Technology Acceleration Responses

Responses to:
Technology Acceleration: Grab Hold and Hang On

Submitted on 28 June 2007 by Susan J. Ellis in response to Bryron Webb's response.
Thanks for your posting, Byron -- and especially for challenging my statement! It proves that any outreach campaign can be successful for some situations, and mass media may well be appropriate in finding people who might be scattered across a wide geographic area -- providing that the recruitment message itself explains the specifics of exactly what you are seeking volunteers to do. My general objection to mass media recruitment is that it tends to reach a broad audience of unknown people who may or may not have the characteristics you need. It can elicit many inquiries, posing a major interviewing and screening challenge (and then having to turn people away). So, in most situations, I prefer a "mini-campaign" that is much more focused and targeted at places where it is most likely to find the sort of volunteer needed. Fewer applicants, but the RIGHT applicants. For large scale recruitment (such as 100s of people to help with an international sporting event) designed to find many volunteers, mass media can be great. But to find 3 pottery instructors or 2 board members or even 10 reading tutors, it is often more effective to send the message through narrower channels. So, as with so much else in life, whether or not someone should recruit volunteers through mass media must be answered by "it depends." Thanks again!

Submitted on 25 June 2007 by Byron Webb, University of Texas at Arlington, Student / MSSW program, Arlington Texas
I just read this piece and was particularly interested in the bit about avoiding mass media campaigns. I'm a student currently working on just such a campaign for a local non-profit and was taken aback by that statement!

I'm targeting potential volunteers in a 3500 square mile service area where more traditional recruiting methods have not fared so well. Over the last year more than %50 of our new volunteers were reached via a mass media campaign.

Based on this history, is it a bad idea to reach out via the media, even if the media chosen is limited in scope rather than blanketing on all forms of media?

Submitted on 8 June 2007 by Judi Reed, Director, Volunteer Resources, Chinook Health, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
This is really neat Sue! I really enjoyed listening to your article as an option to reading it. It's kind of like listening to talk radio. I also appreciate hearing about the ABCs of blogging, etc.

Submitted on 4 June 2007 by Brent Shintani, Volunteer San Diego, Board of Directors, San Diego, CA USA
As the producer and host of the Volunteer San Diego Podcast, I have had the opportunity to meet with so many of our wonderful volunteers and community partners. It's really hard to capture the enthusiasm, commitment, and passion expressed in a text-based web page without tools like blogs, e-newsletters and podcasts.

Our organization takes advantage of a lot of free or inexpensive web tools to help our blog and podcast development. It is true that a lot of these ventures can be hosted outside the main web page. It's not as hard as it may seem. Many of the tools are easy to use. Blogs and podcasts can easily be referenced from the main page of your web site.

I do believe that we have had a measure of success due to the fact the our technology outreach has had the support of our entire team. Our staff, board members, and volunteers graciously take the time to be interviewed or coordinate interview appointments or provide information for short articles.

Thank you for mentioning our organization on your program, and congratulations on your new podcast!

http://www.volunteersandiego.org
http://feeds.feedburner.com/vsdpodcast

Submitted on 4 June 2007 by Lori McDaniel, Voices of Hope Productions, President
Shrewsbury, NJ USA
As a filmmaker, communications professional and facilitator of other people's stories, I think blogs and online photo storage are fantastic! The great thing about Flickr is that the photos can be shared, stored and archived and then the user has a place to retrieve them so that they don't clog up storage space on their own home computers. You can email the link to your entire gallery. Plus you can get on any computer anywhere and show the photos. It's an invaluable!

A blog offers a combined Web site, layout program and communications tool all-in-one. A blog is also a great way to encourage more youth participation—they are already using these tools every day. The Girl Scouts are effectively using technology with Friendster, YouTube and MySpace to promote their annual cookie drive. FAVOR, a national advocacy organization sends a weekly email with a podcast of their conference call meetings.

These are incredible communication distribution outlets and they should be used widely. PSAs and short videos can be produced and distributed entirely through the Internet. FREE. Once the video is completed it can be uploaded to YouTube. Broadcast distribution has historically been too costly for Non-profit organizations to afford. Technology and viral marketing can be powerful for your organization, building relationships and making an impact. Corporations know. They've been using these resources for years. Now they’re affordable to you too.

Submitted on 1 June 2007 by Hillary Roberts, Project Linus NJ, Inc., President,
Keyport/NJ USA
To illustrate how quickly and effortlessly Susan's leap into social networking for all busy VRM's can add, even rejuvenate, your workday....I was able to link, upload and share this month's Hot Topic podcast to 33 colleagues, using free iTunes software, that make up my online social network. I'm based in NJ and the other pros are a global roadmap who I can idea share and learn from thanks in large part to technology. Podcasts, audio books, web links, emails, chat rooms, vlogs and blogs have enabled us to connect in a way that older methods (and we still use those too) just can't or can't in a timely fashion.

If you want to branch out of your local network and include colleagues who celebrate the same profession, mission, work as you do-harness new technology. Set a goal for yourself and in no time flat, you'll be amazed at the seamless way these tools will enhance your work week.

To Susan's credit, like a well-narrated audio book, podcast and video blogs offer the listener a greater connection to the material. Like a well constructed volunteer interview, your audience will respond to what you have to convey and HOW you do so.

Food for thought: DOVIA chapters, VRM associations and non profit groups with national followings should all be considering the potential of podcasting. Meeting can be shared chapter to chapter, minutes can be downloaded and creating a cohesive network with national orgs and associations are easier than ever.

No fear (as the young people say) is what today's super tools are all about!

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