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Recruiting Volunteers & Foster Parents for the Humane Society. Lisa Copeland. Mission .
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Recruiting Volunteers & Foster Parents for the Humane Society Lisa Copeland
Mission • “To rescue as many abandoned and unwanted animals as possible from a life of despair, starvation, disease, and suffering, and to provide them with temporary homes until permanent homes can be found” (HS handbook).
Goals • “To provide all foster pets with the best pet care and medical care possible” • “To thoroughly screen all potential adopters to ensure a good match between the pet and adopter” • “To ensure that the adopter understands the lifelong commitment to the pet and agrees to provide a loving home where the pet will be considered a part of the family for the remainder of its life” (HS handbook).
Members • Approximately 900 • Volunteers • 120, but only about 30 are active • Foster Parents • Very few – when people foster, many times they end up adopting the animal, therefore not being a foster parent any longer (* Couldn’t get the exact #)
Culture • There are policies and procedures that must be followed • The organization is also very friendly and welcoming to new people and ideas.
Publics to be Served • Donor public • Board, Staff, Members, Volunteers • Local Animal Shelters • Media public • Animals
Competition • “Competition for volunteer assistance is stiff, with the vast majority of volunteers donating their time to religious (43.4%), health care (18%), or educational (17.3%) organizations”. • A survey conducted showed that only 4.8% of people who volunteered in 2000, gave their time to environmental and animal welfare organizations. (www.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/volunteer.pdf)
S.W.O.T • Strengths • Respected board members and organization • Weaknesses • Shortage of “active” volunteers and fosters • Opportunities • Many animals in need of the organization’sservices • Threats • Pet stores, backyard breeders, puppy mills, and other nonprofits who seek volunteers
Marketing & Campaign Strategies • Inform school career offices about the organization and let them know that the organization is in need of volunteers, etc. (This can give the students work experience also) • Post flyers at local vet offices and zoos • Have a website; list volunteer opportunities • Work with the media to inform public about the organization; post pictures of animals (pictures work better than just write-ups)
Reward those volunteers who recruit new volunteers • Have parties and other events for members and volunteers • “Recognize volunteers in speeches, media, meetings, etc” • Give praise to make people glad they came and volunteered • “Celebrate birthdays of committed volunteers”
“Provide food and refreshments after projects” • “Never allow people to feel that you wasted their time or that they weren’t really needed” • Have flexible volunteering schedules • Ask people to volunteer – they will be more likely to do it if asked. (www.fiu.edu/~time4chg/Library/recruit.keep.html)