Growing Your Group: Attract & Retain Volunteers

Growing Your Group: Attract & Retain Volunteers Presented by YOUR NAME HERE

Growing Your Group • Workshop Outline • Introductions, ground rules • Volunteer Challenges • Preparing for Volunteers • Involving Volunteers • Keeping Volunteers • Wrap up & Evaluation

Introductions • Questions: • What brought you here today? • What do you want out of today’s workshops? • What is your favourite colour? Why?

Recruiting Volunteers • Community centers, notice board • Volunteer Centers • Local papers • Shopping malls • Public Service Announcements • Speaking to Community Groups • Schools with mandatory service programs • Job counseling office • Libraries • Post offices • Tourist information bureau • Chambers of Commerce • School counselors • Church bulletin boards • Hospital waiting rooms

Targeted Recruiting Ideas From Conducting a Volunteer Recruitment Campaign by Steve McCurley • Think about work setting, educational background, leisure time organizations and activities, publications they might read, parts of town in which they are likely to live, etc. • Who currently has or does it? • What jobs or occupations does it show up in? • Who once did it and has now quit or retired? • Who would like to be doing it, but is now in a job where it is not possible? Who was educated in this, but now has a different type of job? • Who could learn to do it? Adapted from: http://www.kab.org/uploadedFiles/KAB_Affiliates.org/Conducting%20Volunteer%20Recruitment%20Campaign.doc

Targeted Recruiting Ideas From Conducting a Volunteer Recruitment Campaign(cont’d) by Steve McCurley • Who is now learning to do it and intends to do it more in the future? • What schools teach this subject? • Who can get someone else who is qualified to do it? Can we find a teacher or a senior practitioner in this skill who can recommend and encourage others in their field to help us? • Who has such a radically different job that this would be an exciting novelty? Adapted from: http://www.kab.org/uploadedFiles/KAB_Affiliates.org/Conducting%20Volunteer%20Recruitment%20Campaign.doc

Additional Recruiting Ideas • Try to think what would interest YOU in volunteering. • Use every available source - radio, television, newspapers and personal contacts. Volunteers as recruiters • Get all active volunteers involved in thinking up new methods for recruiting. Pool these ideas. • The best volunteer recruiters are volunteers who are happy with your organization. • Have current volunteers tell their story at meetings or gatherings of membership. • Involve volunteers in decision making. Make certain they feel they are an important part of the organization. Adapted from:http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/rural/facts/96-005.htm#add

Additional Recruiting Ideas Your Group – are you attractive to volunteers? • People are attracted to programs that utilize positive, honest, enthusiastic appeals. • Offer stimulating, in-depth orientation sessions. • Be interested in your members, not only as volunteers but as individuals. • Don't over-recruit. Volunteers will lose interest if they have signed up to help and there isn't a job for them. • Recognize their efforts. Saying "thanks" goes a long way. Adapted from:http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/rural/facts/96-005.htm#add

Thank you! • For information on other workshops: NORTHWATCH Box 282 North Bay, ON P1B 8H2 Tel: (705) 497-0373 Fax: (705) 476-7060 northwatch@onlink.netwww.northwatch.org www.northeastforest.net

Growing Your Group: Attract & Retain Volunteers