Table of Contents >
   Part D. Developing a Strategic Plan, Organizational Struc... >
      Chapter 11. Recruiting and Training Volunteers >
         Section 2. Recruiting Volunteers >
             Tools & Checklists - A checklist that summarizes the major points contained in the section. >

Recruiting Volunteers

  

Tools & Checklists

 Contributed by Jenette Nagy Edited by Bill Berkowitz and Jerry Schultz

Tools

Tool #1: Volunteer application form
Tool #2: 101 ways to give recognition to volunteers
Tool #3: If you want my loyalty, interest, and best efforts, remember that?

Checklist

Tool #1: Volunteer application form



FITCHBURG SAFE & HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOOD COALITION



Building Safer Neighborhoods




A Cooperative Response




"Offer To Help"





Name: ____________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________



Address: __________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________



Phone Number -Home: _____________________Work: ____________________




I would like to continue to be involved in the issue(s) of:


( ) Violence in the Community

( ) Violence in the Schools

( ) Violence in the Family

( ) I would like to be involved in my neighborhood



-Thank You-

return to top


Tool #2: 101 ways to give recognition to volunteers

by Vern Lake, Minnesota Department of Public Welfare


Smile · Put up a volunteer suggestion box · Treat to a soda · Reimburse assignment related expenses · Ask for a report · Send a birthday card · Arrange for discounts · Give service stripes · Maintain a coffee bar Plan · annual ceremonial occasions · Invite to a staff meeting · Recognize personal needs and problems · Accommodate personal needs and problems · Be pleasant · Be of use in an emergency situation · Provide a baby-sitter · Post an Honor Roll in the reception area · Respect their wishes · Give informal teas · Keep challenging them · Send a Thanksgiving card to the volunteer's family · Provide a nursery · Say "Good morning" · Greet by name · Provide good pre-service training · Help develop self-confidence · Award plaques to sponsoring groups · Take time to explain · Be verbal · Motivate agency VIPs to converse with them · Hold rap sessions · Give additional responsibility · Afford participation in team planning · Respect sensitivities · Enable to grow on the job · Send newsworthy information to the media · Have wine and cheese tasting parties · Ask client-patient to evaluate their work-service · Say "Good afternoon" · Create pleasant surroundings · Welcome to staff coffee breaks · Enlist to train other volunteers · Have a public reception · Take time to talk · Defend against hostile or negative staff · Make good plans · Commend to supervisory staff · Send a valentine · Make thorough pre-arrangements · Persuade "personnel" to equate volunteer experience with work experience Admit to partnership with paid staff · Recommend to prospective employer · Provide scholarships to volunteer conferences or workshops · Offer advocacy roles · Utilize them as consultants · Write them thank you notes · Invite participation in policy formation · Surprise with coffee and cake · Celebrate outstanding projects and achievements · Nominate for volunteer awards · Have a "Presidents Day" for new presidents of sponsoring groups · Carefully match volunteer with job · Praise them to their friends · Provide substantive in-service training · Provide useful tools in good working conditions · Say "Good night" · Plan staff and volunteer social events · Be a real person · Rent billboard space for public laudation · Accept their individuality · Identify age groups · Provide opportunities for conference and evaluation · Maintain meaningful life · Send impromptu fun cards · Plan occasional extravaganzas · Instigate client-planned surprises · Utilize purchased newspaper space · Promote a "Volunteer of the Month" program · Send a letter of appreciation to employer · Plan a recognition edition of the agency newsletter · Color code name tags to indicate particular achievements (hours, years, unit, etc.) · Send commendatory letters to prominent public figures · Say "We missed you" · Praise the sponsoring group or club · Promote staff smiles · Facilitate personal maturation · Distinguish between group and individuals in the group · Maintain safe working conditions · Adequately orientate · Award special citations for extraordinary achievements · Fully indoctrinate regarding the agency · Send Christmas cards · Be familiar with details of assignments · Conduct community-wide cooperative, interagency recognition events · Plan a theater party · Attend sports events · Have a picnic · Say "Thank you" · Smile

return to top


Tool #3: If you want my loyalty, interest, and best efforts, remember that?

By President J. Donald Philip, Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan

1. I need sense of belonging, a feeling that I?m honestly needed for my total self, not just for my hands, not because I take orders well.

2. I need to have some sense of sharing in planning our objectives. My need will be satisfied only when I feel that my ideas have had a fair hearing.

3. I need to feel that the goals and objectives are within reach, and that they make sense to me.

4. I need to feel that what I'm doing has real purpose or contributes to human welfare; that its values extends even beyond my personal gain, or hours.

5. I need to share in making the rules by which, together, we shall live and work toward our goals.

6. I need to know in some clear detail just what is expected of me: not only my detailed task, but where I have the opportunity to make personal and final decisions.

7. I need to have some responsibilities that challenge, that are within the range of my abilities and interest, and that contribute toward reaching my assigned goal, and that cover all goals.

8. I need to see that progress is being made toward the goals we have set.

9. I need to be kept informed. What I'm not up on, I may be down on. (Keeping me informed is one way to give me status as an individual.)

10. I need to have confidence in my superiors, confidence based upon assurance of consistent fair treatment, on recognition when it is due, and trust that loyalty will bring increased security.

In brief, it really doesn't matter how much sense my part in this organization makes to you. I must feel that the whole deal makes sense to me. I would add, hopefully, the whole deal makes sense to everyone involved: the client, staff, volunteer and you.

return to top


Checklist

Here, you'll find a checklist summarizing the major points contained in the text.


___You understand what it means to recruit volunteers for your organization.

___You understand why you should recruit volunteers.

___You know when you should recruit volunteers.

___You are familiar with the basic steps to recruit volunteers

___You researched sources for potential volunteers in your community

___You planned and implemented your recruiting strategy

___You found volunteers

___You convinced potential volunteers to become active volunteers

___You understand the challenges and benefits of recruiting volunteers from varied cultural and ethnic groups

___You understand why you should recruit people from different groups to be volunteers

___You know the ways to recruit members of specific populations

return to top