This document discusses volunteering with ELSA (European Law Students' Association). It provides an overview of ELSA, including its purpose and philosophy. It then discusses strategies for recruiting and motivating ELSA volunteers, including creating clear volunteer roles and opportunities, an effective recruitment message, and training and recognition programs. It notes benefits of volunteering like personal and professional development. Finally, it lists dos and don'ts, such as providing orientation and avoiding promises of substantial rewards.

1. GRUNDTVIG - IVISOC
A CASE STUDY OF
VOLUNTEERING
ELSA partner of OAMGMAMR DOLJ
London 2012

2. Today we’ll betalking about…Today we’ll betalking about…
The European Law Students’ Association
(ELSA) – short introduction
Recruiting volunteers for ELSA
Motivation and support for ELSA volunteers
DO’s and DON’T’s in volunteering

3. What does “volunteering” mean?
Volunteering is generally considered an altruistic activity,
intended to promote good or improve human quality of life. It is
considered as serving the society through own interest, personal
skills or learning, which in return produces a feeling of self-worth
and respect, instead of money. Volunteering is also famous for skill
development, to socialize and to have fun. It is also intended to
make contacts for possible employment or for a variety of other
reasons.

4. This is !
• Founded on 4th
of May 1981 in Wien (ELSA Romania – 6th
of
December 1990)
• International, independent, apolitical, nonprofit
• The worlds’ greatest independent law students’ association
• Over 45,000 students in over 300 colleges and universities from 40
countries
• Consultative statute for some of United Nations’ institutions
(United Nations Economic and Social Council– ECOSOC, United
Nations Commission on International Trade Law– UNCITRAL, etc),
the Council of Europe, UNESCO (United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization) and cooperative statute for the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) of UN

5. ELSA philosophy : “A just world in which there is respect for
human dignity and cultural diversity.”
 it’s the ground base of all our associations’ activities
ELSA purpose :
o Promoting law students’ opportunist, in the spirit of critical dialogue and
scientific cooperation
o Contribution in forming bright and cultured jurists with high professional skills
o Encourage Law students and young jurists involve and act for a “healthy” society

6. Steps:
1.Know your opportunities
• Be sure your volunteer opportunities are integral to achieving your group or
organizations aims and objectives
• Prepare volunteer role descriptions which clearly explain what is involved
• Acquaint yourself thoroughly with each opportunity, including its purpose,
responsibilities, and what the value of the experience is for the volunteer
2. Create a clear path to your door
 Put together a process for application and screening (even an interview)
 everyone involved in the organization knows who to direct enquiries to
 Respond promptly
3. Make your recruitment message "user-friendly“
 Produce publicity that answers the volunteer's unspoken question: Why you should
volunteer for us? What will you be doing? How often and when? Where?
 Reassure volunteers that they will be trained and that you will support them
4. Get your message out
 Consider all available methods including word of mouth, leaflets and posters, talks and
presentations, local newsletters, websites, local media coverage

7.  Personal development
 Professional development
 Having the chance to have an active
role in the growth of the community
we live in
 Earn experience points in their
personal CVs
 Meeting influent people and renown
jurists

8. How to “convert” asimpleperson into avolunteer?
Does he know what
“volunteering “ mean?NO YES
You invite him to one of your associations’ activity
You explain
the concept
He still resents
the idea
You let him go
(he’ll think
you’re crazy if
you insist)
He finds the idea
appealing
Follow the steps
of the
recruitment

9. We have several ways through which we keep our
volunteers motivated:
 Trainings law themed
personal development (project management, fundraising, negotiation skills, public speaking, etc)
 Scholarships or internships at the Bar, with renown jurists
 Project “Volunteer of the month”
 Moot Court Competitions – chance to make themselves known + great way to find out which law
career should they follow
 A successful project brings personal and professional satisfaction of the volunteers that
organized it => they will “auto-motivate” for a while
 Showing a free spirit and mind, helping the volunteer to
grow as a human
 Themed parties (once in a while)
 Local, National and International meetings with all the
ELSA members, that take place at a certain period of time
(disseminating, trainings, socializing, parties)

10. Strategies to keep a volunteer active:
 We give our volunteers job opportunities
 Make them become more responsible - “active
member” (promotion)
 Permanent skills evaluation (the right volunteer
in the right project)
 Multitude of projects and activities – everybody
can be a part in any of it
 Volunteers and the other students are always in
track with the laws (discuss, debate, rise against)
keeping active volunteers in our association

11.  Our Alumni are called “seniors” and have a special statute among us
 The prestige of volunteering in the only independent international
students’ association in the law field
 Equal treatment between our “plain” volunteers and the volunteers with
responsibilities, as Vice-presidents – democratic system
 The hierarchy guarantees transparency and continuity (techniques,
information)
 Permanent communication – internal and external newsletter
(volunteers, professors, partners, sponsors)

13.  Recruiting volunteers without induction or interview
 Superiors/coordinators should never promise the volunteer
substantial win (money, goods)
 You can never compel the volunteer (to do something he
doesn’t want to) – after all, he’s only volunteering! (don’t be
a titanic coordinator or VP)
 Don’t choose only the young volunteers – everybody should be in!
 Never treat the volunteers as they would be paid subordinates of yours!
 Keeping a lazy and inactive volunteer, that no longer identifies
himself with the association philosophy and purpose
 Carefully decide if you are going to work on a project that
deviates from your association main idea and purpose

14. • Open talk about the volunteers’ expectations regarding the association
and his present/future activity
• Always give orientation and training sessions
• Peer to peer support and budding
• Formal supervision – with a member of the management team
• Supervise – ordinary and from “the shadow”
• Organize panel discussions with the participation of others associations’
members (same field or not) – advantages and disadvantages or their
activity in that organization
• Invite known people of the field you’re volunteering in to keep training
sessions to the other – grows motivation

15. • Always keep in touch and talk free with your colleagues and the other
volunteers – communication is vital for self-motivation (sessions, annual
general meetings, social events)
• Don’t hurry to end a session – listen everybody
• Let your partners and sponsors know the details every project you organize
(transparency)
• Everybody can be a volunteer – age, raze, sex, religion don’t matter – never
discriminate!
• Well-structured hierarchy makes a functional organization– keeps up the
good work (either you cover a field or a bunch of others)
• Never brake the rules, philosophy and purpose of your association – those
rules are made to be taken into consideration!
• Use all kind of media to promote your activity
• Request FEEDBACK for a supervisor

16. Volunteering leads to…Volunteering leads to…

18. London
September 2012