This document discusses trends affecting volunteer recruitment and provides strategies for a targeted recruitment approach. It addresses challenges like time poverty, expectations of immediacy and technology, and differing generational expectations. It recommends designing flexible volunteer roles, being responsive, and embracing technology. It also advises developing an ideal volunteer profile based on needs, brainstorming where to find those volunteers, and tailoring recruitment messages to different cohorts to attract the best fit. The goal is bringing diverse generations together through multiple engagement opportunities.

1. TARGETED VOLUNTEER
RECRUITMENT

2. CURRENTTRENDS AFFECTING RECRUITMENT
TIME POVERTY
 “I don’t have the time”
– perception that all volunteer work requires a
long time commitment
 Multi-year trend – volunteers offering fewer
hours per month

3. CURRENTTRENDS AFFECTING RECRUITMENT
TIME POVERTY
• find ways to change what we ask people to do
• design smaller, simpler, more flexible options
• consider shared responsibility
• clearly identify and promote the personal benefits
of volunteering

4. CURRENTTRENDS AFFECTING RECRUITMENT
RESPONSIVENESS
 People expect answers, information, and
resources to be available NOW!
 Volunteers want immediate access to
information, resources and people.

5. CURRENTTRENDS AFFECTING RECRUITMENT
RESPONSIVENESS
• website applications generate an expectation that
someone will respond to an inquiry immediately.
• if made to wait, they may move on.

6. CURRENTTRENDS AFFECTING RECRUITMENT
TECHNOLOGY
 It has introduced us to whole new ways of
working
 It has changed the way we do business – setting
up expectations for how non profits do business.

7. CURRENTTRENDS AFFECTING RECRUITMENT
TECHNOLOGY
• Potential volunteers looking for evidence of
technology based programs and processes…
 teleconferencing
 video conferencing
 web based training
 virtual meetings
 virtual volunteering

8. CURRENTTRENDS AFFECTING RECRUITMENT
CHANGING EXPECTATIONS
 Younger volunteers vs. mature volunteers.
 Differing expectations leading to differing
recruitment strategies.

9. CURRENTTRENDS AFFECTING RECRUITMENT
CHANGING EXPECTATIONS
• Younger generation:
 They want different things from volunteer
service
 more entrepreneurial - less likely to be
attracted to large, bureaucratic structures
 want freedom to try new things in new ways
 They are technologically literate and prefer to
use technology.

10. CURRENTTRENDS AFFECTING RECRUITMENT
CHANGING EXPECTATIONS
• Older generation:
comfortable making commitments &
assuming leadership roles
 often like things the way they are - reluctant
to implement change
prefers conformity, uniformity and order
not always comfortable with technology and
often see it as highly impersonal.

11. CURRENTTRENDS AFFECTING RECRUITMENT
CHANGING EXPECTATIONS
The challenge: bring these diverse generations
together into a single organization through multiple
options and opportunities

12. • Volunteer recruitment involves a significant
investment in time and resources to yield good
results.
• Being targeted in your approach helps you to
more easily attract the volunteers who are the
best fit for your program’s needs.
A TARGETED APPROACH TO RECRUITMENT

13. REVIEW VOLUNTEER POSITION DESCRIPTION
Potential volunteers want to know what is expected of
them – particularly youth.
• Special skills required
• Minimum age requirement
• Length of time you are asking volunteers to offer
• Transportation requirements
• Physical requirements (heavy lifting, driving, light
office work)
A TARGETED APPROACH TO RECRUITMENT

14. DEVELOP A ‘PROFILE’ OF THE IDEAL VOLUNTEER
• create a ‘profile’ of ideal candidate based on
position description information.
• eg. - afterschool program seeking volunteers to
assist with fitness activities 3 days/week:
“Adult male or female, ages 21-55, previous
teaching/coaching experience with youth,
physically active, available during the week in
afternoons for 2 hours at least 3 days per week”
A TARGETED APPROACH TO RECRUITMENT

15. BRAINSTORM! WHERE ARE THESE PEOPLE?
Where does your ideal candidate spend their time?
 where do they work?
 where do they study?
 where do they shop?
 where do they spend their free time?
 what special events might they attend?
Write this list down to help you create your message
and determine what channels to use.
A TARGETED APPROACH TO RECRUITMENT

16. CREATE YOUR MESSAGE
Your opportunity to ‘sell’ your program to potential
volunteers.
 consider a different message for each targeted
cohort i.e. youth, retirees, students, the employed.
 must be brief and to the point.
 grab the attention of the person you are
speaking to.
A TARGETED APPROACH TO RECRUITMENT

17. KEY QUESTIONS FOR MESSAGING
• Why should a potential volunteer choose to donate
their time and services to your organization?
• What could be the appeal of this opportunity to this
particular person?
• How will it benefit the volunteer, as well as the
organization and the community?
IMAPCT STATEMENT – what would not happen if the
volunteer didn’t do what you are asking them to do?
A TARGETED APPROACH TO RECRUITMENT