Recruitment
1) Know your audience:
- Retired persons want to be valued for their abilities and expertise, not their age. The demonstration projects used messages that emphasized the vast resources present in the retired population ― such as honor to commitment, work experience, and flexible schedules ― not their birth dates.
- Seniors want ownership over their time and commitments; they may be less likely than other volunteers to commit to a task or time that is predetermined and inflexible.
- Retirees are drawn to opportunities where they can work with a group of like-minded individuals toward a common goal. Successful recruitment efforts will establish a group identify and emphasize the overall mission of the project, not just the task at hand.
2) Understand your community: Communities provide different environments for volunteerism and different resources for recruiting. The number one question to ask is "what does this community know about my organization?" The answer can range from "nothing" to "everything" and a recruitment strategy should vary accordingly. Establishing name recognition through the media and other venues is important in communities that do not know much about your organization. Other important questions include:
- What is the population size?
- What is the average retirement age?
- What other senior citizen organizations exist?
- What types of employment were seniors engaged in before retirement?
- What resources are available to you in the community? Newspapers, weeklies, senior newsletters, cable, TV, radio, and community bulletin boards may be viable options depending on your community.
3) Use a variety of recruitment techniques: The number one recruitment strategy reported by the SFH projects was positive word of mouth. Other volunteer recruitment techniques that work:
- Speak at community forums, pre-retirement classes, public service announcements, home and building shows, and even barber shops.
- Use the media, including newspaper articles, advertisements on city buses, radio spots, letters to the editor, and web advertising.
- Distribute materials such as newsletters, brochures, table tents, posters, flyers, bag-stuffers for grocery stores, and bill stuffers for public utilities.
Retention & Recognition
1) A volunteer who feels rewarded and appreciated is likely to stay involved. Award early and often:
- Present volunteers with a certificate of appreciation after the first few days of service.
- Give little gifts like hats, pins, certificates, or tools.
2) Invest in your volunteers:
- Slip some training into a coffee break or recognition meeting.
- Invite a guest speaker to address the group.
3) Promote communication and group identity:
- Keep in touch with volunteers on vacation.
- Send holiday cards.
- Ask for feedback and note any suggestions.
- Throw on-site birthday parties.
- Send a newsletter, even when a volunteer is out of town for months.
- Place a suggestion box on site and check it regularly.
4) Acknowledge a job well done:
- Mention volunteers' involvement to others (organizations, family, friends).
- Take pictures of volunteers working and display them at the office or work site.
- Hang a sign that reads "This office run in part by..." and list volunteer names.
- Recognize extraordinary achievements in the newspaper.
- Give breaks (sometimes with free food).
- Host a brunch/lunch/picnic recognition event and ask for feedback.
5) Offer an organized volunteer experience:
- Keep the office organized.
- Respond quickly to volunteer inquiries.
- Fully use and appreciate existing volunteers before recruiting more.
- Recognize that volunteers may not want to do what they did in a former life.
- Know when you have all the volunteers you need or can handle.