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Date: 8/1/2012 |
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Category: Member News
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Recruiting Great Volunteers To Make Your Event A Success
Getting great volunteers involved with your event is a key step to success. The best people to recruit will have contacts, skills and plenty of energy. It's always a good idea to look inside and outside your circle of friends. Successful volunteer recruitment depends on knowing the sort of people that are most likely to be interested in volunteering for your event, what you have to offer to them and then determining ways of attracting those volunteers.
If you plan on recruiting volunteers, whether it is a fundraiser or a special event, here are some tips on how to get great people involved with your event:
? Be enthusiastic, motivated and sincere
? Use your contacts and create a network, build relationships to recruit your volunteers
? Be clear about your expectations and what you want your volunteers to do
? Be specific, distinct and honest about what the volunteering involves and what time period you will need them
? Define the training, supervision and support the volunteer will have from the team
? Express the benefits to the volunteer for being part of your event
? Do specific rather than general recruiting – know exactly what you need volunteers for, exactly what you need them to do, and how long for. Recruiting volunteers for specific purposes are more effective than generic messages about volunteering at your event
Use recruitment messages that raise people’s interest. State why the role is important,
what the volunteering involves, what your work will accomplish, how it will benefit the volunteers - what volunteers will get in return, as in skills, experience, training and new friends.
A variety of recruitment methods can be used for volunteer recruitment, and it is often good to start looking in your local community, college, and schools because local staff, pupils and people will care about what happens in their area.
Word of mouth, through existing volunteers works great! The best advertisement comes from volunteers themselves who will be more likely to ask friends and family to join them if they find their own volunteering experience rewarding. Other recruitment channels you can use are posters and flyers, through schools, local shops, supermarkets, libraries, youth clubs, colleges, job centres, post offices, and health centres. Articles and advertisements in local newspapers, press releases sent to local radio stations work well as community service announcements. Social networking and organization websites are great tools for recruitment of volunteers, as well as volunteer agencies.
The Lindsay & District Chamber of Commerce manages two large community events – The Classics on Kent downtown car show and the Lindsay Santa Claus parade. Both events require extensive volunteers to ensure the event runs smoothly. Classics on Kent takes place on Sunday July 15th 2012 and there are still opportunities for volunteers that would like to be involved. Volunteer positions include parking attendants, barricade attendants, volunteers to assist at registration, and logistics. If you would like to get involved, please call the Chamber at 705-324-2393 or by email at info@lindsaychamber.com. We would be pleased to have you become a part of Classics on Kent – one of the largest car shows in Ontario. Further details on the event are available at www.classicsonkent.com.
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