If you’re active in the voluntary sector, you’ve probably heard some buzz around The Big Help Out. This mass volunteering event is a great springboard for building sustainable volunteering connections.
The Big Help Out is taking place from 7-9 June, marking the end of the 40th annual Volunteers’ Week, 3-9 June.
Here are some ideas to kickstart your volunteer recruitment, based on our collaborative Info and Brainstorming Session earlier this month. At the bottom of this post, you can find full slides from the meeting and other resources to help you see lasting results from #TheBigHelpOut.
And of course, be sure to share your volunteering opportunities on Be the Change, Perth & Kinross’s new local volunteering platform! Here’s a guide for getting started.
Ten ways to recruit volunteers, during The Big Help Out and beyond
1. Express your gratitude
At every stage, it’s important to let volunteers know they matter. Volunteers’ Week is a key moment to show your gratitude to new and existing volunteers by organising an appreciation event. When you’re recruiting potential volunteers, you can invite them along to this volunteering social.
2. Work on your elevator pitch
Assuming no prior knowledge, what’s the best way to summarise your opportunity in 1-2 sentences? Here are some questions to ask yourself to craft an effective advertisement for your volunteering role:
- What skills, benefits or growth can a volunteer expect to gain from your opportunity?
- How does your organisation support new volunteers to make them feel confident and capable?
- If it isn’t ongoing opportunity, what other ways can a new volunteer stay involved with your work?
3. Participate in collaborative events
It’s easier to break the ice when you’re sharing a space with other organisations. As a bonus, you can learn from them and share best practices! Consider booking a central stall, or taking part in an event that has been organised by Perth & Kinross Council. You can also join existing events, such as the Perth Farmer’s Market and The Yard.
4. Make your opportunities accessible to all
Inclusivity in volunteering promotes social equality and helps your organisation prosper. As you recruit and train volunteers, reflect on how different groups engage with your work. Are your materials accessible to older people? Can you ensure neurodiverse people have access to your volunteering opportunities? Organisations such as Make Your Mark have resources to help you develop an accessible approach to volunteering.
5. Get creative with your printed materials
With permission from local businesses and venues, you can coordinate a volunteering campaign with only a few sheets of paper. A well-placed QR code at a café or community centre can pique the interest of the public and direct volunteers to your website. Consider making use of the back of toilet doors, where there’s a captive audience!
6. Form partnerships in the private sector
Many businesses have, or are open to having, volunteering programmes and incentives for their employees. Try making contact with local companies and let them know about an upcoming volunteering event or an ongoing opportunity. Then, they can advertise for you!
7. Be transparent about training
For some, training can be a daunting process. Offering a training taster and sharing your training resources ahead of time where possible can help potential volunteers feel more comfortable about their commitment.
8. Showcase your work with a video
If it’s not possible to offer a taster, you can share a video instead to encapsulate a day (or a few hours!) in the life of a volunteer. You don’t need any special technology, either: here’s a webinar from our friends at Third Sector Lab about using a smartphone for video editing.
9. Celebrate lived experience through storytelling
Personal stories can show potential volunteers that their involvement will make a difference. Gathering the testimonials of volunteers and service users and inviting them to speak at recruitment events is a great way to demonstrate your impact.
10. Make word of mouth work for you
The Big Help Out, which attracts millions of participants, is a great time to embrace the concept of ‘the more, the merrier’! You can do so by organising a meeting or event and inviting existing volunteers to bring a friend. Here’s a handy guide to launching a tell-a-friend campaign.
Learn more about The Big Help Out
If you would like more information about The Big Help Out, you can download the slides from our info session here, as well as a Partner Pack from The Big Help Out with some inspiration about how get involved.