Recruiting Volunteers

Attracting the people you need

Have you ever set off on a trip without knowing where you are going? You just took off – perhaps with a friend, or your family, without any idea of what your destination would be? For an afternoon out or a day trip it can be quite exciting to see where you end up. But, what about a holiday abroad? Would you do it then? Most people usually prefer to go on a planned holiday, they want to know beforehand where they are going, how they will reach their destination, and what they can expect in terms of climate, culture and comfort when they get there.

Recruiting volunteers is similar to organising people to go on a journey. Before you set off you will need to do some planning and organising. Like travellers, most potential volunteers want to know what lies in store – the type of tasks they will be expected to do, at what times, the location, and whether any particular skills or qualities are required. They will also want to know who they will be volunteering with, as well as how they will be prepared and supported in their volunteering.

A well thought out plan will help you to be more effective and efficient in your recruitment efforts. In other words, planning leads to success.

Before you recruitBefore you start recruiting volunteers, make sure that you have a clear idea about:

What volunteers will be doing (The tasks)What kind of skills and knowledge someone will need to have in order to

volunteer with you.What training and equipment volunteers will needWhat kind of out of pocket expenses volunteers will be able to claimWho will be responsible for supervising and supporting the volunteer’s?

What’s in it for them?Not everyone has the same interests or shares the same values and attitudes, or wants the same things in life, so it’s reasonable to assume that different people will want to volunteer for different reasons. You need to ask yourself,“Why would someone want to volunteer with us?”

Think about what you can offer a potential volunteer. Whether it’s a chance to learn new skills or gain work experience, or an opportunity to meet people and do something worthwhile, you should consider this question carefully because if you are asking someone to give their time and skills, you need to tell them what they will be getting in return.

Volunteer Centres Volunteer Centres act as a ‘go-between’ to refer potential volunteers to groups or organisations which need help. Recruiting through a Volunteer Centre can be a good source of new skills or experience, because you can reach out to people who wouldn’t normally contact you directly.

Word of mouth ‘Word of mouth’ can be a very effective publicity tool. Volunteers, staff and clients who feel good about their involvement with your organisation are likely to tell their friends. But, relying heavily on this method can reduce the diversity of backgrounds and skills within your organisation because you will generally be recruiting from similar groups of people.

Using the media TV, radio, newspapers or online news media can be a great way to attract attention to your cause, but it’s not always easy or cheap. The Volunteer Genie website offers tips and case studies about using the power of the media to recruit volunteers. http://www.volunteergenie.org.uk/

Places in your local area If you produce leaflets, posters or adverts to recruit volunteers, try distributing them in a wide range of local places to reach a broader audience and make sure you tell people how they should contact you.

Where can I get help with this?Ask your Volunteer Centre about using its brokerage service.

Visit the Volunteering England website for information and tips on recruiting volunteers; www.volunteering.org.uk

If your group is a member of an Association, or if you are a branch of a larger Organisation, ask them for advice and details of any support they offer to members.