As a volunteer manager, I’ve often been asked if I can stroll out to my mythical Volunteer Orchard and pluck a fully trained, inducted, and experienced volunteer from one of its lush trees. Sadly, more often than not, there’s no fruit to harvest.
Recruitment can be a daunting task for volunteer managers. We spend countless hours brainstorming potential ways to find willing candidates, and it can be exhausting. To tackle this challenge, I introduced a concept to my team: the Volunteer Recruitment Marketplace.
Once a quarter, gather your recruiters for a brainstorming session to explore all possible avenues for recruitment. These can range from general ideas, like “local businesses,” to specific opportunities, such as identifying a particular business and its key point of contact.
Document all the ideas generated during these sessions. This record becomes a resource you and your team can revisit whenever inspiration is needed. It’s also a valuable tool for onboarding new volunteer managers or recruiters who may be entering this field for the first time.
For example, a virtual marketplace might look like a shared document or spreadsheet, but you could also use a physical approach, like post-it notes on an office wall.
*Full description of example marketplace infographic at bottom of article
While the Marketplace is a great starting point for ideas, you’ll also need a system to track more specific contacts—especially if multiple team members are managing recruitment. If you’re lucky, your CRM might handle this for you.
For those without those tools, a simple Excel spreadsheet can do the job. Include columns for details like the name of the contact, organisation, date of outreach, and follow-up actions.
As you implement recruitment strategies, monitor the outcomes. Track metrics such as:
Use this data to refine your approach and make informed decisions for future efforts. Over time, this will help you build a robust and dynamic marketplace.
If you're looking at more ways to improve your volunteer recruitment, have a look at our toolkits!
The infographic titled "Volunteer Recruitment Marketplace" is organized into six sections, each representing a category of volunteer recruitment methods. The design uses soft pastel tones with teal headers and peach-coloured backgrounds for the sections. Key text is displayed in white text boxes, all within a visually appealing and organised grid layout. Below is a detailed description of the infographic content:
Categories
Each category is labelled with a teal-coloured header and contains subcategories in smaller, white boxes with peach backgrounds. The categories are:
1. Social Media/Digital:
2. Word of Mouth:
3. Community Partnerships:
4. Volunteering Platforms:
5. Traditional Media:
6. Business and Corporate: