Why do we recruit?

• help spread the work among our volunteers
• to keep the agency alive
• for new ideas
• to accomplish the work that needs to be done

As mentioned in module three, volunteering must meet the needs of the individual as well as the agency.

Recruiting volunteers should be part of a process. We'll look at the volunteer management cycle later in this module, to examine where recruitment fits in. The recruitment of volunteers for your agency - whether for board members or tutors - should not be handled any differently than the recruitment of paid staff members. This includes a process of recruitment, screening, orientation and training (we'll take a closer look at all of these components later in this module).

Recruitment Techniques

There is a myriad of ways to recruit volunteers. There is no one right way - your choice of recruitment techniques will depend on the type of volunteers you are looking for and the tasks you need them to do.

Following is a list of recruitment techniques. It is by no means exhaustive!

• media appeals (e.g. newspaper ads, press releases, radio ads, television spots)
• special events (e.g. displays, exhibitions)
• printed material (e.g. newsletters, pamphlets, community noticeboards)
• by personally contacting a potential volunteer
• post your volunteer jobs on a virtual volunteering site such as the Volunteer Opportunities Exchange at http://www.voe-reb.org/welcome.jhtml
• have your existing volunteers recruit others
• testimonials from your learners
• approach a service club
• contact your high school to see if they have a co-op program
• host an Open House
• host a volunteer recognition event and encourage your volunteers to bring a friend
• design a brochure and distribute it widely
• approach a local business to find out if they have a corporate volunteering program
• ask current volunteers for recruitment ideas
• put up a display in the local mall or at a charity fair
• combine fundraising with recruiting

Whatever technique you choose, remember to:

• be sure you have the volunteer jobs for the volunteers you are recruiting
• write your recruitment ad to appeal to the "right" volunteer
• include the benefits of volunteering
• be clear about the jobs you need volunteers to do
• be clear about your expectations of time commitments
• describe the organization and its mission
• outline the support and training which will be offered

Remember, make your recruitment message the most appealing and the most attractive to a potential volunteer. Be creative and remember to identify how your opportunity will benefit the volunteer.