How do you invite people
to volunteer? What works for you?
Motivational Posters
If you're looking for a way to spotlight volunteering in your unit, consider creating your own motivational poster starring your volunteers! You can
create your own inspirational posters here:
http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/
Choose the "Motivator" and then upload your photo. Use a famous quote about
serving or volunteering, and change the colors to reflect your group's logo
or dominant colors.
Then, save the file, and upload it to Snapfish, Shutterfly, or any other
photo sharing/ printing company that you use. Have a poster created for
about $15 that is completely consistent with your group and gives the
perfect message for your volunteers. This type of poster, mini poster, or
8x10 photo would be great on a volunteer bulletin board! Or use these photos to create photos,
cards, mugs or other items to present to volunteers.
It's a great way to complement other posters that you may already have that
promote volunteering or to use as a stand alone poster to show your volunteers that
you truly appreciate and value their work.
Submitted on 3 April 2007 by Danielle Hamilton,
HumaneFundraising.com
Monthly Sign Up Calendar
To encourage volunteers to participate in
our scheduled activites I put out a monthly sign up calendar. I follow
the calendar with a short update about our progress and end with "Turn
on, tune in, Help out! (a take-off on Timothy Leary's slogan that
today's babyboomers might recognize and younger volunteers might
find "campy".)
I also feel it is a more positive use of the original slogan.
Submitted on 8Jan2004 by Barbara Dunakin, Volunteer
Coordinator, Friends of the Historic Genesee Theatre, Illinois
Don't overdo the recruitment ask
When I began working in this
field, I followed a 4 page long script. I hadn't learned yet that
prospective volunteers want the nuts and bolts of your organization
and what you are asking them to do...how much time per week, month,
year; training, and on-going support are what they want to hear. So
next time you catch yourself waxing poetic about the joys of volunteering
for your organization, stop and ask them what they want to know.
It's worked like a charm for me!
Submitted on 5Dec2003 by Stephanie Bailey, Field Manager, Girl
Scout Council of Greater Minneapolis MN
Recruiting the 'right' volunteer
Recruiting the 'right' volunteer is crucial. Be concise and clear
when advertising for volunteers - both with the skills you want the
volunteer to have and the person specification. By using this approach
we have found the 'right' people volunteer. This also cuts down the
time involved in reading applications and the selection process.
Submitted on 3July 2003 by Heather Blakeley, Group
Development Officer, National Association for Colitis and Crohn's
Disease, UK
Inviting those that are assisted by volunteers to volunteer
Submitted on 26Feb03 by Carla Walsh, Volunteer/Bereavement Coordinator,
Pax Hospice, Inc., MS
Our hospice families are followed for a year after their loved one
dies in order to provide support and to help them reinvest in life.
At the 13th month we provide them with the opportunity to become a
hospice volunteer. It is a win/win situation. Our hospice gets a volunteer
who has received the benefits of the program and the family/member
gets an opportunity to find greater meaning in their loved one's death
by helping others.
Way to use email to recruit effectively
Submitted on 25Oct02 by Sheryl Simons, Volunteer Coordinator,
Women's Information Service, Inc. W I S E MI USA
I work at a domestic violence shelter. I was sending e-mails one morning
and started writing. It was a letter to new shelter volunteers to
help them see all the ways they might like to join in. The story had
the word volunteer in BOLD at least once in each paragraph and showed
different aspects of volunteering throughout. It started with:
"You finally called the police and your husband has been arrested.
He has threatened to kill you when he is released from jail in 20
hours. There is a no contact order in place, but you are still afraid.
Within an hour of his arrest you are contacted by a volunteer
from the shelter. He asks how you are doing. You tell him about
what happened and also that you are afraid of losing custody of
the 2 children you have. He gives you the phone # for the shelter,
suggests that you talk to our legal advocate, and asks if a counselor
can call you back tomorrow. He tells you about the shelter and that
there is a 800 hotline available 24 hours a day anytime you
need to call. He talks to you about a safety plan when your husband
is released from jail. He tells you that the abuse is NOT YOUR FAULT,
and reassures you that the confusion you are feeling is normal."
Encouraging People to Annually Volunteer for an Event
Submitted by Hortense Casillas, St. Paul of the Cross, California,
USA
We have an annual fiesta each year and, except for a very small core
group, have trouble getting return and new volunteers.
Problems I discovered:
- We are not really asking people to join us in this wonderful effort,
we are merely telling them that we have so much to do and so little
time.
- We do very little to encourage a return engagement.
- I observed during fiesta pasts that, when a volunteer arrived
to help and the person in charge did not have anything for them
to do, they were told that everything was under control and they
did not need any help. The unfortunate thing was that the very same
people that complained of lack of help were the ones that turned
the new volunteers away.
- I have discovered that those who are the central volunteer planners
of the event embrace their roles as if no one else in the whole
world could do them as well as they can. They do not plan and publish
the variety of tasks but choose to work from memory as to what needs
to be done next. This type of managing is not effective in recruiting
and retaining volunteers from event to event. It is so like the
corporate world where employees are hired and when on board they
are expected to perform without any training, communication or expectations
and recognition.
Solutions:
- The first thing we must always do is "Ask.” The second
thing is to "Explain" what positions are available and
what would be the best fit for their talent and interest. The third
thing is to encourage and help create a motivating environment even
though we are asking them to work hard and to do it without pay.
The fourth thing is to keep in touch, to call and let them know
we appreciate their involvement and that we look forward to seeing
them next year and to bring a friend, relative or anyone else that
may be looking to contribute new ideas and energy toward a very
worthy cause.
- The core group leading the event must delegate the majority of
the duties so that they can oversee and make sure that everyone
involved is aware of the mission and objectives. The core group
must also be responsible for welcoming and thanking the volunteers
and provide them with feedback on the results of the events. Remember,
everyone you meet may be saying " Yes, I do want to help, please
ask me and let me help."
Friendly Competition between Corporate Volunteers
(from Susan's Tip of the Month in the Monthly
e-Mail Update)
If you are working with corporate volunteers and want a new approach
to getting people to volunteer, try running friendly competitions
between departments. With the agreement of one key person in each
unit, announce that the payroll department challenges the editorial
department to see which unit can pick up the most bags of trash at
the weekend park clean-up. Or keep a running tally of how many hours
of tutoring each department has logged (or how many children were
taken on a trip) by showing thermometer charts side by side (like
a horse race). This can be done in-house by the corporate volunteer
coordinator or any agency volunteer coordinator can supply the company
with the information to post.
Bring-a-Friend Day
(from Susan's Tip of the Month in the Monthly
e-Mail Update)
Here's a simple idea with lots of ripple effects. If you have a large
job to complete with volunteers, especially something that can be
done in a group, make a party out of it. Photocopy some "invitations"
that volunteers can give to their friend who are not volunteers, asking
them to join in the activity at such and such date and time. For example:
"The pleasure of your company is wanted to participate in our
Wrap-the-Toys or Sort-the-Clothes, or Weed-the-Garden party
on ___________, from ___ to ___ p.m., in room 405 of Hometown Agency.
As a friend of one of our wonderful volunteers, you are very welcome
to join in this activity. You'll have fun, spend some time with your
friend (and maybe make new ones), and do a good deed! Light refreshments
provided. Dress: casual. RSVP through the volunteer you know."
You can even add a P.S. such as: "No strings attached. This
is a one-time volunteer event."
The invitations can be focused on special target groups, too. You
might want to hold an intergenerational party (volunteers invite someone
at least 15 years older or younger than themselves) or a singles party
(females bring a male and vice versa). However, the real "tip"
here is to print these invitations! This gives volunteers the tool
they need to broach the subject with their friends. Simply saying
"please ask someone to join us" is not enough to make this
a real success.
Obviously, such an approach can double your work force for the day.
And, if you select the right work assignment, you don't have to worry
about your usual screening and training process (among other thing,
the "host" volunteer is a reference and will be accompanying
the visitor). For a really big project, hold several "parties"
by giving different dates on different invitations. The point is that
every volunteer knows someone interested enough in what s/he does
as a volunteer to pitch in to help one time. Be respectful of "no
strings attached," but be sure everyone in attendance learns
how to volunteer more if so desired!
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