New Ways of Volunteer Recruitment

Today, most organisations, when advertising for volunteer roles will place an advertisement somewhere, if they can, to recruit a suitable volunteer.

They may place that ad on the internet, various websites, and peak organisations for volunteers and sometimes, depending on budget, in a newspaper or via other traditional media. Some will utilise social media but still too few do. Another topic for another day!

I would love for us to reimagine volunteer recruitment. On most NFP websites we have expression of interest forms. But too often, we steer these expressions in a certain way towards a certain role.

I think we may have things back to front. I would love to see Not for Profits engage volunteers and the recruitment of same in a totally different manner alongside their traditional modes.

I recently came across the following inspiring words. These were not written by a person managing or leading volunteers. But have a read.

“What are the gifts you bring to the world?

These times of fear and uncertainty are not a time for hiding your light under a bushel. These times call for letting that light shine.

•  What are you good at?
• What do you love doing?
• What do you wish someone would ask you to do?
• What do you want to get better at doing, and would love the opportunity to practice?”

 Hildy Gottlieb - TEDx Speaker | Systems Change Researcher & Author

 Imagine our organisations having ads like these on our websites? Imagine having ads like these on Social Media?

Our traditional methods of volunteer recruitment have been the same for years. There have been a few modifications in terms of how we engage corporate and so called “skilled volunteers” I have never been a fan of the latter term. All volunteers bring skills!

Nevertheless an ad with Hildy’s words or similar would blow me away if I was looking for a volunteer opportunity out there. Why?

1.   Its honest – it acknowledges that the world can be a dark place.

2.  It talks about the light in everyone – how an ordinary person can do an extraordinary thing.

3.   It encourages action to shine a light.

4.   It wants to know what you can offer. Everyone has something to offer.

5.  It wants to know what you already love doing – how can this be tapped into, if at all.

6.  Most people don’t volunteer because they were never asked. This asks a person what they would like to do. It goes away from an organisation telling you what to do. It’s a different form of volunteering.

7.  It asks what they would like to improve doing. Here is the key. The question about how we can help develop a volunteer but asking in a much better way.

It’s a simple ad that you put on your website. It’s an innovative model of volunteer recruitment.

Tell us what you can do for our organisation and we will be in touch!

And not every idea or skill offered will be fit for purpose. But I bet you that most will.

We have been asking people to volunteer for years but maybe we miss out on a large section of the population because of the way we frame the question.

Here is just another way. Try it!

Ten Top Traits of Volunteer Leadership

There are so many articles out there about the difference between leadership and management. When it comes to coordinating and managing volunteers I have some thoughts. We manage programs. We coordinate activity. We lead people and organisations. Here is what effective leadership means to me in the volunteering sector. I come to these conclusions after 22 years in the sector.
1.      A leader advocates for ethics in volunteering. We don’t stand for replacing paid roles to save money. We do stand with volunteers adding value to an organisation.
2.      A leader inspires volunteers. Through their leadership style they inspire the volunteer to continue volunteering for the cause week in and week out. The leader is an integral part of continuing motivation.
3.      A leader has a volunteers back. They stand up for them if they are being used rather than utilised. They stand for equal recognition of a volunteer as a staff member. They ensure their “unpaid status” does not lead to any type of discrimination as far as value and worth are concerned.

4. A leader is proactive and not just reactive. A good volunteer leader anticipates their organisations needs rather than maintain a status quo

5.  A great volunteer leader challenges their organisation around volunteering solutions. They consistently point out how volunteer engagement is an awesome resource which brings so many benefits to the organisation and therefore merits investment and resource

6.  A Volunteer leader is part of the leadership team of any organisation. They have an equal footing with HR and fundraising management. Because of their expertise in leading people they are sought out for leadership advice across the organisation.

7.      A Volunteer leader has a strategic mindset. They are constantly following worldwide trends in volunteering. They understand the various demographics and motivations of volunteering. They are one step ahead and never rest on their laurels.

8.  An effective volunteer leader networks. They actively work to see what other organisations are doing around the globe. They share their expertise as they take from others.

9. A great volunteer leader demands. They demand that their subject matter expertise is respected. They demand that volunteers have their rightful place on the organisations chart which should be pretty much high up!

10.  The best volunteer leader develops leaders. They stand back and let volunteers lead. They help create programs and give volunteers the credit they deserve. They are best pleased when they see volunteers shine and thrive.

Organisations need to advertise for leaders when they are looking for managers or coordinators of volunteers into the future. A lot of people can manage or coordinate volunteers. But find a leader and your volunteer program will excel!