There are many ways that you can use to recruit volunteers, but not all of them would be a perfect fit for your organization and its needs. We have here the three approaches in recruiting volunteers. Find the one that would work best for you.
Warm Body Recruitment
If you need help from a big number of volunteers for a limited time only and the tasks at hand are just minimal, go for the “warm body recruitment.” Some activities where this approach can be useful are the distribution of flyers and brochures; placing posters and streamers; speaking to individuals and groups at events; and, word of mouth.
Targeted Recruitment
If you are looking for specific skills from the people you want to recruit, make use of this approach. Be sure to carefully plan out your strategy since you will be dealing with a smaller audience. Before you get started, answer these following questions so that you will know if you are on the right track.
- What specifically do you need from your volunteers?
- What profile of volunteers do you need?
- How will you communicate with your prospects?
- How will you motivate them to join and help out?
By answering these questions, you will be able to identify and find the volunteers that you need. Once you are able to identify and find them, get your message directly to them.
Concentric Circles Recruitment
This approach makes use of those who are already in your network. You just have to identify the people who are either in direct or indirect contact with your nonprofit. These people can include your clients and their families and friends, graduates of your programs, peers of your current staff and volunteers, people in the neighborhood, and those who have been impacted by the issues you are trying to solve. In this approach, your prospects already have a know-how of how your organization works and your advocacies.
Now you have an idea of the different approaches you can try in recruiting volunteers. The next important thing for you to take care of is your recruitment message. Prepare a compelling message that will tell your audience why your nonprofit is worthy of their time. Emphasize why you need their help, and also don’t forget to mention the benefits that they can get out of the experience. Keep things simple and direct.