How to Recruit Volunteers

Volunteers play an important role in many organizations. Finding and keeping volunteers can be difficult if you don't have the resources you need at the start. With a few simple steps, you could be on your way to recruiting volunteers that will do their job and want to stick around. Read on to learn more.

Things You'll Need

• Volunteer database
• Program information
• Recruitment table

Instructions

1. Know what you want. One of the biggest problems when recruiting volunteers is not knowing specifically what you need the volunteers to do. When recruiting, have printed materials available for volunteers to look at and learn about your program and what you do. People are more likely to offer their help if there is a specific task associated with the volunteer job.

2. Be visible. Whether you are using a table in a college student union or a small kiosk in a busy shopping area to recruit volunteers, make your area visible and attractive so that people want to come over and see what you are about.

3. Branch out of your comfort zone. We tend to recruit volunteers from our small circles or within groups of people with whom we are familiar. Get out of that mind set and look for volunteers in other places, as well. If you recruit volunteers for a school, don't just recruit among parents. Consider grandparents, and even employees of nearby businesses.

4. Keep good records. Keep track of all those who you have approached about volunteering with a volunteer database. If they seemed interested, get back to them right away before they forget or lose interest in the program. Give your new volunteers a task right away, even if it is just more recruitment.

5. Show them the benefits. Make sure you let potential volunteers know that they aren't giving something for nothing. Show the them what happens when they volunteer--a smile on a child's face after learning a new skill or how good it feels to know you have made someone's life a little better.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't be afraid to ask for volunteers. It can often be intimidating to ask for help, but you never know what someone will say until you ask them.

• When a person says no, they mean it. Don't go back to them again and again about volunteering when they clearly aren't interested.

Resources

• Visit usafreedomcorps.gov for opportunities to volunteer.
• Check out the library at nationalserviceresources.org for literature on volunteer recruitment.