Recruiting Volunteers:
Extending Our Reach
Marilyn K. Lesmeister
Volunteer Development
Oregon State University Extension 4-H
Goals: Nov. 09 Staff Development
Focus on Volunteers
Participants will:
Identify at least 2 ways to involve and/or recruit
volunteers in the local 4-H program.
Identify one step they can take toward involving a
new volunteer (s) in the local 4-H program.
Discover more ways to support one another in
professional volunteer program roles.
Setting the Stage
In the next 60 minutes, we will …
• Review key concepts in groups of people
where you might do volunteer recruitment;
• Consider recruiting volunteers who are not
currently 4-H volunteers…and, for 4-H roles
beyond the County Fair;
• Begin plans for expanding the pool of 4-H
volunteers…that could be written into our
2010 Plan of Work!
Your Dreams?
If resources were no problem, what 4H program
would you
start or expand?
Why Recruitment?
High quality volunteer partnerships,
and a large quantity of diverse
volunteer partnerships,
help achieve a successful
4-H program.
Recruit…a fresh supply!
Webster defines “recruit” as to:
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Obtain fresh growth…to grow
Get additional supply
Fill up, restore
Reinforce and to invigorate
Increase the health, vigor or intensity
Recruitment is the 3rd Step
1st Know what you need volunteers, to do….
2nd Design a valuable assignment.
3rd Decide when, where, how to recruit.
Susan Ellis, The Volunteer Recruitment Book, 2nd Ed. 1996
What are VALUABLE volunteer roles?
Describe what a
valuable volunteer role
might look like?
Value is subjective….
The value of a volunteer role
is defined by the individual volunteer.
LISTEN
to each volunteer
before assigning him/her to a 4-H role.
3rd Step: Where to begin recruiting?
Among…
Coffee-groups at a local congregation?
Employees at the Garden Store?
Residents at summer motor home park?
Teen members of the DECA club?
Discussion:
Add to this list. Name groups in your community who
have not yet been invited to be volunteers in 4-H?
Tasks to accomplish Step 3
a) Brainstorm groups of people who may enjoy
“this” volunteer role.
b) Select the most appropriate technique(s) to
communicate with that/those audiences.
c) Do it!
d) Be prepared to applicants to contact you, by
having time to move through application,
being ready for their orientation, and
having ways for them to contribute quickly.
Susan Ellis, The Volunteer Recruitment Book, 2nd Ed. 1996
Common Messages for all Volunteers
• Have some type of role description.
• Communicate how their role is necessary to the 4-H
program.
• Communicate ways the volunteer will benefit.
• Give sufficient amounts, of appropriate, and timely
information (e.g., resources, files, deadlines) .
• Communicate minimum expectations.
• Allow flexibility to do job creatively. (There is usually
more than one good way to do everything.)
Let’s Expand Our Reach
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Short –Term Volunteers
Corporate (Business) Volunteers
Middle Management Volunteers
Generational Differences in Volunteers (Xer’s)
Teen Volunteers
Family Volunteers
Short-Term Volunteers
Key Concepts
 Break big roles into smaller tasks.
 Think about a “team” getting the job done.
 Provide necessary info: files, details.
 A role description isn’t always necessary.
 An orientation is necessary.
 What to do? Why to do it? What are resources?
Keep a file of short-term things to do.
Ideas? Discussion:
Corporate Volunteers
Key Concepts
• Prepare. Do your homework…. Find a contact.
• Understand the mission of that company.
• Appeal to that mission.
What’s a example of an appeal?
• Be specific. What type of vols? When? Where?
• Make it easy. Stay in touch.
Middle-Management Volunteers
Key Concepts
Identify things you are currently doing well
Delegate 
Share info liberally
Support – don’t interfere
Examples?
National Resource:
TAXI–Taking Anyone into eXpanded Involvement
Generation X Volunteers
Key Concepts
ASK how they’d like to be involved.
Be ready to answer the question, “How does
the volunteer benefit from this this role?”
How much needs to be included in a role
description?
Staff representatives to share ideas?
Teen Volunteers
Key Concepts
 ASK what they’d like to do.
 Plan ways for teens to have appropriate
benefits…such as career experience, or a way to
obtain a scholarship reference (by providing
names and contact info for supervisors where
they volunteer).
 Be flexible.
 Provide ways for friends to volunteer together.
Other ideas?
Family Volunteers
Key Concepts
Families participate in 4-H frequently. Are there
ways to plan “family volunteering?”
 Plan multi-generational roles.
 Provide a good orientation at beginning of day, to
outline what everyone’s role is.
 Make it FUN.   
 Purchase Special Event insurance.
Example: Camp Clean-Up (together, prizes, separate , fun)
Do you see new possibilities?
How can you
“extend your reach” through
new 4-H volunteers?
Sharing…
Thoughts for your 2010 SOARS Plan of Work?
Everyone Ready! Seminar
November 16, a seminar “New Approaches to
Recruitment” will be available through Everyone
Ready!, a national resource for Extension staff
sponsored by the National 4-H Council and
Monsanto, Inc.
1) *Register for Everyone Ready!
2) Log in at your convenience.
3) Take advantage of national experts. Participate,
ask questions and share ideas from Nov. 16 –
Dec. 19, 2009.
Recruiting Volunteers:
Extending Our Reach
Marilyn K. Lesmeister
Volunteer Development
Oregon State University Extension 4-H