If you overstate the quality of the accommodation/facilities/experience you will create expectations that will lead to disappointment, upset and frustration whilst guests are here and then bad reviews (both online and word of mouth). It is far better to understate what is offered and then exceed that. You will filter out guests and volunteers who may be wanting something flashier and those who do come will have slightly lower expectations and then be pleasantly surprised, leaving them happier during their stay and more positive about the experience, which leads to positive reviews.
Best sites to promote accommodation on are:
www.booking.com - list it under both hostels and hotel rooms.
www.airbnb.com - Example at https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/4352649?checkin=01%2F31%2F2015&checkout=02%2F01%2F2015&s=LlW_
Promotion and registration on Belipola website www.belipola.com
Make occasional promotion via Facebook page www.facebook.com/belipola
Join volunteering websites (e.g. Helpex)
We are listed on the following sites (our email address is belipolaforestgarden@gmail.com for admin purposes)
none yet
Other similar websites that we could join in future if we need more volunteers are:
www.helpx.net (International. free for hosts)
www.wwooflk.org (Sri Lanka only. Free (I think) for host organistion. Small network in Sri Lanka)
www.workaway.info (International. free membership for host organisations)
www.betterplace.org/en/collect-donations/volunteering (German site with English. Free plus free donations)
www.ecoteer.com (International. free membership for host organisations, like us)
www.the7interchange.com (International. free membership for host organisations, like us)
(eg fulltime permaculture manager for 1 year)
Write a job description/work conditions etc (also decide whether people should submit their application via the regular online volunteer application form or not).
Post on the Bellipola website and send through facebook and relevant networks (e.g. permaculture networks) and perhaps on some of the volunteering websites (e.g. betterpalce)
Also search on Helpex
To get the right person you need a clear picture of what you’re looking for. Your job description has to go beyond just experience and education to include work and character traits that can impact a person’s ability to thrive in your organization. A job description need not account for every task that might ever be done Here are the most critical components of a good job description.
Job title Use plain English. Be simple clear and unambiguous. Most people will only look at the title and you want to ensure that it gets the right people for the job reading more. A confusing or misleading title will just result in missing some of the best people and getting some unsuitable people applying – wasting your time and theirs.
Heading information. State and end dates and duration, reporting relationship (by position, not individual), hours and flexibility, holidays.
Role / Summary objective of the job. List the general responsibilities and descriptions of key tasks and their purpose, relationships with visitors, coworkers, and others, and the results expected. how the role must contribute to your organisation and how it fits in with the wider structure.how the role could develop.
Essential Qualifications, skills, experience – academic qualifications, training, industry experience, practical skills etc
Desirable Qualifications, skills, experience – useful but not essential
Desirable Qualities – eg openness to new experiences, solution focused, sense of adventure, keen to live simply.
Special demands. This should include any extraordinary conditions applicable to the job (for example, heavy lifting, exposure to temperature extremes, prolonged standing, or travel).
Job duties and responsibilities. Only two features of job responsibility are important: identifying tasks that comprise about 90 to 95 percent of the work done and listing tasks in order of the time consumed (or, sometimes, in order of importance).
The first task listed should be the most important or time-consuming one, and so on.
You can cover 90 to 95 percent or more of most tasks and responsibilities in a few statements.
It’s more important to list what must be performed and accomplished than how, if there is more than one way to do it. Being too specific on how to accomplish a duty can be disempowering for staff and create extra work for managers.
Rewards. Detail any bonuses and benefits you offer – eg accommodation (a private room?), all meals, free wifi. Ideas: Maybe opportunities to participate in specific workshops coming up (state them precisely), perhaps you will pay for them to attend a specific training in the country, a holiday opportunity at a friend's place on the beach (?), contacts with friends in specific places that they may be able to stay at for free to visit the country (?)
Your business. Potential candidates will want to know when your business was formed; how many staff and volunteers it has; where it operates; what are its key products/services and markets; whether you’ve won any awards or comply with any quality management standards. They’ll also want to get a feel for your culture and aims, to judge whether they can achieve their goals with you and fit in. Use the opportunity to “sell” your business to potential volunteers. Tell them why they should want to work for you.