How to find the volunteers you already have
I have been following a discussion between Aaron (Ignitia Consulting) and Angela (from Resources ETC Ltd.) over the week-end. The crux of the discussion was how to best engage people who are willing to volunteer their skills for an organization, but who would generally not be willing to be recruited through the usual channels (“come to our meeting”, “here is a flyer!”, “let’s have a coffee”). The main point the discussion makes is that there are many people who are willing to volunteer, but the recruiters should be aware of their time concerns and of their interests. Aaron suggests that a good way to involve these potential volunteers is to focus on virtual volunteering.
I am currently working as the Communications Officer for a professional association, which needs to leverage the skills and interests of its members by recruiting them as volunteers, and this conversation is particularly relevant to some of the things I do as part of my job. If you are trying to recruit volunteers, here is what I think you should know:
