Recommendations on how to recruit volunteers?

Question

I work with an organization that is looking to recruit volunteers for a one day (although long event). The volunteers would have to go through a training (which would last up to 3 hours, although most people will take a 2 hour class).

With vacations, the New Year approaching and cold weather, we're finding it pretty difficult to recruit. My organization has no money in the budget to post in the newspaper or on the jobs section of Craigslist.

We plan to drop off applications and posters at our local libraries, local universities/colleges, and perhaps some community centers/places where there are message boards. We also intend to try online sites that are aimed toward recruiting, general social networks or other places to post items of interest.

Suggestions? Other ideas? Our event is in early Feb, and people have to be signed up as soon as possible.

The answers I've gotten are great! To clarify:

We are posting on Craigslist in the volunteer section, which we do know is free.

The event time cannot be changed. It's related to the Presidential Primary. My coworkers and I wish it could be moved because it's going to be cooooold...

We already have an established high school program and have high school students signing up. Unfortunately since they've been on break we can't do presentations (don't have time/schools don't want us, etc.)

Answer 1

If you can use High School age kids, you may have good luck contacting the schools. Some High Schools require kids to volunteer a certain number of hours - so if you can provide documentation, this would work well with them.

Otherwise, I'd ask what your organization does? Find a group that ties into its interests. Also, talk to existing volunteer groups such as the Jaycees, Lyons, etc. Many groups are happy to be approached about providing manpower to other groups.

Best of luck!

Answer 2

Contact your local United Way if your agency is affiliated with them, they often have volunteer positions listed on their local web site. Another way would be to actually talk to your local papers, as some of them will actually donate space in their paper for charity causes. Talk with the individuals in charge of organizing events at your local colleges, schools, and churches. They are often looking for one time events to assist with. It is never enough to just drop off paperwork if you really want the job done. Many agencies have volunteer bases that are willing to assist other agencies, but you will have to come out and ask them.

Answer 3

Change dates- move to March or April when warmer
Never near Holidays IE Thanksgiving to New Years.
See senior centers
See Senior Living centers IE The Villages
Churches

Overall Bad timing now.

DO in 08

Replan for next year.

Define job & service & locale for hiring bodies.
ID the Job
Indoors, outdoors.
etc.
Do so for 2008.

Answer 4

You don't need money to post to Craigslist for VOLUNTEERS.

In addition to Craigslist, post your recruitment message to VolunteerMatch (http://www.volunteermatch.org) and IdeaList (http://www.idealist.org). Create an account on FaceBook and MySpace for your organization and use these networks to link to people in your geographic area, and post blogs and bulletins regularly inviting people to be a part of this volunteering event. Make sure all staff and current volunteers who have MySpace or FaceBook accounts link to your organization`s account.

Write a press release and fax it to all local radio stations as a PSA, as well as to all local university and college volunteering offices (this may double as the jobs office), as well as to all fraternities and sororities in your area. You could also do a mailing to local churches, temples and mosques, as well as service clubs (Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions, etc.)

If children/teens are allowed, fax/mail/email it to local high schools as well.

Your web site should have COMPLETE details about this activity -- absolutely everything a person would need to know to participate. Include information about what mass transit (exact bus number) and parking options people have for both the training and the event.

Track the results of these recruitment campaigns -- everyone at your organization who answers the phone or email should know how to direct those who write or call to express interest on what their next step should be, and you should know how many calls are generated as a result of your outreach efforts (that means asking people "How did you hear about us?").

CYBERVPM is an online discussion group for volunteer managers. They have a lot of discussions about basic volunteer management issues, such as this.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cybervpm

ENERGIZE, INC. publishes books on just about any aspect of volunteer management you can imagine:
http://www.energizeinc.com