CoV Training Series: Volunteer Recruitment

1. CoV Training Series:Volunteer Recruitment June 19, 2013

2. Who? • SMP directors, coordinators of volunteers, and interested others • What? • Topics related to VRPM**; focus on implementing ACL/AoA’s VRPM policies • When? • 3rd Wed of each month, Feb 20-July 17, 2pm ET • 60 min presentation; 30 min optional Q&A and networking The CoV* Training Series • Why? • The first set of VRPM policies is due June 2013! See the VRPM Policy Introduction for more information • Where? • Use the same web access link to join all webinars in this series. * CoV = Coordinator of Volunteers ** VRPM = Volunteer Risk and Program Management

3. Today’s Speaker Steve McCurley, Olympia, Washington

4. Recruitment Goal • “Just enough of the right volunteers”

5. Tasks in Recruitment • Getting people’s attention • Showing potential volunteers a reason to say “yes”

6. I. Getting people’s attention

7. Let us count the ways: Word of mouth Newspaper articles TV and radio stories or PSAs Presentations to community groups Online volunteer matching sites SMP website Partner organizations Other?

8. Which 2 methods work best for you? To close the Polling box, click the X in the polling box, or click the Polling button at the top. Word of mouth Newspaper articles TV and radio stories or PSAs Presentations to community groups Online volunteer matching sites SMP website Partner organizations

9. Which “other” methods work for you?(SMP responses listed below) • Our Agency newsletter. • flyers, brochures • distribution lists info scams • Asking beneficiaries or family members that you have helped • RSVP has a list of volunteers who want to be informed via a phone call. A volunteer calls that list to tell them, "WE are doing a door hanger campaign!" or whatever we are up to... • Networking thru county resource groups • via our Facebook page and Twitter • Ad on the city bus • our own website and Facebook • Agency Facebook and website • via Volunteer! United through our local United Way paid ads in newspaper PSAs and partner organizations Recruitment has historically been done by the VHOs (AAAs, senior centers we contract with) SMP Promo items direct mail, articles in partner newsletters AARP Bulletin church bulletins former AARP Fraud Fighters Recruiting from our agency's volunteer pool (i.e. Senior Corps/MOW/SHIP/general admin volunteers). volunteermatch.com and united way website Victims of scams, billboards Partners and Faith-based organizations Subset of media -- print op-ed piece

10. Comments on methods: They all work, so use them depending on what you have in your community and where you or your volunteers have contacts. The Volunteer Program Management Manual will have a lot more suggestions on each of these methods.

11. Online Volunteer Matching Sites

12. Volunteer Matching Sites 1-800Volunteer.org VolunteerMatch.org VolunteerSolutions.org Idealist.org ServNet.org Volunteer.gov Craigslist.org

13. System Usage www.californiavolunteers.org During the period starting with the public launch of the system on September 26, 2006 through February 2007, a total of 976,298 hits to the website were recorded.

14. System Usage www.californiavolunteers.org Average length of website sessions: 29 minutes and 35 seconds Nearly 8 of 10 (78.3%) searches were for on-going volunteer opportunities compared to 18.1% for one-time volunteering and 3.6% for full-time service

15. VolunteerMatch, 2006 How many volunteer opportunities did you list with VM last year? 2% None 1-5 65% 6-10 19% >10 14%

16. VolunteerMatch, 2006 On average, how many people responded to each listing? 2% None 44% 1-5 26% 6-10 14% 11-15 14% >15

17. Tips: Online Matching Sites • Organizational background: who, what, where, why • Description of volunteer work: what, with whom, for how long, goal • Key Information: physical address, web URL, phone number, email contact. Link to SMP web site is a critical factor.

18. SMP Web Site

19. Tips: SMP Web Site • Highlight link to “volunteering” on first/main page • Stress “contribution to mission” and “it’s an experience” • Use stories and pictures; video if you can • Cover range of options for involvement

20. Tips: Making Site Interactive • E-mail link for questions* • Downloadable Information Packet and Application Form • FAQ that covers basics and Unasked Questions • Online application form

21. Role Model Recruitment Internet Sites goarmy.com www.peacecorps.gov

22. What not to do with the SMP website

23. Social Networking Sites

24. Social Networking Sites

25. Targeted Social Networking Sites

26. Cause Oriented Social Networking

27. Tips: Social Networking Sites • Still early to tell whether they will last and where they will go • Probably not currently good for all target audiences, but high value among young females • Require a lot of maintenance • May have more use in retention than recruitment • Don’t use if you’re a control freak

28. For those of you who don’t want or need to do a lot of work: Ask your current volunteers to recommend any of their friends who they think would make good SMP volunteers. Contact these recommendations yourself, leading with the fact that a friend of theirs thought they would be a good candidate. Make sure everyone who attends an SMP presentation gets information about becoming an SMP volunteer.

29. II. Giving People a Reason to Say “Yes”

30. What potential volunteers think about: • Why should this work be done at all? Why is it worth contributing my time? • What will be the benefit to the community or the clientele if I do volunteer? • What worries me about accepting this responsibility? • What’s in it for me?

31. Thought Exercise: What potential worries or fears do you think a prospective SMP volunteer might have that they don’t necessarily want to admit to you?

32. Note: You can use any of these as a “hook” to get people’s attention, but eventually you should provide a prospective volunteer with the answers to all of the questions. Every volunteer recruiter should have an “elevator speech” that talks about the value of volunteering for the SMP. Enthusiastic current volunteers have naturally built-in elevator speeches.

33. It’s all about talking…

34. A. The Power of Asking1994 Gallup Survey • Of those directly asked to volunteer, 82% did so, compared to only 21% of those who were not asked.

35. Power of Asking1994 Gallup Survey • Those least likely to be asked to volunteer were African Americans, Hispanics, youth, seniors, and those with low incomes. Among those who were asked, the proportion who volunteered was nearly five times higher than those who were not asked.

36. B. Powerful phrases: • “We need your help…” • “You were recommended as the best person for this job…” • “Here is where your background and experience makes you perfect for this…” • “This is what we can accomplish…” • “You can be in charge of…”

37. Final comments and tips

38. 1. Quick Response Major common mistake is not getting back to potential volunteers quickly enough - “quickly” means within 24 hours these days. Don’t need a full response, just an “echo” or an acknowledgement. Info packets that you can email people are a good way to buy time.

39. 2. Too much time between interview and beginning training or work Volunteers are highly motivated. This means they would like to start work as quickly as possible. If you have wide gaps between when you initially accept the volunteer and when they actually start doing something you have to find ways to maintain their interest and their engagement.

40. Some possibilities: Put them on a mailing list of information and announcements. Send them periodic emails of encouragement and updates of what will be happening. Pair them with a “buddy” who will talk to them during the gap. Invite them to attend an SMP presentation and watch how it works. Introduce them to current volunteers afterwards and let them ask questions.

41. 3. “It’s too BIG!” The hardest thing – in my opinion – about recruiting SMP volunteers is that for many prospective volunteers the role will appear to be a very large and complicated one. Some volunteers will hesitate to try it because they don’t want to fail and thus let you down and disappoint themselves.

42. Possible fixes: Stress training and support system Offer mentor during training Initial work will be done with an experienced partner “If you don’t feel comfortable we can switch you to something else”

43. Tempting mistake: trying to make the role look “smaller” Volunteers will learn the truth sooner or later and if they think you lied to them your relationship is ruined. Some potential volunteers will actually view a large and complex role as a challenge – they don’t want an “easy” task.

44. Resourceswww.smpresources.org > Resources for SMPs > VRPM Implementation > Summary List of VRPM Tools

45. Upcoming CoV Web Events

46. Thank you for participating in today’s Volunteer Recruitment Webinar!Questions, comments, and suggestions related to the VRPM project, email: vrpm@smpresource.org or call Sara Engelken: 319-272-2431. Up next… optional Q&A and networking session!

47. Q&A Session

48. Networking… Talk with your peers about ANY VRPM topic! To share a comment or question: 1) Click the pointer arrow (upper left corner) 2) Click in the appropriate box below (after any other arrows) 3) Clear your pointer arrow when done (use the eraser drop-down arrow) Tip: If the pointer arrow doesn’t work for you, click the ‘raise hand’ button.