30 Great Volunteer Recruiting Ideas

1. 30 Great Volunteer Recruiting Ideas

2. Self-paced version(Whenever possible, answers and explanations are interjected in yellow)Use mouse click to advance the slides

3. Why Did You Decide to Volunteer for AYSO? 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

4. Reasons for Volunteering • Love Soccer • Want to help children have a positive experience • Wife/husband volunteered me • Love dealing with problems • Friends are involved • Real job is boring • If I didn’t do it the team would be dissolved • Knew I could do a better job • Believe in AYSO’s Philosophies 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

5. Reasons for Volunteering • Pay is exceptional • Former Registrar, etc. quit • AYSO is the best program for my kids • Wanted to be a role model for my children • Wanted a trophy • Looked like fun • Just wanted to help • Needed more stress in my life • Did it for my personal growth • Wanted to contribute to the community 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

6. Idea #1 Determine how many volunteers are needed 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

7. Start with the Regional Coach Administrator. “Last year there were 8 teams in the U-6 Boys Division. Being optimistic, this year you are anticipating 10 teams. This means that in the U-6 Boys Division your Region will need 10 coaches and 10 assistant coaches.” • This process needs to be done for each division. You will then have a master list of not just a total number but a number for each division. • Start Volunteer Position Charts to track needs (see next slide) 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

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9. The Regional Referee Administrator uses these team lists to determine how many referees will be needed in each division. • All other board members should use a similar process. 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

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11. Idea #2 Appoint a Volunteer Coordinator. What are some things that this volunteer might do? 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

12. VolunteerCoordinator • Works with each Regional board member to identify volunteer needs • Works with the Registrar to help set up a process at registration to recruit the necessary volunteers • After registration, determines how many volunteers are still needed • Distributes this list to each Regional board member • Involves/coordinates all Regional board members in the recruiting process 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

13. Idea #3 Decide when and where to recruit. What is the best opportunity of all? 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

14. Registration A Region should be able to recruit 90% of the volunteers that it needs at registration. 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

15. What are other Recruiting opportunities? • Game Days • Practices • Late Registrations • Events (opening day ceremonies, community activities, meetings, etc.) • Advertisements (posters at fields, newsletters, Web sites, etc,) 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

16. Idea #4 Just Ask… Who? When? Why? 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

17. Ask Everyone • Ask as parents as they come in the door at Registration • Say: “We need every parent to volunteer in some way. Please help us” • Don’t assume that parents will know that you need volunteers. They need to be asked. 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

18. Idea #5 Post the six AYSO Philosophies at Registration. How many Regions do that now? 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

19. AYSO Philosophies • Laminate them as big as possible • Put them in a prominent Position • Be Proud of who we are Everyone Plays Balanced Teams Open Registration Positive Coaching Good Sportsmanship Player Development 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

20. Idea #6 Have lists posted to show how many volunteers you actually need 100 Coaches 60 Referees 50 Team Parents 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

21. Use lists created by Regional Board to determine number of volunteers needed • Tape the lists to the front of each position table (coach, referee, team parents, field coordinators, division coordinators, etc.) • Put poster size versions of each list behind each table and around the room 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

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23. Idea #7 Categorize lists at Registration 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

24. Idea #7 Categorize lists at Registration Which Jobs require some soccer knowledge or experience? • Coach • Referee 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

25. Let’s ask that question again.Which volunteer jobs require no soccer knowledge or experience? 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

26. All Other Positions! Can you think of others? AYSO Positions that do not require Soccer knowledge or experience • Team Parent • Division Coordinator • Registrar • Safety Director • Treasurer • Picture Day Volunteer • Registration Day Volunteer • Regional Commissioner • Newsletter Editor • Regional Website Administrator • Concessions • Fund Raising Coordinator • Uniform Coordinator • Publicity Coordinator 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

27. Is soccer knowledge or experience required to volunteer? Absolutely not! 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

28. Soccer knowledge & experience are not required to volunteer for any position - including coach and referee because AYSO provides all the training required! 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

29. Idea #8 All board members should be at Registration to recruit for their own discipline. WHY? 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

30. All Board members should be at Registration • Coach Administrator recruits coaches • Referee Administrator recruits referees • You get the idea • Treasurer collects money and/or appoints trained volunteer to do it • Safety Director can help recruit field inspectors, field coordinators, helpers 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

31. Idea #9 You need a very spacious room 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

32. To spread out and allow parents and workers to interact • Why is this important? 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

33. Allows people to socialize, get to know each other, and feel welcome • People are more inclined to volunteer when they feel part of a “community” • Gives people more opportunities to talk about needs and questions 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

34. Registration Floor Plan Tables Playing AYSO Video Tables With Pens, A Parent’s Guide to AYSO and other information Information/Forms Volunteer Recruitment Regional Information Tables Form Checkers Sample UniformsFor Sizing Playing AYSO Video Computers, Sorters, Organizers T-Shirts Vendors Cleat Exchange Etc. SNACKS!! Cashier 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

35. Idea #10 Serve refreshments for workers, parents and players What could you serve? 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

36. Refreshments • Make some of the refreshments “child friendly” • Mention the refreshments to all parents as they come in the room – it gets parents to relax and stay longer • Your workers deserve a break 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

37. Idea #11 Have a speed line for returning volunteers It makes them feel special and new parents will notice 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

38. Idea #12 Make sure that every geographic area, community and school is represented by the workers at registration. Why is this important? 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

39. Diversity • If you only have men working at registration, it might be intimidating to women who might want to volunteer. • As you walk into registration and you see someone from your neighborhood or school, how will that make you feel? • Change and add some new workers every year so that it doesn’t feel like a “good old boy” clique 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

40. Idea #13 Have workers wear a large name badge that says in their language: I speak Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Japanese, Hebrew, Bosnian, etc…. Why would we do this? 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

41. Idea #14 Have a Children’s Corner Any ideas? 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

42. Children’s Corner • Serve child friendly food – only with parents’ permission • Play a video children would like • Have a drawing contest – ask each child to draw a soccer picture and put pictures up on the wall. Give each child who draws a picture a coupon for a free prize. Award a significant prize for the winner • Play games with the children. Utilize some of the teenage AYSO players to do this • Have a player raffle ($0.25 a ticket) 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

43. Idea #15 Target New Parents They want to be involved in their children’s lives. If they don’t volunteer for AYSO, they will volunteer elsewhere. 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

44. Idea #16 Use a flyer or form to help parents decide how they want to volunteer Look at the next few flyers and decide what the benefit might be for each one 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

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49. Idea #17 Why would this help in recruiting volunteers? Identify Region workers at registration. 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

50. Identifying Region Staff • Identify Workers with the same shirt or hat and use name badges with first name – as large as possible - and volunteer position • Customer service – helps parents find assistance • Demonstrates the need for many volunteers Rosanne 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas