How to Recruit Youth for Volunteer Groups
Volunteer groups rely on people donating their time. Sometimes recruiting the youth population is beneficial for everyone. An organization gets a burst of energy and fresh ideas, while kids learn responsibility and the value of volunteering. But you want to approach kids the right way. If your pitch comes off as boring and as an extension of school, forget about getting youth volunteers. The recruitment of young volunteers could be one of the most important things a volunteer group does. You might have the best programming in the world, but it won't matter if you can't bring in volunteers to perform the work.
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Instructions
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How to Recruit Youth for Volunteer Groups
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Meet with parents. In your presentation, stress the good that your group does along with the importance of volunteering. For example, the Corporation for National and Community Service found that volunteering has health benefits. A study called "The Health Benefits of Volunteering: A Review of Recent Research" discovered that volunteers have greater longevity, higher functional ability, lower rates of depression and less incidence of heart disease.
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Advertise where kids will easily find the information. That includes children and teen TV shows, magazines and camp brochures. Get permission to post flyers or posters at schools, camps and religious building bulletin boards.
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Arrange talks at schools and camps. Go to the youth directly. Explain about your organization in addition to making the volunteer pitch. Try to capture their imaginations. For example, if you're from a senior citizen's center, bring in a member to talk about his experiences in World War II.
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Relate volunteering as being trendy. Mention celebrities and athletes like Hilary Duff and Derek Jeter who do charity work.
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Partner with an organization or activity. For example, get the local little league to have a volunteer day once a month. This could lead to kids wanting to help your group more.
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Tips & Warnings
Get an older youth or a former volunteer, currently in high school or college, to recruit younger kids. Children might relate better to a peer or someone closer to their age than an adult.
Give a quick interview to a kid to gauge interest. It's hard to turn down free help, especially if a child is excited to help. However, it might not be the right volunteer group and there could be a better organization suited for the person's needs.
Conduct thorough background checks if a parent or someone else wants to volunteer. It should include a criminal check, a sex registry check and calling references.
Get parental permission for a minor.
