Here’s the details:

The Problem

Best Friends Los Angeles, a no-kill animal shelter, faced high turnover and burnout among their volunteer receptionists. New volunteers were unprepared for the unique challenges of the role, such as handling emergency hotline calls and managing job stressors. This lack of preparation made it difficult to fill the position and disrupted the organization’s operations.

Needs Analysis

• Volunteers were unaware of the stressors and pitfalls of the receptionist role.

• Training gaps left them unprepared to manage high-pressure emergency situations.

• These factors contributed to a 15% higher turnover rate and made it difficult to retain and recruit volunteers.

The Solution

To address these issues, I designed and developed a branching scenario e-learning course.

• The course simulated the day-to-day responsibilities of a volunteer receptionist.

• Participants practiced handling emergency calls and navigating real-world challenges in a low-stress, supportive environment.

• The training also prepared volunteers for the emotional demands of the role, reducing surprise and fostering resilience.

Evaluation and ROI

The training program was evaluated using a mixed-methods approach:

• Quantitative Results: Turnover decreased by over 15% within three months of the course launch.

• Qualitative Feedback: Interviews with new and existing volunteer receptionists revealed high satisfaction. They appreciated the hands-on, realistic approach to learning the role and felt more prepared for the challenges.

• ROI: By improving retention and reducing the costs of frequent recruiting and onboarding, the course provided measurable value to the organization and created a pipeline of volunteer receptionists.