Considering the types of volunteers available to your program
Abstract
Selecting the right volunteer to correspond with program goals requires an understanding of project needs as well as an awareness of the diverse trends in volunteering. This effective practice, shared by Hands On Network in fall of 2006, helps program managers and directors recognize and deal with these recruitment issues.Issue
Many programs begin recruiting before they have fully figured out why they need volunteers, and consequently, what type of volunteers they need.Action
Effective volunteer recruitment begins with a volunteer program that is well-planned and executed and that offers meaningful work. For many volunteer opportunities, it is advantageous to work with an advisory team or conduct a survey to identify volunteer assignments that will help advance the goals of the program.In order to recruit the right people to see the project to completion, program staff should:
Clarify the work that needs to be done to achieve the goals of the project/program; then segment the work into components that reflect the reality of the potential volunteer force.
Consider the type(s) of volunteers needed. During the planning stage, think beyond traditional or long-term volunteers. Do you need someone with many hours to devote to the project, or people who want to serve only one afternoon? Is the project appropriate for children, seniors, or other people with different abilities and needs?
Determine volunteer needs by developing a task list. Consider what you want to accomplish and the steps required to get there; then create a comprehensive list of the assignments and the number of volunteers needed for each task. [See "Resources" section of this effective practice]
Create volunteer position descriptions to outline what the volunteers will be doing.
Some trends to consider when evaluating types of volunteers include:
- Long-term volunteering provides volunteers the opportunity to commit to a project or program that spans an extended period of time. This is volunteering as people traditionally think of it.
- Short-term or episodic volunteering provides opportunities that include those of short duration and those that occur at regular intervals, such as annual events.
- Family volunteering provides volunteers the opportunity to participate in meaningful service while spending time with their families.
- Student volunteering provides the opportunity to volunteer with schools and youth groups, so that young people gain valuable knowledge and skills.
- Internships, fellowships, and apprenticeships, offer students and others the ability to gain beneficial experience while assisting the community service organization.
- Virtual volunteering allows anyone with access to a computer and the Internet to contribute time and expertise without ever leaving his or her home.
Context
Because volunteers give their time only if they are motivated to do so, recruitment should not be viewed as a process of persuading people to do something they don't want to do. Rather, recruitment is the process of showing people they can do something they already want to do.Outcome
National service programs that better understand their organization's specific volunteer needs can engage in targeted recruitment efforts to achieve project and program goals more efficiently.Posted On
May 7, 2007For More Information
Resources
This effective practice is number eight in a series on volunteer leveraging from the Hands On Network. To read the next practice in the series, see "Developing position descriptions for your volunteer program."See the previous effective practices in the series:
- Assessing your organization's potential for partnerships
- Assessing potential partnerships with community-based organizations
- Contacting potential partners
- Assessing community needs before planning a service project
- Deciding on the right volunteer project for your program
- Mapping your volunteer project
- Finalizing your service day project plan