How To Effectively Recruit Volunteers

Valuable volunteers have widely varying demographics, offering many gifts as well as the talent and willingness to help others. You understand how valuable volunteers are for your nonprofit, but you may be less sure about how to recruit people who are passionate about your mission. 

Recruiting Volunteers Effectively

An article on Springly.org points out that people who care deeply about your cause may seek you out and ask to help. However, you cannot count on this to supply all the volunteer talent you need. Springly offers tips for recruiting volunteers. 

Offer Flexible Opportunities

Be clear about your expectations, but take time to learn more about your volunteer pool and potential valuable volunteers. Some ways to do this include:

• Provide short-term volunteering opportunities. 
• Find long-term assignments for those who are retired or between jobs. 
• Poll volunteers about interests and availability for upcoming events.

Make volunteers part of the planning process.

Be Specific in Your Volunteer Profile

Let potential volunteers know specific skills needed for certain tasks. For example, not everyone can effectively greet guests as they arrive at an event. Help people see themselves in your needs by providing compelling volunteer profiles.

Present Your Volunteers on Social Media

Use your social media platforms to introduce, highlight, and thank your volunteers. You can even include short interviews. Ask them why they volunteer, how they heard about your nonprofit and the biggest reward they receive from volunteering. 

Showcase Volunteer Impacts

Volunteers like to know their efforts are making a difference. You can express volunteer impact in these ways:

•     Qualitative– Describe how your volunteers affect others’ lives, i.e., more than 200 people will learn to read thanks to volunteer efforts. 
•     Quantitative– Feature volunteer impacts in numbers, i.e., one volunteer can put together 100 self-care kits for homeless populations each month.
•     Local– Talk about ways volunteers help the local community, i.e., a volunteer who answers the phone can guide people to local services they need, such as mental health care.

When people understand the type of impact your volunteers have, they will better understand your work and want to volunteer to help your cause. 

Post Volunteer Opportunities Online

Let people know your volunteer needs through LinkedIn and social media platforms. Be specific; include needed skills, and describe the impact they can have.

Recruit Through Current Volunteers

Ask volunteers to invite their friends to volunteer. You can also offer incentives.

Volunteer recruitment can sometimes get lost in the busyness of nonprofit operations. However, following specific and simple steps can help you fortify your volunteer force and find caring, talented people with valuable skills. Working together, you and your volunteers can be successful. 

About VIS

Volunteers Insurance Service Association, Inc. (VIS) was established in 1972 for the purpose of providing insurance and risk management services for volunteer-based organizations. In addition to still providing these insurance services today on a nationwide scale, we have expanded to provide noninsurance resources for members to manage their risks and improve their operations. By transferring the volunteer risk exposure to our program, we can help you protect your organization. Contact us today at (800) 222-8920 for more information on our programs and services. Join now!