Transcript Volunteer-recruitment

The volunteer recruitment
process
Do the background work before you recruit
Consider the following questions..
Why do we want volunteers and for what tasks?
What sort of volunteers do we want, with what skills and
experience?
How will we go about finding them?
What will our selection process involve?
If we recruit successfully, how will we ensure that we keep the
volunteer with us?
Do we already have a good management policy for
volunteers?
Recruitment Styles
Warm Body Recruitment
 When you need a large number of volunteers for a short period time
and the qualifications of the task are minimal, you might engage in
"warm body recruitment."
Targeted Recruitment
 The targeted campaign requires a carefully planned approach to a
small audience. Use this method when you are trying to recruit
volunteers that need to have specific skills or not commonly found
characteristics.
Concentric Circles Recruitment
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Concentric Circles recruitment involves people who are already
familiar with your agency or the problem you address, or who are
connected through friends or staff members. It is more likely that
you will succeed in persuading them to volunteer than complete
strangers. In sales terms, there is a big difference between a "cold"
call to a stranger than a "warm" call to an acquaintance or a friend.
Get the word out that you are
recruiting volunteers
Advertising for new volunteers requires you to:
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prepare a 'case for support' – your message to potential volunteers
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decide the ways in which you will recruit
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be persistent and patient!
Methods of Volunteer Recruitment
There are lots of ways of advertising for volunteers. These include:
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word of mouth
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leaflets and other printed media
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using Volunteer Centre databases
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organising or speaking at events during Volunteer Week
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press / radio adverts
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online - on your own website and via volunteer recruitment websites.
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Whichever methods you chose, make sure potential volunteers can get in
touch easily by including a phone number or email address.
Case for support - your
message to potential
volunteers
The case for support should explain in reader-friendly
language:
 what the organisation does and what cause or people it
benefits
 the range of volunteer opportunities that exist
 the difference a volunteer can make to the cause or the
people
 what the volunteer can gain from working with the
organisation
 how prospective volunteers can find out more.
Persistence and patience when
recruiting volunteers
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Don’t panic if you are just starting out and it seems to be taking a lot of
time and effort. The time and effort are worth it.
Passionate advocacy may not always attract the volunteers that are so
badly needed – but persistence and creativity will eventually pay off.
Volunteering is deeply engrained in the British psyche - one in seven of the
population is already a volunteer so it is not a new idea. It's worth bearing
in mind that asking a busy person may be more likely to result in a new
volunteer than finding someone who has never volunteered.
Online methods of recruitment can be especially attractive to younger
people. Examples of online approaches to encouraging people into
volunteering include Vinspired
Volunteer applications
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Designing a simple form for applicants will help make sure the
recruitment of volunteers is taking account of equal opportunities
and diversity policy. Where appropriate ensure different languages
or inclusive images are used. You also need to be conscious about
accessibility for people with disabilities.
Asylum seekers, volunteers from overseas and ex-offenders are
allowed to volunteer. If necessary, appropriate legal guidance should
be sought from one of the national centres.
Be ready to have an informal chat on the phone.
Volunteer interviews
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Interviews should not be overly formal – people are offering a gift of
time, not seeking paid employment. The great temptation in
interviewing is for the interviewer to talk too much about the
organisation and not leave time for the potential volunteer to talk
about themselves.
A simple ‘person specification’ can be a useful template for the
interview. A second is an exploration of why the applicant wants to
volunteer.
Motivations might include:
 a belief in the organisation’s cause
 wanting to use skills and give something back
Volunteer interviews
Continued
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trying out or learning new skills
(if the person is older or unemployed) to keep active
gaining experience in a field of activity they hope to enter
social contact and meeting people.
Exploring these points in an interview and keeping a record of the
answers is a demonstration of good interview practice.
Make sure the volunteer role or roles are understood and give time for
the applicant to raise any questions or concerns. Doing this will help
to bring the interview to an end. It's also important that you're
ready to explain any requirements that need to be met before
appointment and the support that will be available