Now that you know your project inside and out, let's focus on the actual recruitment process. How are you going to do it, and where will you start?
Remember that you'll need volunteers for more than just the build itself: fundraisers, planning and design meetings, and other events require volunteers. Recruit for those, too! Also, our experience shows that 30 percent of confirmed volunteers stay home on Build Day. Have some "wiggle room" built into your numbers, but be prepared for everyone!
Finding volunteers Recruitment 101 Tips and tricks
Every community has within it the resources, skills and materials to create positive change. So many individuals sit in their homes, wishing things were different and thinking to themselves: "I could never do that." But together, WE can do anything. As a project organizer, it's your job to pull together those individual resources and unleash that community power.
Start by "mapping" your community's assets. Who do you know? Who do you interact with on a regular basis? Who in your community has skills or interests that complement your project? Brainstorm every resource you can think of - individuals, businesses, organizations, and institutions. Remember that personal connections between friends, family, schoolmates, co-workers and neighbors are your key to the city! For a comprehensive guide to mapping your community's assets, check out the Community Involvement section of the Toolkit.
Below is a small sampling of where to find volunteers.
For lots more ideas of individuals to seek out, check out the Community Involvement section of the Toolkit.
When people are linked together as a group, they represent another level of community skills and resources. Organizations also have large membership networks and established channels for communication.
For lots more ideas of associations and organizations to seek out, check out the Community Involvement section of the Toolkit.
Talk to employers about donating their employees' time outright, giving incentives to employees who volunteer, or advertising the project around the workplace and in newsletters. One word of warning: be sure to coordinate these recruitment efforts with the other team captains. Businesses don't want to be approached by five separate people for the same project.
For lots more ideas of businesses to seek out, check out the Community Involvement section of the Toolkit.
"There are three kinds of people: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who ask, 'What happened?'" - Casey Stengel
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Here are some easy, low-cost ways to let people know about volunteer opportunities:
Flyers and mail
Sample Build Day recruitment flyer
Meetings and networking
Other events
What's your community's idea of fun? The best way to get people interested in your project is to align it with things that they're already interested in - from sports and native culture to celebrity gossip. No matter what your community likes to do, you can find ways to tie in your volunteer recruitment drives. For example:
Make the most of your efforts with these communication tips:
First impressions
Recruitment booths/tables
Set up at fairs, festivals, local sporting events, block parties and community meetings.
"An invitation to volunteer is a strand in the thread that connects. A program that says 'Welcome' in every way, over the phone, in person, or in the mail, invites a volunteer to be a part. Volunteers who feel they belong, return." - Sarah Elliston
The best way to turn people out for the build is to get them invested in the project early and often. Invite them to fundraisers, Design Day, youth activities, volunteer drives and planning meetings. That first commitment is always the hardest, so give people several opportunities to get involved. Once they catch the bug, they'll reach out to their own networks and do much of your job for you.
Stay high profile. To attract a large number of unskilled volunteers, maintain a consistently high public profile through ongoing media coverage, wide distribution of flyers, and networking with other service groups. The more people hear about your project, the more likely they are to show up.
Just ask! Did you know? In a recent survey, Americans said that simply being asked to volunteer was a big factor in their decision to donate time. 63 percent said that they would volunteer if asked, compared to only 25 percent who would seek out volunteer opportunities on their own. And with only 50 percent of people being asked to volunteer at all, every community has a huge untapped resource of willing citizens! So practice your pitch, get out the door, and ask! Demonstrating your personal commitment to the cause will inspire others to get involved.
Keep asking. Are you busy? Does your household get bombarded with requests for help, invitations to local events, and junk mail? Well, the people you're trying to recruit are in the same boat! Remember that people typically don't respond to volunteer requests until the second, third or fourth time they're approached. So keep putting your information out there, and don't give up...those seeds will sprout!
Recruit for the long haul. Many projects addressing school improvements or children's activities find that inevitably, the children who are directly involved grow up, and the core group of parents moves on. Support for the issue then dwindles until there's another crisis. Don't let this happen to your community build! A playspace requires consistent, long-term maintenance and programming to keep it safe and fun for an entire generation of kids. To promote that kind of involvement, think outside of the sandbox! Focus your recruitment efforts on a diverse group of citizens who have varying stakes in your playspace's success: neighbors, local businesses, elected officials, and the landowner. Get teachers on board, and target parents of toddlers and kindergartners who will use the playspace down the road. Start envisioning volunteer activities that could take place six months or a year after the playspace is built, and identify strong leaders who can carry the torch. And remember, these children who see their parents and neighbors come together to build them a playspace will turn into the next generation of community leaders!
Sign volunteers up and follow-up. Remember, don't just settle for a verbal confirmation! Have volunteers actually sign up and provide their contact info to help ensure they will show up!
From Independent Sector, 2002