| Tip 1 Attracting People to your Organisation | | | | bring short and longer term rewards. Consider the |
| So many charities, so little time! Ensure that your | | | | different ways in which you provide learning for your |
| charity is at the top of the list. Volunteers will tell their | | | | volunteers. Make use of structured on-job training, |
| friends and contacts about their work with your | | | | coaching, mentoring and other skills development |
| charity. Help them to recruit new volunteers for you. | | | | learning activities. Always ensure that you keep |
| Provide them with up-to-date information about the | | | | records of the learning and training you provide for |
| work of the charity. Give them newsletters, flyers, | | | | your volunteers. Remember to relate the new skills, |
| promotional goodies and gifts that are useful. This will | | | | knowledge and behaviour back into the work |
| help spread the word about the charity and provide | | | | environment. |
| the volunteer with something tangible to help them tell | | | | Tip 5 Leadership |
| the potential new recruits about the organisation. | | | | How clear is your mission? What are your |
| Tip 2 Recruiting Volunteers | | | | organisation's values? How does your leadership team |
| Preparation is key to the successful recruitment of | | | | communicate the strategy? Your volunteers need to |
| volunteers. It is worth taking the time to draw up a | | | | be motivated by the cause and the work that you |
| brief outline of the role you want the volunteer to | | | | want them to do. The engagement of your volunteers |
| perform, the types of skills that will be required, the | | | | will be influenced by the degree to which the |
| ideal number of hours to be worked and an overview | | | | organsiation's core values are communicated, |
| of the environment the volunteer will be working in. | | | | understood and demonstrated by your senior |
| Consider how you will advertise the role (remember | | | | management. The work of your volunteers should be |
| that volunteers currently working with you could be | | | | directly linked to the organisation's overall strategic |
| your best marketing channel, so make sure they are | | | | objectives and measured on a regular basis. |
| aware that you are recruiting!). Other methods could | | | | Volunteers can then recognise how the work they do |
| include online recruitment via dedicated volunteering | | | | has a positive impact. |
| sites to appeal to those who regularly use the internet, | | | | Tip 6 Innovate to Retain Your Volunteers |
| adverts on internal notice boards or maybe as an | | | | Your pool of volunteers come from a variety of |
| advertorial in the local newspaper. Always remember | | | | backgrounds and experiences. Many will be in full time |
| to monitor your success rate with each method used. | | | | employment and have little spare time so you need to |
| Tip 3 Induction is Key | | | | consider how to keep in touch with them, how to |
| Your new volunteer has arrived and is eager to start | | | | provide meaningful short term project work, how to |
| putting energy into the role. People who volunteer are | | | | make use of their skills from a distance. Create |
| giving up their discretionary time and want to make a | | | | opportunities that can be done online, or provide flexible |
| difference, feel valued and happy in the knowledge | | | | hours or specific projects that can be managed |
| that they have done a great job. A formal induction | | | | around the volunteer's other commitments. Consider |
| from day one of their time with you provides a | | | | the impact of the rising retirement age and how this will |
| welcome and introduction as well an understanding of | | | | affect the reducing volunteering hours available to you. |
| the basic rules of the workplace. Written policies and | | | | Tip 7 Communicate |
| procedures demonstrate professionalism and an | | | | How do you keep your volunteers informed and |
| outline of how volunteers are expected to work within | | | | involved with the organisation's activities? What |
| your organisation. Providing a formal induction | | | | channels of two way communication do you use? Is it |
| programme for your volunteers will give them | | | | easy for volunteers to have their say? In order to |
| knowledge to start the role with confidence. | | | | encourage feedback, involvement and commitment, |
| Tip 4 Train and Develop | | | | use as many different communication channels as you |
| Ensure that your volunteers continue to be trained and | | | | can. As well as formal surveys, consider forums, focus |
| developed once the initial induction has been | | | | groups and intranet-based options. Make use of the |
| completed. Ongoing learning and development for your | | | | internet and social networking sites. Appeal to a wide |
| volunteers is vital to ensure that they carry out the | | | | audience and remember to keep up-to-date with the |
| duties they are required to undertake in a professional | | | | information being communicated. |
| and knowledgeable manner. It is an investment that will | | | | |