Volunteer Recruitment Kit Research shows that many members join organizations for the purposes of networking and affiliating with those with a common vision and shared values. Others join to exercise their leadership skills through involvement in tasks, projects, committees and boards from the grass roots level to the National level. The following resource was developed to help recruit and retain NAPNAP volunteers. Please feel free to use this guide when seeking new volunteers for positions or projects. Select a link below to view each section. Identify a job, task or project
Create a volunteer recruitment flyer
Match interests with potential volunteers
Make Contact
Identify a Timeline
Training
Monitor Progress
Ask for Feedback
Show Appreciation Identify a job, task or project Be sure to have a task, project or job defined in writing prior to approaching a potential volunteer. Include the deliverable that is expected in your initial request. For leadership positions, please consult your bylaws for a description of officer duties and responsibilities. Click here for a sample of a job description. For tasks or short-term projects, develop a summary of the work expected with clear deliverables. Volunteers are more likely to commit when the task is short and the length of the commitment is short-lived (i.e. 3 months or less). Let your volunteers know how important their job is and how it fits into the overall strategic direction of your group. Tasks are more likely to be completed on time when your volunteers know their contribution is important to the development of the organization and other members are counting on them. Create a volunteer recruitment flyer Create and distribute flyers to capture the attention of potential volunteers. Make sure the flyer includes a succinct description of each position you are seeking to fill. You can customize the flyer to your group with specific opportunities and contact information. Be sure to distribute the flyers to all attendees at your local events. Click here for a sample recruitment flyer. Match interests with potential volunteers How can you learn more about your member’s interests? Ask them. Periodically survey your members to learn what motivates them. Online survey tools such as Survey Monkey www.surveymonkey.com can provide quick results in a timely fashion. If your group cannot purchase a subscription service for an online survey tool, send out a survey via email and have all responses come to one person for compilation. The survey results may reveal that some individuals prefer to work alone or in a group. Look for the appropriate tasks to assign to these members and match them appropriately. Encourage a higher response rate by entering those who respond to the survey into a random drawing for gift certificate to a spa, a gift basket or merchandise. Please remember that your survey cannot be anonymous if you are conducting a drawing. Be sure to announce the winner of the drawing in your newsletters, website and future communications. Make Contact Try to reach as many sources of potential volunteers as possible. Use the following techniques to make contact: -
Include a question in your new member survey and ask the applicant to check off their areas of interest. Provide them with a list of tasks or positions that your group would be interested in filling (webmaster, secretary, treasurer, SIG chair, conference planner, membership chair, etc). As the responses are collected, you can gather a pool of potential volunteers for annual and special projects throughout the year. -
Ask an officer or group leader to make an announcement at your business meeting or event requesting volunteers. The speaker should emphasize the intangible benefits of volunteering such as gratification, leadership development and support for the overall goals of the organization. The speaker can challenge everyone in the group that has not yet volunteered to make it a priority to take on a task, position or project during the course of the year. Place volunteer sign up sheets and a recruitment flyer at the sign in table, and at each seat. At the end of your meeting or event, review the sign up sheets and ask the appropriate committee chair/officer to make the contacts within one to two weeks. The Greater New York Chapter recruits volunteers using this technique with a favorable response rate. -
Click here for a sample sign up sheet. -
Approach new comers one on one at meetings, educational events, social outings, and private settings to learn about their interests. Target members you don’t know and initiate a conversation with them. You may find they are eager to get involved with your group. A personal approach can make new comers feel welcome and may encourage repeat visits to your events in the future. Identify a timeline Set a specific deadline when assigning jobs or tasks. This allows the individual an opportunity to prioritize their work load and balance family and work commitments. The deadline should be confirmed in writing. It also lets the volunteer know the job will eventually end. Training Know what is needed to complete each job and provide your volunteers with the necessary tools to take on the job. The better prepared your volunteer the more successful he or she will become in the new role. If you have a newly elected officer share any and all resources related to the position (i.e., Chapter Presidents’ Manual, SIG Chair Manual, Bylaws, Budget, Previous Minutes). Act as a mentor to the new volunteer and meet with them prior to taking office. Sharing resources will demonstrate that your group is prepared, communicative and willing to help mentor the new volunteer into their new role. If you have been in a position previously, share your past experiences with the new volunteer. He or she would appreciate your insight and thoughts about how to grow members and improve services and products. Monitor progress After you have successfully recruited and trained your new volunteer remember to ask them how the job or task is progressing. Check in with the volunteer within 30 -60 days after a member has agreed to take on a position, task or project. Offer your assistance and be sure to be very specific with your questions. For example: Do you feel that you have been provided with the necessary information to run a successful SIG business meeting? Make every attempt to remain positive acting as a coach and mentor as the volunteer learns his or her job. Try not to get too involved with doing the work. It is important to let the volunteer know that he or she is competent and trusted. Ask for feedback Approximately 30 days after a volunteer’s term or task has ended, ask them to provide you with feedback about their experience. Volunteers appreciate the opportunity to share their thoughts about their journey whether good or bad. They may be able to offer new ideas and recommendations for improving processes, communication and increasing member involvement in future meetings, conferences and networking events. Use the feedback to determine how well prepared the volunteer was for the job, position or task. If the results are positive, congratulations, you have successfully recruited a volunteer who will more than likely volunteer again. If the results are negative, it is important to understand where the gap in knowledge or communication occurred and address it so you can avoid this with future volunteers. Below is a sample questionnaire that you can use to acquire feedback from volunteers. -
Did you receive adequate information about the expectations of this position or task prior to starting the new role? [Y/N] -
Were you provided with adequate detail and background about this position (i.e., minutes, bylaws, handbook, budgets) prior to assuming the job? [Y/N] -
What advice could I have provided that would have helped you succeed in this role? [open ended question] -
Would you recommend a colleague for this role?
Yes – please provide name, address and email
If no, please specify a reason -
How would you rate your overall experience as a volunteer in this position or task? Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor Show Appreciation Take the time to acknowledge someone who has been a tremendous help to your group. Let them know they are valued by acknowledging their contributions both privately and publicly. Remember to thank them for their time and dedication through a personal phone call, newsletter announcement, certificate, website announcement or hand written notes.
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