How to Recruit, Organize, and Retain Volunteers 1

Breakout Session # 1&2, 4&5

Jack Bishop, CPCM, Mentor, Rio Grande Chapter

How to Recruit, Organize, and Retain Volunteers

How to Recruit, Organize, and Retain Volunteers 2

Objective

• Increase and maintain the successfulness of your chapter by:

– Recruiting new volunteers,– Effectively managing, and– Retaining volunteers.

How to Recruit, Organize, and Retain Volunteers 3

The Challenge

• The success of your chapter depends upon the strength of your volunteer network.

• Recruiting new volunteers is necessary to ensure the future of your chapter.

How to Recruit, Organize, and Retain Volunteers 4

The Challenge

Are you actively recruiting new volunteers?

How effective are you at managing your volunteers?

Do you have enough volunteers to get the job done?

Do they have the tools they need to accomplish the

goals of the chapter?

Will they return next year?

How to Recruit, Organize, and Retain Volunteers 5

Are you actively recruiting new volunteers?

Create clear job descriptions.• People want to know what they are getting themselves

into.

Start small.• Committee position or special project.

Recruit face-to-face.• Hold a volunteer fair or a meet-n-greet.• Introduce yourself at the next meeting.

How to Recruit, Organize, and Retain Volunteers 6

Are you actively recruiting new volunteers?

Student members are a great resource.• Bring new energy and ideas to your chapter.• Help develop the leadership skills of future CM

professionals.

Advertise available positions.• Use volunteer testimonials, positive messages

encourage others to participate.• Place ads in your newsletter and on your website.• Add recruitment flyers to marketing materials handed out

at meetings.• Place a sign up sheet at your registration table.

How to Recruit, Organize, and Retain Volunteers 7

Make it easy to volunteer

Allow potential volunteers to job share.• Recruit two people for a task usually performed by one.

Assign small tasks as opposed to a full on volunteer position.

Create virtual positions.• Online assignments will make it easier for them to fit it into their

busy schedule.

Allow volunteers to sign up as an “as needed” volunteer.• Call upon them when a small project arises.

Most importantly, be flexible.

How to Recruit, Organize, and Retain Volunteers 8

Managing Volunteers

• To achieve the goals of your chapter, you must manage your volunteers effectively.

How to Recruit, Organize, and Retain Volunteers 9

Managing Volunteers

Make your expectations clear.• Create goals for each volunteer.

– Create their goals with them, not for them.

• Outline the position description in a “welcome to the board” letter at the start of the year.

• Are they expected to attend every meeting?

Conduct a volunteer orientation.• Provide a basic introduction to your chapter.• Available resources for learning about and completing

their tasks.

How to Recruit, Organize, and Retain Volunteers 10

Managing Volunteers

Make yourself available.• Provide your volunteers with several different ways to

contact you. • Respond to questions/ complaints promptly.

Keep them informed.• Send important updates via email.• Short briefing at each board meeting.• Setup an intranet page for sharing documents.

How to Recruit, Organize, and Retain Volunteers 11

Managing Volunteers

Solicit feedback.• Let your volunteers know you are listing.• Provide a forum for anonymous feedback.

Reward strong performance.• Always say “thank you”.• Give out certificates at end of year meeting.• Volunteer of the year award.• Send them to a Mid-Year Conference or Leadership

Summit.

How to Recruit, Organize, and Retain Volunteers 12

Managing Volunteers

• Teamwork is key.

Conduct an off-site retreat for strategic planning.• Involve all volunteers, they are more enthusiastic about

accomplishing the plans they helped put in place.• Chapter Annual Report requires input from all volunteers.

Delegate tasks.• Volunteers want to help, let them.

Create committees.• This will allow volunteers to take on smaller tasks that

will fit into their busy schedules.

How to Recruit, Organize, and Retain Volunteers 13

Managing Volunteers

• Create a succession plan.

Identify potential leaders for the next program yearearly.

• Invite them to observe a few chapter board meetings.• Solicit their help with a small project.

Conduct transition meetings towards the end of theprogram year.

• Invite outgoing and incoming volunteers to work together on the Chapter Annual Report.

• Have each volunteer train their successor.

How to Recruit, Organize, and Retain Volunteers 14

Managing Volunteers

• Know the signs of volunteer burn-out.

Change in personality.• A social butterfly becomes quiet and reserved.

Lack of enthusiasm.• No longer attends meetings or completes tasks.

Constant complaining.• This will have a negative effect on other volunteers.

How to Recruit, Organize, and Retain Volunteers 15

Managing Volunteers

• Avoid volunteer burn-out.

Offer additional resources for completing the current project.

Give your volunteers a break before requesting their assistance with additional projects.

Offer an advisory position.

How to Recruit, Organize, and Retain Volunteers 16

Managing Volunteers

• Sometimes it is necessary to “fire” a volunteer.

How you handle it is important.• Be discrete.

How to Recruit, Organize, and Retain Volunteers 17

Retaining Volunteers

• How do you keep your reliable volunteers around for another year?

Create a structured volunteer program.• Volunteers like to be a part or an organized group.• Incorporate volunteer feedback into your program.

Let your volunteers make some decisions on their

own.• Volunteers like the feeling of being responsible for a task

without having someone looking over their shoulders all the time.

How to Recruit, Organize, and Retain Volunteers 18

Retaining Volunteers

Keep it interesting.• Allow volunteers to take on different projects, don’t keep

them working on the same thing over and over.• Find out their interest and assign positions/projects

accordingly.

Have a support system in place.• Make sure your volunteers know how to contact you and

other volunteers should they need assistance.• Have a buddy system or call tree.

How to Recruit, Organize, and Retain Volunteers 19

Retaining Volunteers

Solicit feedback.• This will let your volunteers know that their input is

important.• Don’t just get the feedback, use it!

Conflict resolution is important.• A difference in opinion does not mean they are not a part

of the team. • Conflicts should be aired and resolved, not ignored.• Have a system in place for dispute resolution.

How to Recruit, Organize, and Retain Volunteers 20

Retaining Volunteers

• Volunteers deserve to know how they are doing.

Giving feedback will reinforce the importance of the

volunteer’s role in NCMA.• Be clear about what you want to say and be specific.• Emphasize the positive.• Be careful with advice, don’t make them feel like they are

incapable of doing the job.

How to Recruit, Organize, and Retain Volunteers 21

Retaining Volunteers

Most importantly – recognize your volunteers!• A simple thank you goes a long way.• Spotlight a different volunteer each month in your

newsletter or on your website.• Host a volunteer appreciation night.• Recognize your volunteers at your events.• Present them with certificates of appreciation.• Nominate them for a chapter or national award.

How to Recruit, Organize, and Retain Volunteers 22

Summary

• “Think of volunteers as a resource (RMR)!”– Recruiting = necessary to ensure chapter success– Managing = to achieve chapter goals– Retaining = even more important

• “Remember, your volunteers are there because they want to be!”