Recruitment of volunteers is slightly different from recruitment of members because volunteers, who are often existing members, are needed for a specific program or task. Things to consider when recruiting volunteers include:

Back to Recruitment
  • Clarity of Goals: ​Be sure to know exactly what you need volunteers for. Students do not like standing around without anything specific to do. Plan ahead of time for the roles and responsibilities of your volunteers.

     
  • Numbers of Volunteers: Know how many volunteers you will need. If you have more volunteers than you really need, you will have bored volunteers on your hands that they may become disenfranchised with your organization. And if you too little volunteers, then you will overwork people and/or not be able to do everything the way that you wanted to.

     
  • Benefits: ​Offer your volunteers tangible and/or intangible benefits. Volunteers are often motivated by some sort of benefit. This can include free admission to the event, food, a t-shirt, etc. Think creatively about what you entice others to want to volunteer with your organization.

     
  • Encouragement: Be sure to give your volunteers constant praise and thanks for the work that they do. A special thank you should be given at the end of the program or project that the volunteers worked on.