How to recruit volunteers

To recruit volunteers, you should determine your needs, form a clear and impactful message, and utilize your existing networks. Here are some details on these steps and others you can take to recruit volunteers:

• Determine your needs

The first step in recruiting volunteers is to determine the specific needs of your organization. This includes identifying the qualifications and skills that are needed for particular projects or tasks. You should also try to figure out how long of a time commitment you are going to need from your volunteers.

• Form a clear and impactful message

You need to craft clear and concise messaging that describes what type of volunteers you are seeking to obtain and why you want them. You can use many different channels for your recruitment message, such as social media, career websites, newsletters, emails, and other sources to spread your announcement and reach potential volunteers.

• Utilize your existing networks

You should utilize your contacts and any contacts your company has to extend your efforts of finding volunteers. You can also attend different events to recruit, such as job fairs, community events, and other industry functions, to advertise your volunteer opportunities.

• Social media

We already touched on this briefly, but it's worth mentioning again, as the impact on your volunteer recruitment efforts social media has can not be understated. There are many different platforms at your disposal, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Aim to create and post engaging content that makes individuals want to volunteer for you.

• Create partnerships with other organizations

When you partner with other companies or organizations in your industry or community you extend the reach of your volunteer recruitment efforts. Doing this will give you access to individuals that you might not otherwise be able to reach. In addition to companies, you should consider partnering with local schools, nonprofits, or community centers.

• Make the application process simple

When you make it easy to apply to your volunteer program, you are likely to receive more candidates for volunteers. The best option here is to develop an online application that is not too long and has clear instructions on how to apply for your volunteer program.

• Provide volunteers with orientation and training

It is very important to have an orientation and training in place so that once you recruit enough volunteers, you can acclimate them to the work they will be performing. Consider the size of your volunteer program to determine how many trainers you will need and how in-depth the education and training need to be. This helps create successful and productive volunteers.