Abstract

Volunteer speed matching mimics the concept of speed dating — with three minute interactions between selected organizations and potential volunteers. The results: volunteers who want to be where they are, and a faster and more efficient way to recruit!  This effective practice was shared by co-author Nicolette Winner on the NSSCTalk e-mail discussion list in June 2009.

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Action

Take the following steps to ensure a successful volunteer speed matching experience for your program:

Planning Your Event

Select Your Partner

• Determine your audience
• Partner with a local young professional organization, club, company, or faith-based group
• Craft an memorandum of understanding (MOU) to spell out responsibilities of the sponsoring organizations
• From 20 to 60 volunteers are needed for the speed matching process to work; so be certain to obtain RSVP’s from potential participants.

Where and When to Host

• The venue should be a comfortable, casual atmosphere with a large open space
• After-work hours are best: 6:00–8:00 p.m. is recommended
• Offer food and beverages
• Provide bags for volunteers to carry materials and one high-quality “takeaway”

Selecting Opportunities

• For HandsOn Action Centers or RSVP’s: Pre-select 20 organizations with opportunities appealing to your audience to participate
• For events sponsored within one organization: Pre-select 20 opportunities that will be appealing to your audience

How to Choose Opportunities

• Opportunities should be the best of your best… and they should be fun!
• Evening, weekend, group, one-time, and on-going opportunities are popular
• Each agency or opportunity must be represented by an engaging and entertaining person
• RSVP’s from agencies are critical

What Agencies Should Bring

• One to two representatives — paid staff or volunteers who will really connect with the audience. Note: Coach representatives ahead of time on how to best identify your audience
• No more than one handout — this should be an inflexible rule.
• A 30 second elevator speech — no longer!
• Business cards

Other Tips

• Have an interesting, concise speaker welcome the group
• The speaker should “look like” your volunteer participants
• Acknowledge your sponsoring organization and partner
• Take plenty of photos!

Event Structure

• Registration, snacks, and networking (10–20 minutes)
• Brief introduction (10 minutes)
• Matching (1 ½ hours)
*Each “date” lasts 3 minutes *One minute between “dates”
• Closing comments (10 minutes)

Essential Tools

• Cowbell or other loud indicator that time has changed
• Scorecards for volunteers with names of agencies or opportunities
• Stopwatch
• Camera
• At least four event assistants

Introduction

• Welcome participants
• Acknowledge sponsoring organization and partner
• Give the basic rules
• Send volunteers and agency representatives to their stations

Rules of Engagement

• 1–3 volunteers at each table (depending on overall group size)
• No table should be empty at the outset. Visit all the tables to make sure they are filled up.
• All volunteers move clockwise or counter-clockwise at the bell. Move quickly!
• Agency representatives and volunteers should spend 30 seconds each introducing themselves; leave the rest of the allotted time for questions.
• If a volunteer wants to be contacted later, he/she must circle that agency’s name on the scorecard.

Closing

• Thank everyone for attending
• Acknowledge agencies (as a group) for their participation
• Remind volunteers to turn in scorecards
• Capture a group photo of agency representatives and volunteers together

Post-Event
Immediate Contact is Required

• E-mail volunteers to thank them for their participation.Include contact information for agencies they have indicated an interest in.
• E-mail agency representatives to share names and contact information for volunteers who have indicated an interest in a “second date.”
• E-mail evaluations to both volunteers and agency representatives

Other Tasks

• Send out a press release with a photo immediately following the event
• Post photos online and forward the link to all volunteers and participating agencies
• Track your “matches”… Who volunteered?
• Ask for testimonials from both volunteers and agency representatives

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Outcome

Programs love speed matching because:

• They interact with at least 20 truly interested potential volunteers in just two hours
• Potential volunteers come to you
• You save money and have fun

Potential volunteers love speed matching because:

• It is fast-paced and pressure free
• Interactions are timed
• They can interview 20 organizations in one session
• Second “dates” are at the volunteer’s request only

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Evidence

With three minute interactions between 20 organizations and 20-60 prospective volunteers, programs have effectively recruited in less than two hours!

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Posted On

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For More Information

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Resources

Access the original PowerPoint presentation: Volunteer Speed Matching.

See also: A Toolkit for Volunteer Speed Matching: Volunteer Centre Dacorum.

Programs funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service can borrow the following resource from the lending library: Toolkit for Volunteer Speed Matching. Library item no R3041.

Related Practices

• Choosing appropriate outreach techniques for different generations
• Recruiting volunteers at the last minute for one-time events

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