here's what we do:
- we have a "volunteer coordination" committee, whose members rotate
over time, and who take turns each month to be the monthly "volunteer coordinator"
- that coordinator (using a google docs spreadsheet system we came up
with) schedules all the shifts for the month, sending emails, doing call-arounds, does the monthly volunteer orientation, and coordinates having food at our monthly meeting
- we aim for a minimum of 3 volunteers per shift in the winter, 4 in the
summer, preferring 5. the more the merrier.
- if there are way more volunteers than needed they can work on "shop
bikes" (bikes we're building up to sell), sort parts, or just hang out.
- we tell people to give as much notice as possible if they can't make a
shift. usually there's a dichotomy between some people who make their
shifts consistently, and others chronically not showing up, so we just
don't bother counting the no-showers toward the minimums per shift.
most people who sign up make their shifts.
- when there aren't enough people, we end up not being able to serve as
many folks, and having to turn more away. this totally sucks, but it beats burning yourself out trying to outstretch your capacity.
- we don't have any disciplinary measures, if that's what you're asking,
apart from maybe the inevitable mild informal censure. not much point in disciplining volunteers other than to create an unpleasant work environment, though it sucks when people don't follow through on their commitments.
hope that helps, macho