Volunteer Management and 10 Ways to Volunteer Recruitment and Recognition Success

Volunteer management programs involving effective volunteer recruitment, retention and volunteer recognition can feel overwhelming to undertake. When working with those involved with volunteers, here are the 10 steps in your programs, I recommend for guaranteed volunteer management, volunteer recognition and recruitment program success.

1. START WITH BITE-SIZE PIECES

Here is how to stop yourself feeling overwhelmed at the thought of developing your recruitment, recognition or retention plan. Use a series of mini-plans for tackling one thing at a time? Break down every one of your recruitment, recognition and retention programs into smaller bite-size pieces. An example, would be to place your recruitment message on all paper that leaves your office. On your letters, brochures and business cards. Then move to the next recruitment idea. Always aim to begin with bite-size pieces.

2. THINK IN TERMS OF MINI-PLANS

Still a further example of a mini-plan is to concentrate on recruiting just one more volunteer to undertake a specific job. Brainstorm a range of avenues to explore to fill this position. For example, to find a receptionist, consider targeting secretarial colleges, work experience students, job retraining schemes or recent secretarial retirees?

3. MAKE SURE TO KEEP SCORE

For every mini-plan, design a system to assist you evaluate which strategies are the most effective. You need to keep score. Rate the amount of effort and time involved, the response, the costs and therefore, the overall effectiveness for every mini-plan. Keep what rates well and get rid of the rest, as your energy is better spent on strategies that bring results.

4. MAKE SURE TO SEE THE OVERALL VISION

Even when you have a series of mini-plans, you must keep your overall goals and vision in mind. See every mini-plan as an integral component in your overall recruitment, retention or recognition plan. It is about designing a jigsaw puzzle where each piece adds to creating a final beautiful picture.

5. ROAD TEST AS YOU GO

Smart businesses select a small market to test a new product before committing more resources and time. If you've a great recruiting or recognition idea, test it first before going ahead on a big scale. For example, say you wish to focus on a large corporation to recruit more volunteers, then you could start with a department in the corporation to focus on and test. Making sure to road test all your recruitment and recognition ideas can help you save money, time and resources. You will learn if you are heading down the right track before launching a large-scale campaign.

6. TRY AND TEST DIFFERENT IDEAS

Do not be scared to include new approaches in your recognition, recruiting and retention programs. Just because it has not been tried before doesn't mean that it will not work. Be innovative and creative. Do take some risks and then test their effectiveness.

7. SEE HOW YOU ARE DOING

Develop a strategy to visually depict how you are progressing at a glance. For instance, draw a large graph to visually show your progress towards your target number of new recruits in your recruitment campaign. As our new recruits come on board, begin filling in the graph. This will motivate you to keep moving closer to your target goal.

8. EVALUATE AND REFINE YOUR PLAN

Continue to evaluate all your recruiting, retention and recognition plans to make sure you are on track. Continue to look for ways to refine every mini-plan. Ask yourself: how can we simplify this? How can we do this better? What do we need to change? Improve on your plan as you learn from the experience.

9. HAVE PATIENCE

Even your best designed recruitment plans will not always immediately mean that volunteers will come flocking through the door. Even the most effective recognition and retention campaigns can often take time to produce results. Do be realistic about what you can achieve. Be patient and continue to test and tweak your ideas.

10. HAVE FAITH TO REACH YOUR GOALS

Do not be disappointed with setbacks to your plans, they are all part of learning. It is what you learn and how you deal with those setbacks that is most important. There are still a limitless number of people just waiting to be recruited and retained by you.

USE THESE 10 STEPS FOR PROGRAM SUCCESS

To help you achieve ongoing success, always keep in mind these 10 steps in your programs on volunteer recruitment, volunteer recognition and volunteer management.

More information

Dr Judy Esmond is a leading international expert on stress, dealing with people and volunteering. She is a constantly in-demand speaker and author of two best-selling books on volunteer recruitment and recognition. Want more ideas on volunteer management, recruitment and recognition? I invite you to get a free book with 100 more ideas at our website http://www.morevolunteers.com