Most volunteers are kind, giving, amazing people who would rarely blatantly or intentionally say or do something hurtful. But we all hold biases, some we may not be aware of. Wendy Vang-Roberts, training manager for the Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement (MAVA), says these unconscious biases can show up in the form of microaggressions, which can be challenging to address, especially with well-meaning people. What are microaggressions and where do you see them occur in volunteering? “Dr. Derald Wing Sue defines microaggressions as everyday verbal, nonverbal and environmental slights, snubs or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory or negative messages to persons based on their marginalized group membership. This includes but is not limited to women, BIPOC, people with disabilities, older adults, LGBTQ+ individuals and many more groups. The term can be misleading because there is nothing micro-about microaggressions. They have enormous impacts on people. And in terms of volunteer engagement, microaggressions create an unwelcoming and unsafe environment for marginalized folks who may then choose not to volunteer with your organization. How can volunteer managers address these microaggressions? “This starts with building your own awareness of biases you hold. Read books and articles, listen to podcasts, watch videos, attend training, conduct internet searches. There is so much information out there to help you gain a stronger understanding of unconscious bias and microaggressions. “It's also important to have these conversations often at your organization and model for your volunteers the kind of behaviors you want to see. It's extremely powerful when staff, especially those who are in leadership positions, initiate and lead these conversations and are willing and ready to respond when bias happens. This can create a safer, more welcoming environment for marginalized folks. “Regularly provide anti-oppression and other diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) trainings for your volunteers. Many nonprofit and government organizations use volunteers to deliver services, but oftentimes DEI trainings are only made available to staff members. It's important that volunteers are included in your organizational DEI work and conversations. “MAVA has developed several different highly interactive DEI trainings for both staff and volunteers, such as ‘An Introduction to Privilege, Bias and Microaggressions’ and ‘Antiracism 101’ that we have provided virtually to organizations across the U.S. Contact Wendy Vang-Roberts at the email address below to learn more about providing these trainings for your staff and volunteers.” Source: Wendy Vang-Roberts, Training Manager, Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement, Saint Paul, MN. Phone (651) 505-3822. Email: wvangroberts@mavanetwork.org. Website: https://www.mavanetwork.org Addressing microaggressions with volunteers can often lead to shock and defensiveness: “That's not what I meant;” “I wouldn't be volunteering here if I didn't care about the people and community.” Wendy Vang-Roberts says she interprets those types of responses as the volunteer feeling misunderstood and attacked. But, she stresses, just because a volunteer works with marginalized communities doesn't absolve one from harmful behaviors that perpetuate problematic ideas and systems of oppression. These conversations need to happen, no matter if the volunteer has been with the organization 20 years, if they're a donor or even if you're short on volunteers. “I believe that we are doing everyone a huge disservice when we don't address and have conversations about bias and microaggressions. And this harms the very communities we're providing services to. Many times, I find that volunteers who commit microaggressions actually want to know about it because they want to do better. They care about your cause and who you are providing services to, which is why they are giving their time to your organization.” Vang-Roberts says organizations worried about pushback from volunteers need to ask themselves if they really want someone volunteering who is harming those to whom they provide services. “We can try to bring people along, and some of this happens through conversations and trainings, but at some point, we have to be willing to say to someone that we are moving toward equity and justice. We'd like you to join us in this important work, but this doesn't seem to be your time, and this work can't wait. We hope to see you again when you're ready.”