The Directory of Social Change explain how you can reach out and find fantastic volunteers throughout the year, even in a post-pandemic world?
1 – Target
A common mistake people make when recruiting volunteers is suggesting that anyone is suitable for the vacant role. This approach is often driven by a fear that nobody will come forward. It’s a technique that can work for certain positions, typically those that require no specific skills or experience, just a warm body. For roles where some kind of existing competence is required, however, we should target, target, target.
Ask these questions:
What do you want the volunteer to do? What exactly will it involve? What does the person need to know or be able to do before they start?
Who would be the ideal volunteer for this role? What skills, experience, abilities etc. do they need? For example, if you want someone to code then say that. Get as a specific as possible.
Where are you likely to find them? Given what you need, where might you find those people in your community? Again, be specific and avoid generalisations.
2 – Ask
Once you’ve got your target group identified, go and ask them! Research consistently shows that people who don’t volunteer feel like they haven’t been asked to give time. Ask, ask, ask. Keeping asking. And when you’re done, ask some more.
3- Sell
More than just asking, however, you need to sell your volunteer opportunities like a business would sell its products – focus on the benefits of someone volunteering with you, not the features. When we buy something we don’t just look at what it can do but how it will help us. For example, all kettles boil water but some do it faster than others, some have built in water filters and some work with apps etc..
It’s the same with volunteering – show people how volunteering with you will meet their needs. Don’t just tell them what they will do or how desperate you are for help. Show them how you’ll boil water in a way that is better suited to their needs than the other kettles on the market.
To read their full article click here.
If you’d like a conversation about how to get your volunteer roles listed on Let’s Go Sandwell then give Kim Fuller a call on 0121 5251127.
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