Meeting Volunteers and Prospective Volunteers Where They Are

If you struggle to attract and retain good volunteers, you are hardly alone. Volunteerism is back to pre-COVID levels, but volunteers have many options for service. If you aren’t happy with your own recruitment and retention results, consider these suggestions.

Freshen up the Position Descriptions

Tobi Johnson’s (www.tobijohnson.com) recent podcast offers alternatives to the customary (often ineffective) volunteer position descriptions. You can access the podcast here to learn about her “fresh takes” that can motivate prospective volunteers; for example:

• Impact statements
• Showcasing team values
• Sharing volunteer testimonials

Tobi is the founder of VolunteerPro (www.volpro.net), which provides online volunteer management training, coaching, and community to leaders of volunteers.

Set up a Buffet

Consultant Karen Knight (www.karenknight.ca) noted in a recent Webinar for VIS partner Better Impact that “microvolunteering” has become popular as would-be volunteers choose not to commit all their time to a single organization. In the webinar, she suggested offering a buffet of assignments, beginning with simple tasks that do not require extensive training or background checks. Do you have assignments only your trained volunteers can handle? If so, would it be possible to shave off the simplest parts of those and delegate them? It could be a good opportunity for a new volunteer to contribute, while getting to know your organization and its people, and building trust.

For example, some organizations have had first-time volunteers sort donated books (saleable/not saleable) or assist in distributing materials at a public outreach event. Karen suggests having about ten choices in the “buffet” of introductory tasks and changing them occasionally.

Does your organization use social media to ask for volunteers for a particular event? Be specific about the tasks and how long volunteers will be needed, to answer the question “What am I getting into?” before it’s asked. Then take the opportunity to let those first-time volunteers know about your mission and the difference you make in your community.

Your Story is Unique

Sharing your organization’s good stories, unique to you, is a good way to humanize your organization and its work, to attract volunteers (and remind your donors why they are smart to support you!) There are tools to help you do this. 

Here’s an earlier VIS blog post with tips on telling your story for maximum effect.

If you are interested in protecting your volunteers through the unique VIS insurance program, please click on the “Get volunteer insurance now” link on the home page, or call 800.222.8920. For more information on VIS’s risk management resources for members, and our vendor partners, click on the “Member Benefits” tab.