3 Keys to Grow and Keep Your Volunteer Base

3 Keys to Grow and Keep Your Volunteer Base

Some types of programs are impossible to run without adequate staffing, and your budget may allow for only so many employees to supervise and implement activities.

That is why it is important to be able to recruit, train, and retain volunteers, so that you can meet increasing needs. 

Volunteers are a valuable resource for an organization to have. They can help not only with programs, but with:

• marketing (putting up signs and flyers)

• communications (making phone calls)

• preparing for and closing activities and events (organizing supplies and cleaning)

• among other responsibilities

The important thing with volunteers is to be able to recruit, train, and retain them:  

Recruiting Volunteers

Volunteer Websites: Recruiting volunteers is fairly simple: one proven method for recruiting volunteers is volunteer websites, such as http://volunteermatch.org.

On this website, got to the “Recruit Volunteers” tab first.

Then simply create a personal profile, add your organization, and post your volunteer opportunities.

I have worked for organizations that this was successful with, and have found some very helpful volunteers.

Service Organizations: Another source of potential volunteers is service organizations, such as the Rotary Club.

For their help, go to https://www.rotary.org, go to “Contact Us” at the bottom of the home page, and give them your information, or call them.

A federal service organization is the Corporation for National and Community Service, at http://nationalservice.gov. It has programs such as Americorps, which I have served under.

If your organization qualifies, you can bring on full-time volunteers to help you grow, that are paid a monthly stipend and educational award by the government for a year-long commitment for their service to you.

Colleges: Colleges can be great sources for volunteers. You can check with student clubs, and fraternities and sororities, for potential interested volunteers.

Local schools may also have service learning centers, which offer more intensive volunteer work, which you can contact, to see if they can include your organization as one their students can serve.

Companies: Finally, you can look for volunteers in local companies, or companies that do business in your community. Many companies now encourage their employees to volunteer in their communities.

Simply go to a company’s website, and search for their volunteer programs, and see if there might be a match.

You can call their local or regional office to find out if there might be a potential volunteer opportunity.

Training Volunteers

Training volunteers is essential to having quality programs. The best method for training volunteers is to give them an orientation to your organization, and the way that you run things.

At one position that I held as a volunteer coordinator, I put together and presented a volunteer orientation with a slide presentation on Microsoft PowerPoint. I also developed a code of ethics for the volunteers.

On a slide presentation, you can include your organization’s background, mission, programs, and ways in which volunteers can help.

You can find help in creating a code of ethics and a template at http://resources.workable.com/professional-code-of-ethics-policy.

This can help the volunteers become acclimated to your program and operations, and provide them with rules and guidelines. 

Retaining Volunteers

How well you recruit and train volunteers is not as helpful if you are unable to retain them.

The key to volunteer retention is to make your organization a place that they will want to return to on a regular basis.

Resources: Volunteers need tools and resources to do their work.

Positive Structure: providing a quality work structure allows volunteers to be confident and feel good about the work they are doing as well as the organization they are working with. 

Non Monetary Benefits: You can also have non monetary benefits, such as offering free lunches on days you volunteer, and an annual volunteer appreciation event.

Conclusion

To make your organization a success, you may need to be able to recruit, train, and retain volunteers.

By following the methods outlined in the previous paragraphs, you will have a good start on doing this, and be on your way to being able to expand your programs, and provide better service.