Volunteer Recruitment
Provincial CHB Conference 2011
presented by
Karrie-Ann Wilkie
Framing the Session
• Understanding the Volunteer Development
Cycle
• Defining Recruitment
• Before you Recruit
• Recruitment Strategies
• Sharing Successes and Challenges
• Available Resources
• Potential Next Steps
The Volunteer
Development Cycle
Assess Needs
Maintenance
Recruitment
Recognition
Selection
Orientation
Training
Defining Recruitment
• Volunteer Recruitment is the process of
matching an organizations needs with a
volunteers interests and skills.
• Identifying practical and successful
recruitment strategies for getting the right
people for the right positions is critical.
(Volunteer Canada)
Defining Recruitment
• Recruitment is NOT something you do
when you need new members
• Recruitment is an on-going process and
should be a standing item on your CHB
agenda
Before You Recruit
• Research Volunteer Trends and
Demographics
– In order for your recruitment efforts to
succeed you want to ensure that your plan is
congruent with the changes that have
occurred – or are occurring – in society as a
whole in terms of volunteerism.
Before You Recruit
• Once you’ve looked at these trends, you
need to ask yourself:
– “What do these trends mean for my CHB and
its volunteers?”
– “If I am not getting the right volunteer, have
trends changed in such a way that I may be
recruiting for positions that no longer fit
people’s motivation, time or lifestyle?”
Before You Recruit
• Assess your Needs
• Is there support from my CHB? Consider a
Volunteer Development Cmte.
• Be Clear about what you want from volunteers.
What skills/knowledge/time commitment is req’d.
• Be Clear about what you have to offer
volunteers.
• Do I have the required recruitment materials in
place?
Examples of Recruitment
Materials
• Position Description
– CHB R&R but also sub cmte roles once in place.
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Orientation Document
Confidentiality Agreement/Policy
Media Agreement
Conflict of Interest Policy
Criminal Records Check
Overall Promotional Materials
Do any additional resources exist within the
organization or immediate community?
–
ie: Volunteer Resource Manager in the District? Volunteer Centre in your community?
Recruitment Strategy
• Volunteer Recruitment Plan
- All of your recruitment strategies can be synthesized
into one recruitment plan.
- A recruitment plan is essential for any volunteer based
group or organization. A general “call for help” will not
ensure that you are matching skills to needs.
- A recruitment plan is a WORKING DOCUMENT –
always changing and evolving to your CHB’s needs.
- Addressing a formalized plan can be daunting, but
even informal recruitment does not have to be “unplanned”.
Volunteer Recruitment Plan
• Who should develop the Plan?
– Volunteer Development Cmte & Coordinator?
• Who should implement the Plan?
– Entire Board? Cmte? Coordinator?
• Who is responsible for the Plan?
– Executive ensure it’s standing item on
Agenda?
Volunteer Recruitment Plan
What should a plan include?
•
Strategies/Actions
•
Detailed Tasks
•
Timeline
•
Person(s) responsible
•
Indicators of Success
Volunteer Recruitment Plan
See Handout for Sample
Key Volunteer Resources
www.volunteer.ca
Volunteer Canada’s website. Volunteer Canada is the leading voice of volunteerism in the country and has numerous reliable
resources from discussion papers and demographic studies to tool kits and networks of Volunteer Centres across Canada.
www.library.imaginecanada.ca
Imagine Canada is one of the largest on line resource centres for people who work in Canada’s charities and nonprofits.
www.nsvolunteerforum.ca
The Nova Scotia Volunteer Forum is a sit for individuals, organizations, companies, academia, or government agencies with an
interest in supporting volunteerism. The Forum connects volunteers throughout the province and provides an opportunity to
share information.
www.gov.ns.ca/lae/volunteerism
Information on the collaborative agreement between the govt of NS and Non profit voluntary sector. Also includes some NS
statistics, various resources and potential Volunteer Award opportunities.
www.givingandvolunteering.ca
The Canada Survey of Giving Volunteering and Participating (CSGVP) provides the most comprehensive overview of the
contributions of time and money Canadians make to non profit organizations.
www.cic.ca/50plus
Engaging 50+ volunteers – a resource guide.
www.canadawhocares.ca/pdfs/transcripts
Who Cares? Shifting Patterns of Community Participation
Sharing Successes & Challenges
• What Recruitment Strategies have worked for your CHB?
Sharing Successes &
Challenges
•
What challenges have your CHB faced with recruitment?
Potential Next Steps
• Take this information back to your CHB
and share the key highlights at your next
meeting
• Consider forming a Volunteer
Development Committee & make their
reports a standing item on your agenda
• Begin developing a Volunteer Recruitment
Plan
Thank you
Recruitment Cycle
inform
inform
inform