Finding and recruiting volunteers during a pandemic is not easy. It takes more than posting a need or a project and waiting for people to see it and volunteer. Here are 5 steps to recruit volunteers that are remote but also creative.
1. Keep Information Up-to-date
Make sure your agency information is up to date and complete online. At a minimum, your agency listing should have:
- Contact information
- Hours of operation
- Description of your organization
- Your organization’s causes
Be sure to include information about who you are as an agency. This is important for volunteers to know.
Keep this information complete and accurate. That way a volunteer will want to volunteer for your agency more. Others lacking that information don’t get volunteers.
Make it easy to get in contact with your agency, so people are more prone to volunteer. GetConnected makes updating your agency information quick and easy.
2. Keep opportunities clear
Make volunteer opportunities clear and easy to understand when asking for volunteers. Opportunities and needs with a lot of information attract volunteers. Explain the date, time, location and description of the need.
This also guarantees your agency is getting the right volunteers for your needs. It makes volunteers better prepared for the opportunity. Plus, they’ll know it fits with their schedule. Making this information publicly available online is easier for volunteers. It leads them to your agency and your needs.
3. Add details and interests to your Volunteer Needs in GetConnected
Adding details and interests to your volunteer needs helps attract volunteers. Volunteers who have interests that match certain needs are more willing to volunteer. Including details like:
- The event is family-friendly
- Provides food
- Is wheelchair accessible
These give a volunteer more motivation to help. Tagging interests to a need or opportunity helps a volunteer find what best fits their volunteer abilities.
4. Take advantage of the Volunteer Center’s monthly newsletters
When you create Volunteer Opportunities in GetConnected and keep them up to date, the Volunteer Center shares them in the monthly Volunteer HotSheet. This newsletter is sent to all the registered volunteers in GetConnected. It’s a great way to recruit new volunteers for your organization. It keeps volunteers up to date and gets their attention with current needs, making them more likely to volunteer. You also spread awareness about opportunities volunteers might not know about.
5. Broadcast incentives to volunteers
Incentives are free to you and benefit your volunteers. Incentives include logging volunteer hours and building their volunteer resume.
You may have remote volunteer opportunities to help those in need during a disaster, like COVID-19. Tell people about these great opportunities! Remote volunteer work helps people feel less isolated and stuck at home. With unemployment being high, logging hours and building a volunteer resume is important.
Volunteering increases a volunteer’s chances of getting hired by 27%! Volunteering also gives real-world experience to those who do not have it, like college students or people who are switching careers.
When you broadcast these incentives, volunteers will be more likely to volunteer.