Volunteer Recruitment

'Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.'
(Margaret Mead)

All groups need at some point to attract new volunteers and it can be a challenging task. A turnover of faces is inevitable as people's circumstances change over time and 'a new pair of hands' is often invaluable. New volunteers can bring fresh enthusiasm, new skills, a greater range of contacts and therefore opportunities to develop new audiences.

Having an ongoing recruitment plan is essential to ensure that you regularly attract new recruits and the group doesn’t ‘burn out’. So think about recruitment as part of all of your communication activity and not just when it becomes essential.

It's a team effort

In order to promote a successful event it's best to have the support of an active group of volunteers who are willing to contribute to the practical work involved in choosing, publicising and organising. Try to give every group member a role from press liaison to fundraising to sales to notice boards and encourage everyone to contribute. Find ways to use an individual’s skills and interests and give people ownership of specific jobs that they enjoy doing.

Before you start to recruit think about what jobs you need people to do. It may be useful to write a basic volunteer job description that clearly defines the role so that the volunteer knows what is expected of them and whether they are able or willing to do the job. It might include some of the following things...

• Selecting/booking artists and performers
• Selling tickets (either individuals or outlets)
• Providing a Box Office service
• Handling finances
• Distributing posters and leaflets
• Writing press releases, liaison with the press
• Licenses, health and safety and other regulations
• Liaison with artists/performers
• On the night jobs such as serving refreshments, selling raffle tickets and setting out chairs

You want more volunteers!
How do you get the word out there?

Successful groups can sometimes be perceived as not needing help whereas on the inside of the organisation they are feeling desperately in need of new volunteers.

Word of mouth:

• People need to know that you are looking for volunteers so make sure the
  whole of your group spreads the word
• A personal approach is always the most effective! Grab people - ask them
  directly
• Talking to your own circle of friends and acquaintances is often very effective,
  but you should also consider how you will reach out to groups within your
  community that are currently under represented on your committee

Networking:

• Approach other groups within the village that organise events and/or have
  relevant interests and skills. How about approaching the school or brownie
  group, the amateur dramatics society, women’s institute or youth club?
• Use the Live & Local Promoter Network, contact your neighbouring Promoter
  groups and discuss with them how they have recruited volunteers, share tips
  and ideas

TOP TIP! Approach local youth centres, schools and colleges, talk to young people who are looking for experience to add to their CV

Village Newsletters:

• Write an article in your village newsletter – this is an excellent way to reach the whole community and to build the general profile of your group which will
  in turn help you to recruit volunteers

TOP TIP!
Why not create a village E-Newsletter? There are some on-line systems such as ‘Mail Chimp’ that offer free bulk emailing for smaller email lists so it doesn’t have to cost anything or be overly time-consuming

Flyers and posters:

• Think carefully about the text / presentation and where they will be placed. Perhaps you could create displays at your local library, shop or pub?

Volunteer Centres:

• Once you register they can refer on individuals interested in volunteering for
  you. They can also offer advice and support on best practice.

Local Press:

• Sending a press release is free!
• A steady stream of information and articles about your organisation in the local media can help to raise your profile and thereby aid recruitment
• Use press releases to promote your successes, not just to sell tickets
• Try to build a good relationship with local newspapers and radio. Many local papers have a village section that can be used to promote local news
• National Volunteers week in (1-7) June is an opportunity to get extra press

Events:

• Make announcements at events organised by your group (including Live &
  Local shows) – these are ideal opportunities to recruit volunteers as they will
  be able to see first hand what it’s all about
  
  TOP TIP!
  You could put on an event with free drinks and entertainment to give local people a taster of what is on offer and how they can get involved. Or organise a regular village get together – e.g. a supper club where people
  take turns to cook.

Online/new media:

• Don’t forget to advertise volunteering opportunities on your community/organisation website or perhaps Facebook

Use the Live & Local brand:

• Target your regular / most enthusiastic audience members for Live & Local
  events
• You could also try organising a village poll or inviting potential volunteers to help choose the shows – this will give people greater ownership and make them feel involved

TOP TIP!
Broaden your local audience by choosing different types of shows, this will widen your reach within the community and thereby aid recruitment

What does your group have to offer to new volunteers?

Think about what your group has to offer and how you can market your volunteering opportunity in a way that will attract interest. It may be helpful to think about what originally motivated you to volunteer?
There are lots of reasons that people might want to volunteer their time…

• New to the community and want to get to know people better;
• Want to keep active;
• To enhance career prospects and add to their CV;
• Belief in the cause or what the organisation stands for;
• They are community activists! Want to contribute something positive to
  their community;
• Interest in the arts;
• To meet new people;
• Was asked by someone to do it;
• To build confidence and self esteem;
• To learn new skills or to practice existing skills.

Creating a recruitment message

Keep your message clear, simple and upbeat and think about how you can make it stand out! Perhaps invite the local paper to take a fun photograph of your volunteers with performers at your Live & Local show or create an eye catching display or notice board in your hall.

Below is a suggested way of structuring your recruitment message:

Need: Why is the volunteer needed? E.g. would you like to see more professional entertainment taking place in the village?

Solution: How will the volunteer be able to help? E.g. help us to provide a fantastic night out for local people!
Requirements: What does the role involve? What skills are needed? How much time will they need to give?

Benefits: What are the benefits to the volunteer? For example, meeting new people, having fun, make a difference…

Contact Point: How do they find out more? Give a personal contact where possible.

TOP TIP!
Don’t just tell people what you want them to do – tell them how their hard work will actually make a difference. Talk about what you have achieved as a group and why it is important and worthwhile! Be positive and upbeat, people respond to enthusiasm so make sure you sell yourself as a fun and friendly bunch.

Make your volunteers feel welcomed and valued!

Putting oneself forward as a volunteer can be daunting so ensure new volunteers are warmly welcomed:

• Never refuse an offer of help;
• Always respond to an enquiry about volunteering quickly;
• At their first meeting with the group make sure new volunteers are properly introduced to the whole team;
• Make sure that new ideas and listened to, valued and supported;
• Buddy up a new volunteer with someone who knows the ropes;
• Offer tasters of volunteering so the new volunteer and group can get to
  know one another better.

Volunteers will only do, in the long term, what they believe to be meaningful. Enthusiasm for the cause is essential and a shared passion within an organisation is what holds you together.

Make sure that new volunteers know as much as possible about what you do and why, convey what you enjoy about volunteering and how your activities benefit the local community.

Ways to reward volunteers:

• Say thank you often – Making an announcement at your Live & Local show is a good opportunity to do this or you could write personal thank you cards and notes;
• All committee members are entitled to request Complimentary tickets to see other Live & Local shows (call the Live & Local office for more information);
• If things haven’t gone well don’t dwell on it negatively and don’t blame and shame;
• If you are doing well celebrate! National Volunteers Week (1-7 June) is an annual national campaign which can be used as an opportunity to celebrate volunteers achievements;
• Find ways to use an individuals skills and interests;
• Allow people to say ‘no’ without feeling guilty and don’t push people into doing jobs that they don’t want to do;
• Ensure that everyone knows what their role is and has the information to carry out their task effectively;
• Accept that different individuals are able to offer different levels of involvement and that their availability may change over time.