Program Management: Volunteer Management

Ethics Today: Personal, Practical and Relevant

Where is the distinction between individual ethics and the ethics, standards and policies of an organization or profession? These general definitions may be helpful as a start:

• Values: core beliefs that guide actions
• Ethics: a particular code of values
• Collective Standards: particular methods of practice
• Code of Ethics: formal rules which govern behavior of a group
• Policies: guidelines for behavior in particular situations

Whereas most of us think of ethics in very personal terms, the word actually assumes a much greater meaning the minute we become part of an organization or established group of people. At that point, individual values are not enough to define what behavior will or will not be acceptable or tolerated. Definitions of right and wrong may vary, even if the group is composed of individuals who all consider themselves to be “ethical.” Michael Josephson, founder of the Josephson Institute of Ethics, says it this way:

“If we conclude that ethics is purely a personal matter, and that each person’s private code of values is entitled to equal respect regardless of the content of their beliefs, there is no legitimate basis for distinguishing between Saddam Hussein and Mother Teresa—both live up to their own standards.”

This is why many companies, government agencies and nonprofits are now including ethics as a critical part of their employee training and management. Within the organizational context, ethics is a system of rules or principles of behavior within a group against which actions can be judged. And it must be agreed upon by all members of the group to ensure consistency of action.

When it comes to volunteering, we often decide to contribute our time and energy based, in part, on personal values and priorities. Most likely this is true for many who choose to become part of CASA. Once we take that step, we must then decide if we are able to accept the ethical requirements of the volunteer role we are being asked to fill, even if there is some conflict with our own values or priorities. This happens in the world of paid work as well and can even lead to the decision to leave a particular job because of personal discomfort with the situation. Although one’s personal beliefs and values may become secondary to the organization’s code of ethics, standards or policies, each individual is still accountable. In this context, “being ethical” means never abdicating responsibility for the decisions we make.

An Organizational Roadmap

What does all this mean to the real work of CASA? Given the complex and sensitive nature of CASA’s mission, it is essential that everyone associated with the organization behave ethically. “Our work has far-reaching consequences for kids and families. We develop intimate relationships with them and with professional staff. This means that we must take ethics very seriously,” states Kathy Yurchisin, State Director for Kentucky CASA. This, in turn, requires agreement on a set of shared values that serve as the framework for the critical decision-making CASA volunteers do as part of their role. An organizational “code of ethics” provides such a framework, a roadmap to which everyone can refer when challenging ethical dilemmas arise.

Many years of international research have created strong evidence that people everywhere articulate some version of the same five core values:

Trustworthiness (truthfulness, sincerity, candor, loyalty, promise keeping, honesty)
Respect (autonomy, courtesy)
Responsibility (diligence, continuous improvement, self-restraint)
Justice (fairness, impartiality, equity)
Caring (kindness, compassion)

These universal values become the basis for creating a common set of ethical principles which can be applied when searching for “the right thing to do.” These principles are different than program policies or standards. They are rules of engagement that focus on interpersonal interactions rather than operational procedures and articulate a general set of values that can be applied to many different situations.

Practitioners in many fields have developed their code of ethics based on these core values. In fact, one of the hallmarks of being a professional is to commit to upholding a recognized code of ethics related to that particular field of activity. The Association for Volunteer Administration has established a set of principles regarding the ethical involvement and management of volunteers. These principles can be especially helpful to organizations like CASA which rely on large numbers of volunteers to provide critical human services.

There are numerous benefits to implementing a code of ethics in any organization. Basing management practices and decisions on these core ethical values will result in a program that:

• Is accessible to diverse groups and individuals
•  Attracts volunteers, donors and supporters
• Strives for excellence
• Maintains the public trust
• Sustains a helping environment
• Is at a lower risk for legal actions against it

In the case of CASA, there are additional specific advantages. For example, a code of ethics can remind volunteers and staff to maintain boundaries in their roles. “Because of the highly emotional nature of CASA cases it is easy to become swayed by personal experiences or influenced by subjective feelings,” states Kathy Yurchisin. “Adhering to a code of ethics helps us remain objective and consistent—it keeps our advocacy grounded where it should be.”

Dave Bartlett, 2003 Child Advocate of the Year and volunteer with CASA of Santa Cruz County (CA), sees a code of ethics’ strong relevance to the reporting he does to the court and other professionals. “At times there can be an inclination toward being dramatic or too personal in our written descriptions and recommendations. But we have an obligation to be extremely accurate, almost pristine, in what we say, presenting only what is absolutely true. Being reminded of our ethical principles helps achieve this goal.”

Walking the Talk

Of course, functioning as an ethical organization requires more than posting a code of ethics on the office wall. The “code” must be within every employee and every volunteer. There must be consistent modeling from the top, through the actions and words of board members and executive staff. There must be encouragement for staff and volunteers to speak up if they observe unethical behavior among colleagues. There must be opportunities for safe and open discussion of ethical questions and issues. Integrity is defined as the compatibility between actions and values. Such an organizational culture lowers the barriers to ethical decision-making and permeates all aspects of operation.

In the early days of CASA’s growth and development, ethics were extremely important in order to convince court and social service professionals that volunteers could really do the job. Building the program’s credibility was a huge challenge and required that everyone associated with it be very aware of ethical implications. Lynn Shreve, Senior Program Coordinator with the Delaware State CASA and the Family Court of Delaware, sees equal relevance to a broad range of situations faced by program staff and volunteers today:

• Stating all known facts, even if some of them contradict a CASA volunteer’s final recommendation
   
• Maintaining a balanced approach so as not be perceived as “teaming up” with other professionals to promote a particular course of action
   
• Avoiding conflict of interest, especially in smaller communities where anonymity is difficult
   
• Avoiding perceptions of automatic bias based on particular personal characteristics
   
• Remaining true to the organization’s mission despite political pressures or the temptation to tap a new funding source

“Ethics must guide not only what we do, but how we do it,” contends Lynn.

In the final analysis, “walking the talk” consistently over time demands that our decision-making skills include:

• Competence—the ability to recognize an ethical issue when it appears
   
• Confidence—the assurance and self-esteem to seek out different points of view rather than making the decision alone
   
• Tough-mindedness—the strength to ultimately make a decision and act even though there is no guarantee that it is the absolute “right” decision.

There are “tests” we can apply to help us evaluate the decisions we make (see side bar box on the “CLICK” test), but ultimately it comes down to a matter of courage. “Moral courage is the quality of mind and spirit that enables one to face up to ethical dilemmas and moral wrongdoings firmly and confidently, without flinching or retreating,” states Rushworth Kidder, founder and president of the Institute for Global Ethics. CASA’s work certainly demands such moral courage, making ethics a cornerstone that is intensely personal, practical and relevant.

Ideas for Action

• Establish a task force of volunteers, staff and board members to develop a code of ethics for your organization based on the five universal core values.
   
• Devote time to the topic at volunteer training sessions, discussing the relevance and practical application of ethical decision-making. Role-play some scenarios; identify possible courses of action; discuss how the process feels personally as well as the implications of various decisions.
   
• Look for colleagues who will serve as your “sounding board” to help navigate through an ethical dilemma when it arises; use each other as a mutual support system.
   
• Offer a workshop focused on ethical decision-making at a local, regional or state conference.
   
• Devote 15 minutes at each board or staff meeting to focus on one ethical principle; identify ways in which the organization is honoring that principle or needs to improve.

Katie Campbell has worked in the field of volunteer resources management for 30 years as practitioner, author, trainer and leader. Most recently she served as executive director of the Association for Volunteer Administration (AVA), the international professional association for leaders and managers of volunteer programs. She has authored and co-authored several articles and publications on the subject of volunteerism and volunteer management, including: By the People: A History of Americans as Volunteers, Children as Volunteers, and Opportunity or Dilemma: Court-Referred Community Service Workers.

Related Resources on Ethics

• Professional Ethics in Volunteer Administration, Association for Volunteer Administration (guidebook, training kit), www.avaintl.org.
• How Good People Make Tough Choices: Resolving the Dilemmas of Ethical Living, by Rushworth M. Kidder (Simon and Schuster, 1995).
• Obedience to the Unenforceable: Ethics and the Nation’s Voluntary and Philanthropic Community, Independent Sector, 1991, www.independentsector.org.
• Josephson Institute of Ethics: www.josephsoninstitute.org
• Institute for Global Ethics: www.globalethics.org
• Ethics Resource Center: www.ethics.org
• Junior Achievement, Inc.—recent study on teens and business ethics, www.ja.org