Mobilizing and Recruiting Volunteerswith Dr. Randy Wollf

Mobilizing VolunteersAKA Recruitment

Top Reasons for Not VolunteeringDid not have the timeUnable to make a long-term commitmentGave money instead of timeNo one askedHealth problems or physically unableHad no interestDid not know how to become involved

Caring Canadians, Involved Canadians: Highlights from the 2007 Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating. Statistics Canada, 2007.

Volunteer MotivationsSelf-serving motivational driveRelational driveCore motivational drive – their beliefs

McKee, Jonathan and Thomas McKee. The New Breed: Understanding and Equipping the 21st Century Volunteer. Loveland, CO: Group, 2008.

Seven Deadly Sins of RecruitingExpect announcements to get volunteersGo it aloneRecruit only volunteers who make long-term commitments

Assume that “No” means “Never”

McKee, Jonathan and Thomas McKee. The New Breed: Understanding and Equipping the 21st Century Volunteer. Loveland, CO: Group, 2008.

Seven Deadly Sins of RecruitingRecruit any warm bodyAsk busy people to do busy workHire professionals who know nothing about volunteer management

McKee, Jonathan and Thomas McKee. The New Breed: Understanding and Equipping the 21st Century Volunteer. Loveland, CO: Group, 2008.

Managing Your ExpectationsIn a member organization, how many members typically volunteer (p. 14)?

Leaders (5%)

Active Volunteers

(15%)

Occasional Volunteers (75%)

Critics: Do not participate (5%)

Little, Helen. Volunteers: How to get them; how to keep them. Naperville, IL: Panacea Press, 1999.

Long-term Mobilization StrategiesPray for God to raise up workersHelp people discern their calling and strengths

Serve your current volunteers wellBuild a strong sense of teamStart mobilizing earlyGrow in your leadership capacity

Dimensions of Christian Leadership

Skill

TeamJesus’ example

Community...love one another deeply...

(1 Peter 1:22).

CallingFor we are God’s workmanship...

(Ephesians 2:10).

CharacterBe imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved

children (Ephesians 5:1).

A Growing Relationship with GodSo, then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him... (Colossians 2:6-7).

Biblical Truth...on his law, he

meditates day and night.

Psalm 1:2

Long-term Mobilization StrategiesHave a strong ministry vision that produces results

Foster a healthy ministry cultureCreate enough structureConnect with people outside your ministry

Communicate what God is doingCoordinate your approach

Immediate Mobilization StrategiesPray for God to raise up workersApproach former program participantsAsk current volunteers to approach others

Look for people who have an affinity with your ministry

Approach people in personCreate short-term volunteer opportunities

Immediate Mobilization StrategiesExpose people gradually to your ministry

Build volunteer opportunities around people

Follow-up quickly with those who express interest

Screen thoroughlyLook for great people

Mobilizing VolunteersAKA Recruitment

Serving Volunteers

Check Your HeartAre you primarily a program coordinator or a servant leader?

Orient New VolunteersOrient volunteers to the visionEncourage volunteers to shape the vision

Establish clear expectations

Personalize the Volunteer ExperienceConnect with volunteers as individualsMake way for volunteers to live out their calling

Make the most of peoples’ talentsMinistry match (http://gompn.com/)

Make the most of your volunteer’s time

Personalize the Volunteer ExperienceProvide flexibilityProvide coaching support Pray for your volunteersHelp them see the difference they are making

Build a Vibrant Volunteer CultureTrust and empower your volunteersSix Rules of Empowerment (in The New Breed: Understanding and Equipping the 21st Century Volunteer by Jonathan and Thomas McKee, pp. 84-89).

Don’t take the football – give it awayLabel each handoff as either delegation or

empowermentSecure the handoff with a check-up appointmentBreak down tasks into manageable goalsDon’t take the football if you can’t do anything

about itDevelop good handoff skills to avoid disaster

Build a Vibrant Volunteer CultureSecure volunteer coordinatorsCommunicate wellAddress conflictBuild communityWork collaboratively with volunteers

Build a Vibrant Volunteer CultureStrive for excellence (within reason)Establish safety policies and procedures

Recognize and honour your volunteers (and their families)

Resource and train your volunteers

Build a Vibrant Volunteer CultureFight for your volunteersHelp volunteers prepare for succession

Evaluate volunteer programs regularlyHave fun!

Randy’s Top Volunteer Resources McCurley, Steve & Rick Lynch. Volunteer Management: Mobilizing

All the Resources of the Community (3rd ed.). Plattsburgh, NY: InterPub Group, 2011.  

McKee, Jonathan and Thomas McKee. The New Breed: Understanding and Equipping the 21st Century Volunteer. Loveland, CO: Group, 2008.  

Morgan, Tony and Tim Stevens. Simply Strategic Volunteers: Empowering People for Ministry. Loveland, CO: Group, 2005.

Connors, Tracy D. The Volunteer Management Handbook. 2nd ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2012.

Lee, Jarene Frances and Julia M. Catagnus. What We Learned (the hard way) About Supervising Volunteers. Philadelphia: Energize, 1999.

Little, Helen. Volunteers: How to Get Them, How to Keep Them. Naperville, IL: Panacea Press, 1999.

http://www.energizeinc.com/