Volunteer Recruitment and Recognition

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Volunteer Recruitment and Recognition

• Kelly Rund and Anita Yakle Family Assistance
  Center Representatives

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What is Recruitment?

• Recruitment Raising or Strengthening by
  enlisting personnel
• (Webster's New World Dictionary)

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Volunteers

• People who have a sense of commitment to their
  chosen pursuit.
• They give their time, talents, and energy to
  realize that commitment.
• Gratitude should be expressed genuinely, with
  sincerity and in a timely manner.
• Volunteers dont get paid for their work, not
  because its worthless, but because its
  priceless Anonymous

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Reasons People Volunteer

• Contribute to the community
• Meet people
• Support children's activities
• Attain a sense of achievement
• Personal growth
• Patriotism
• Feels good to do something for others.
• The best way to find yourself is to lose
  yourself in service to others. -Mahatma Gandhi

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Why We DONT Volunteer

• Not enough time
• Negative opinion about your FRG
• Unwillingness to make a long commitment
• Inability to come when theyre needed
• Fear of the unknown
• Attitude is contagious

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• Why did you volunteer?
• Did you overcome any of the reasons to NOT
  volunteer..
• What were they?

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Recruitment

• Continuous activity.
• Consider the needs of the unit
• ALSO consider needs, strengths and interests of
  the volunteers.
• Talk to them on an individual basis, identify
  their interests and what is motivating them to
  volunteer.
• Consider their work schedules and family demands
  when matching volunteer positions.

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Who to Recruit?

• Soldiers
• Family members, including teens.
• Former unit members/retirees
• Employers
• Friends/neighbors
• Community business leaders
• Anyone interested in the well-being of the
  soldiers.
• Dont be shy, sometimes someone just needs to be
  invited!

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Recruitment methods

• Personal Contact JUST ASK!
• Letters and Fliers
• Commandsponsored Event
• Recognition

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Recruiting Tips

• Approach with a positive attitude
• Know what function or job they will be asked to
  do
• Be honest about work to be accomplished
• Be specific
• Know the program and be able to communicate the
  purpose and value of the program
• Emphasize the participation benefits both to the
  unit and the volunteer.

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Retaining Volunteers

• Orientation - Process of making volunteers
  understand and feel comfortable with the workings
  of the FRG and the military
• Training - Process of giving the volunteer the
  tools they need to prepare them for the job.

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Orientation

• A description of the volunteer program
• A look at the organizational chart
• Introduction of key staff
• Time lines and descriptions of major
  organizational events and activities
• An orientation of the facilities and equipment

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Training

• Army Family Team Building (AFTB)
• Guard Family Team Building (GFTB)
• Annual State Conference
• Regional Training
• Rock Island Arsenal
• Training Websites

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Choose your attitude! Maintain a positive
perspective

• Being positive is a choice
• Take responsibility for your emotional state
• When you're feeling terrific, notify your face
• Check your greeting choose to be better than
  fine.
• Let go of the struggle
• Lighten upyou have to laugh

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Recognition

• State Awards
• Family of the Year
• Unit/Wing of the Year Award
• Elizabeth Armstrong Award
• Minuteman Pin Award
• Units Recognition
• Public praise
• Newsletter articles
• Thank you notes
• Certificates of appreciation

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Volunteers are Not

• To be given only unsavory work
• To be taken for granted
• To be micromanaged
• To be criticized but encouraged!

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