through ESIP communication channels and relevant mailing lists can help attract a diverse pool of potential volunteers.
  4. Emphasis on Expertise
    • Providers (volunteers/experts) should ideally have experience in various scientific domains, specializing in topics like finding, sharing, analyzing, publishing, and citing data. They should also be comfortable sharing their science expertise and explaining concepts clearly. Volunteers come from a range of educational experiences, and those directly answering user questions should possess relevant knowledge.
  5. Diversity of Volunteers
    • It is considered beneficial to have a diversity of volunteers in terms of the organizations and topics they represent. This ensures a broader range of expertise is available to address the varied questions users might have.
  6. Volunteer Satisfaction
    • Ensuring volunteers feel their time is well spent is important for retaining them. While not directly a vetting step, focusing on volunteer satisfaction implies valuing their contributions and implicitly selecting individuals who are likely to engage positively.
  7. Code of Conduct
    • Volunteer Guidelines should include a link to a code of conduct that applies to their participation in the event. This sets expectations for professional and respectful behavior, which is essential for a positive user experience.

Skills Needed

Help desk roles are vital for providing user support, troubleshooting problems, and ensuring the optimal use of a help desk’s services. A successful help desk volunteer needs a blend of data expertise, interpersonal abilities, and problem-solving skills to handle user issues efficiently and professionally. Skills in both soft and hard areas are necessary to address various challenges, assist users effectively, and work collaboratively with colleagues.

Top 10 Skills for a Help Desk Volunteer:

  1. Data Knowledge Familiarity with common questions regarding data management, data archiving, and finding data.
  2. Problem-Solving Ability to analyze issues, think critically, and make quick decisions to resolve user problems.
  3. Patience Essential for handling confused and uncertain users and explaining solutions clearly and calmly.
  4. Active Listening Ensures understanding of the user’s issue by focusing on their words and asking clarifying questions.
  5. Empathy Demonstrates understanding and consideration for the user’s frustrations and situation.
  6. Communication Skills Clear and concise verbal and written communication is crucial for guiding users through solutions.
  7. Teamwork Collaborating with colleagues to resolve data questions.
  8. Time Management Managing multiple users and prioritizing tasks efficiently to provide timely resolutions.
  9. Stress Management Staying calm and focused under pressure, particularly when handling multiple requests.