Submitted by Student Associate Hailey Willerth
Volunteers can help community programs succeed, but how do you get people to donate their time?
Everyday Democracy provides the keys to success in their resource called “10 Strategies for Recruiting Active Volunteers.” Founded in 1989, Everyday Democracy strives to bring together diverse groups of individuals to discuss social and political issues. Their hope is that dialogue between individuals of all backgrounds will help communities facilitate solutions and change.
Click here to view the resource on their website.
The best practices for recruiting volunteers include:
- Defining specific ways volunteers can contribute to the program
- Defining how this commitment benefits the volunteers
The 10 best ways to recruit volunteers
- Start with a plan---Outline the direction you’re looking to go in and share your plan with volunteers so they know how their contributions will impact the program.
- Be clear about the time commitment---Be clear about the amount of time you’re expecting them to commit to.
- Ask for a small commitment first---People are more likely to agree to do a more involved task if they’re asked to do a smaller task first.
- Match their skills with assignments---Volunteers tend to leave because their skills aren’t being matched with assignments. So, make sure their experience is being utilized!
- Remove potential barriers to participation---Think about what might prevent someone from becoming involved (such as transportation issues), and implement strategies to remove those barriers.
- Make them feel appreciated---Volunteers want to know their time has helped make a difference.
- Offer an orientation---Consider offering a brief orientation to explain your mission and ease all concerns.
- Share stories of other volunteers---Sharing stories of peers who have volunteered can increase the chance of potential volunteers committing.
- Highlight the positive---Remember to focus and reiterate what it will take to be successful as a group.
- Communicate what’s in it for them---Potential benefits to volunteers can include developing a new skill set, gaining employment, building relationships, trying something new, and making an impact.
Click here to view the full resource and read more about each of these strategies.