Volunteer Recruitment and Retainment

Objectives

As you plan recruitment and retainment practices for your organization, consider the following objectives and how your organization can best accomplish them. A SMARTIE goals worksheet is available to provide you with a document to identify goals for each objective and assist in maintaining accountability for accomplishing them.

• Identify a target audience

• Distribute a recruitment message

• Project pride in the organization

• Recruit members who relate to the mission of the organization

• Adopt volunteer role descriptions

Key Concepts and Guiding Questions

The following key concepts are intended to help you assess how your organization is addressing the guiding principles of K-12 partnerships and community engagement.

Relationships

Fostering Long Term Partnerships

• Is your organization establishing long term relationships with members and community partners beyond the scope of a particular project or event?

• Are these relationships based on trust, clear boundaries, ongoing communication, and transparent expectations?

Moving From Individual To Collective Action

• Are there other student or community organizations, professors, businesses, etc. your organization could partner with to expand your outreach?

Equity

Starting With Community

• How does your organization benefit U-M students from various backgrounds and majors?

Centering On Equity

• Are your recruitment and retainment practices engaging a diverse group of students?

Compliance

Are the requirements for participation in your program clear?

• ie: background checks, training, orientation, time commitments, etc.

Awareness

Connecting Civic Learning Across Contexts

• How can your organization leverage the knowledge and resources from every member?

Power

Acknowledging Power

• Do all of your members have the opportunity to share their interests, goals, and expectations?

• Does every member have an accessible and clear pathway to leadership opportunities within the organization?

Research

Research on recruitment and retainment identifies some select practices which assist in successful campaigns for most non profit volunteer organizations (France, National Student Support Accelerator).

• Effective volunteer recruitment involves:

  • Understanding the motivations of your target audience

    • Top motivations of UM students include wanting to make a positive contribution in the community, gain professional experience, and experiencing a sense of community.

      • These motivations are fluid, and volunteers may have multiple or conflicting motivations and perceptions.

  • Distributing your message where your target audience is physically

    • Outside classrooms

    • Local coffee shops or restaurants

    • Libraries

• Identifying how your program meets the needs of the volunteers

• Developing an action plan

• Creating a recruitment message

• Providing multiple ways for volunteers to sign up or apply

• Key aspects for successful volunteer retention:

  • Members meet their goals

  • Relationship building is a priority within the program

  • Leaders advocate for volunteers

  • All members feel a sense of empowerment and autonomy

  • Volunteers are recognized in ways they are comfortable with

Offerings

• Explore this guide on Volunteer Recruitment and Retention Amid Uncertainty for ideas on identifying needs and opportunities, measuring goals, strategic recruitment strategies, and keys to retention.

• The United Way Volunteer Recruitment Toolkit offers tips to help identify and attract a target audience as well as plan for intentional recruitment.