Volunteer Recruitment

1
Volunteer Recruitment Motivation

• Max Chauvin
• Chauvin Resource Development
• [phone] or mschauvin_at_ns.sympatico.ca

2
Ground Rules

• Washrooms
• Cell Phones
• Breaks
• Lay Up Shot

• Things That I Believe
• GEMO
• Your Session
• Questions

3
Cycle of Recruitment
Assessment
Recognition
Recruitment
Selection
Training
4
Assessment

• Do we have the number of volunteers with the
  skills, training, time and commitment required
  to accomplish our goals?
• Mission / Mandate / Vision linkage
• Goals / Long range plans
• ACT Steering Committee support
• Regular review and assessment
• Policies in place

5
Skill Matching
S K I L L
Enjoyment / Fun / Satisfaction
6
Key Volunteer Facts

• 90 of recruited volunteers have direct link to
  organization or cause
• Women 106hrs/yr Men 85hrs/yr
• Volunteers want more specific experiences
• The amount of time people have to volunteer is
  decreasing
• 25 more likely to volunteer if was involved as
  child / youth

7
Recruitment

• Why are you a Coach with the ACT initiative?
• How did you become involved?

8
Recruitment

• Do we have a successful plan for finding new
  persons willing to volunteer?
• Image of ACT program, partnership and people
• Creative methods
• Candid presentation of work
• Honest and up front about screening
• Diversity
• Ongoing and long term focus

9
Why Do People Volunteer

• Cause
• Recognition / Status
• Promotion
• Humor
• Peer pressure
• Release / Freedom
• Fear
• Leadership

• Event in life
• Medals / Awards
• Travel
• Employment requirement
• Fitness
• Interest / Web

10
Two Thoughts Around Recruiting

• What happens when you ask someone to volunteer?
• 3 Current volunteers
• 3 Past volunteers
• 3 Never have volunteers
• 6 Degrees of Separation

11
8 Aspects of Partnership Health

• Inclusiveness
• How do newcomers feel
• Different personality types, work habits work
  view
• How do you treat people
• Mandate
• Relevance
• Best response to need
• Clarity of focus

12
8 Aspects of Partnership Health

• Internal Communication
• How is information handled
• Conflict resolution
• What is said away from the table/out of room
• External Communication
• What are the key messages
• Is everyone saying the same thing
• How is it being perceived

13
8 Aspects of Partnership Health

• Innovation
• Try new things
• Learning organization
• Responses to change
• Relationship
• Trust
• Feeling valued
• Social aspect

14
8 Aspects of Partnership Health

• Leadership
• Who are the leaders
• How is work distributed
• How do people work together
• Succession Planning
• Cultivate leaders
• Ongoing recruitment
• Exit strategy

15
Two Thoughts Around Recruiting

• What happens when you ask someone to volunteer?
• 3 Current volunteers
• 3 Past volunteers
• 3 Never have volunteers
• 6 Degrees of Separation

16
Planning For Recuitment

• What skills are you looking for?
• Who in your community might have those skills?
• What is the hook for them?
• Where could you connect with them?
• How will your message be more memorable than the
  1000s of others they will see?

17
Ways to Find and Recruit- 1 Method ASK -

• Open houses
• Vol. resource center
• Presentation to community groups
• Dinner / Lunch / Tea
• Sport event
• Newspaper
• Brochure
• Doctors office
• Internet

• PSA
• Poster
• Video
• Service Other Clubs
• Education event
• Church / Synagogue
• Schools Universities
• Retirement groups
• Welcome wagon
• Malls / Theaters

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Key Components of Promotion

• Name
• History
• Effect in community
• Opportunity
• Must have a brochure

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How Do You Ask

• Hi
• Who we are and what we do
• Looking for someone to
• We are approaching you because
• The benefit to the community will be

• The benefit to you will be
• Ask what they think
• Listen to answers
• Respond
• ASK THEM TO VOLUNTEER!!!
• Follow - up

20
Recruit With S.P.I.R.I.T.

• Sincerity (honesty)
• Passion (enthusiasm)
• Innovation (open to new ideas change)
• Risk-taking (experiment new ideas)
• Inclusiveness (welcome differences)
• Thinking (vision, critical strategically)

21
Keys to Youth Recruitment

• Flexibility
• Commitment
• Legitimacy
• Significance, real job
• Ease of access
• Info available
• Process clear simple
• Experience
• What will they learn / get
• Stimulating interesting

• Incentives
• Tangible reward - reference
• Variety
• Fulfill interests / goals
• Organization
• Efficient but informal
• Relaxed but supportive
• Policies procedures
• Laughs
• Enjoyable, fun, satisfying

22
Youth Recruitment Facts

• 46 of youth volunteer to develop new skills
• 65 of youth volunteer to help themselves obtain
  a job
• Youth do not volunteer significant amounts in
  arts, health or social service sectors but
  traditionally in sport and recreation

23
Selection

• Do we have a process of screening potential
  volunteers and matching skills, interests and
  needs?
• - Opportunity for volunteer reflection
• - Screening including reference checks
• - Job descriptions
• - Letter of agreement

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Volunteer Reflection

• Do I want to volunteer my professional expertise
  or something else?
• What do I like vs. what dont I like?
• What am I good at vs. not good at?
• How much time do I have to give?
• Do I want to volunteer alone, in a group, or with
  my family?
• What motivates me to volunteer

25
Job Description Components

• Position name
• Incumbent name
• Term or length of commitment
• Overall function
• Committee /or group participation

• Authority or reporting relationships
• Specific duties and responsibilities
• Desired skill set
• Knowledge required
• Results expected
• Evaluation

26
Developing Accountability

• Clearly state what is to be accomplished
  (outcomes not activities)
• Clearly state performance expectations
• Clarify relationships
• Specify reporting requirements
• Specify support available
• Provide training and orientation

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Developing Accountability cont.

• Ensure the person has the competencies to
  accomplish the task
• Gain agreement for the tasks, limits and
  completing the training and orientation
• State and gain agreement for the consequences of
  not fulfilling agreement
• Put everything in writing
• Evaluate results

28
Training

• Do we have a process for our volunteers that
  allows them to feel prepared to work for us and
  be successful?
• - Orientation
• - Skill Training
• - Cross training and future training
• - Evaluation and feedback

29
Volunteer Training Checklist

• Welcome letter / meeting
• History of organization
• Mission / Vision / Values
• Role of volunteers
• Role of staff

• Organizational structure
• Plans / Goals / Objectives
• Existing programs, products services
• Potential PPS
• Bylaws

30
Volunteer Training Checklist cont.

• Minutes from previous meetings
• Financial information
• Policy manual
• Names / Phone numbers / E-mail
• Introduction to staff and volunteers

• Facilities tour
• Specific role competencies (job dependent)
• Evaluation and feedback opportunities
• Cross training
• Other training options

31
Recognition

• Do we have a program or system to recognize
  our volunteers and the work they have done?
• - Fair to everyone
• - Specific to each person
• - Does it work
• - Published

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Motivation

• Cover the basics
• Volunteer environment
• Healthy, open and workable relationships
• Opportunity to be successful
• A real job to do
• Adequate / fair benefits
• Overall support

33
Motivation

• Feeling secure, safe comfortable
• Feeling challenged and excited / variety
• Feeling that you belong / love
• Feeling special and unique
• Feeling appreciated
• Improving yourself
• Helping and contributing to others

34
WARES of Recognition

• W Words
• A Awards
• R Rewards
• E Events
• S Special Attention

35
Ideas

• Certificate / Medal
• Scrapbook
• Allow people to do presentation
• Gift
• Conference or training
• Volunteer of the
• Thank you note

• Thank you to family
• Human interest story in paper
• Roast
• Dinner / party / social
• 1 Thank you from participants or beneficiaries

36
Where To Start

• Review your current volunteers and deal with
  those who need to change roles or move on
• Develop a mind map of people you touch as a guide
  to who to approach for recruitment
• Conduct the Test of 3s and address the issues
  that come out of it

37
Where To Start Cont.

• Develop 3 new options for recruitment
• Develop and promote job descriptions
• Begin a screening process if not already using it
• Develop a training program for volunteers
• Find out why people are volunteering for you
  today and make sure your meeting their needs