Subject: Recruiting volunteers

There doesn't seem to be much comments in this forum anybody got any good advice to give to me in regards to recruiting volunteers?

Hi Nat,

What kind of roles are you recruiting volunteers for? I am always looking for new roles to advertise to students at the university I work at if that is helpful?

I would recommend using some of the national, regional and university databases to advertise your opportunities to as many people as possible. The more flexible you can be the better too. Is the role full time or part time? Could it be done alongside a full time job? 

Also if you get back to potential volunteers quickly and professionally you will be at an advantage  

Hope this is helpful. 

Jen 

Just to say both Jens and Victoria's points are really helpful. 

After graduating University in 2008 I really struggled to find an ethical volunteer organisation that was geared toward graduates and not school leavers. So in May of this year I set up a volunteer organsation, 'SL Volunteers' in Sri Lanka with a team of fellow grads. We have received just under 50 volunteers in the past few months but I am always keen to recruit more. In addition I aim not to pay for promotion in order to keep expenses as low as possible for the volunteers. 

So if anyone has any other ideas of how best to recruit volunteers using free means I would be really grateful for any ideas or advice.

www.slvolunteers.com

Hi,

Glad you have found the comments on the forum useful, Another resource to explore is https://www.do-it.org/

You can upload volunteer vacancies for free, I have done so before and had a really good response

Thanks,

Damien

hello all

we are looking for vollenteer fundraisers to help all year round with in store collection bookings and events.  we are based in sheffield south yorkshire but are getting booking all of the uk.  our organisation help children and families with disabled and terminaly ill children. no expeince is required as full training given call the office on 0112 722799 for more details.

We’re seeking 36 talented people to join our fundraising teams across the UK to help manage and deliver our flagship event from beginning to end. This is a chance to gain fantastic skills and experience, be part of a supportive and inspiring team, and to help Macmillan improve the lives of 2 million people living with cancer.

For more info, visit our website. 

We are looking for someone to work with us on sound/lighting for the theatre group (training provided). Please email me and I will foward all the info. bardic_dreams@yahoo.co.uk

Thanks for adding your volunteering vacancies here. Have you had a look at our recruiting volunteers section? It has lots of good tips as well as lists of volunteering websites where you could also promote your roles.

The International Humanity Foundation (IHF) is seeking forward-thinking, dynamic individuals of all ages/backgrounds to contribute to our orphanage and education centers in Kenya, Thailand or Indonesia. IHF has grown over the past 25 years under the visionary leadership of Carol Sasaki, CEO and the dedication of thousands of volunteers from around the world.

IHF is distinct from other NGO’s in this field as we practice the ‘Pass it on’ ethos in marginalized regions. We offer the privilege of education to those who without our organization could not reach it. IHF has no central headquarters, as each center is a product of its environment and follows the cultural code and norms of its host country. IHF volunteers teach English, computer and math classes as well as maintaining relationships with local staff and the local population at every centre.

In addition to teaching, our organization’s volunteers engage in:

●        Public relations

●        Fundraising

●        Legal

●        Finance

●        Project experts (i.e., Peace farm and food relief initiatives)

●        Media

IHF offers four unique roles for volunteers. We have opportunities for those who prefer online advocacy or those who would purely like to gain in-field experience and teach the children at one of the centers. IHF thrives because of its success in recruiting versatile volunteers. Those who are secure without the comforts of home gain the most from this valuable opportunity. Although we are mainly seeking those with the above expertise, IHF is willing to consider those with transferrable skills, if you can demonstrate them during our application process. Fluency in English, both written and spoken is essential. Those interested in volunteering at an IHF centre are required to complete a level of pre-trip duties in order to gain an understanding of how grassroots organizations function.

IHF is a voluntary organization in the greatest sense of the term. Nobody is paid a wage from top to bottom. Therefore, when volunteering with us, the volunteer will need to pay their own travel expenses. To stay at one of the centers, a $55 to $75 a week fee will cover the cost of accommodation and meals and decreases the longer you volunteer.

Please take the time to familiarize yourself further with our organization - www.ihfonline.org. If you have any questions at this time, feel free to e-mail one of our helpful volunteers - volunteering@ihfonline.org 

If you’re ready to apply visit: http://www.ihfonline.org/volunteering.

For UK organisations looking to recruit volunteers to help them in their delivery/administration of their mission there are a number of methods and resources available.

Using existing networks, websites and twitter feeds is normally a good way to further engage with people who are already 'warm' to your cause. These people who already support you may not know that you needed additional help with what you are doing, or the kinds of help you are looking for.

If you don't feel existing routes and contacts could supply you with the help you need it is time to look further afield. Get in touch with the local volunteer bureau, who you should be able to find in the directory or through your local council. They have a network of willing people available, and may also be able to help you refine and hone your ask to potential volunteers. If you and your opportunity are based near a University, it may also be worth getting in touch with their students' union, as many have Student Community Action groups/teams that promote local volunteering opportunities to their members during term time.

As mentioned by a previous poster above, online tools like the website do-it.org.uk and ivolunteer.org.uk provide a similar service, and allow you to define closely your needs in terms of time and skills, location and commitment. While these tools are excellent for general volunteers, or finding volumes of unskilled people, for finding someone with a particular skill you may be better off engaging with Reach Volunteering (www.reachskills.org.uk). They allow UK charities to freely register roles requiring specific skills and abilities on their specialist database, and they work to match appropriate people.

However, through all this it is important to note that engaging with a potential volunteer is not a simple process of writing a list of things you want a person to do, and them showing up to do it like an employee. You need to be reasonable and sensitive to the needs of any person that comes to you, and prepared to compromise/be flexible in what you are asking for. For example, asking for a volunteer to come along and work for you for four days a week for a year is clearly taking the ****.

Our society based in Shropshire is looking for volunteers. Please email us at sls2129@yahoo.co.uk if you live in Shrewsbury or Telford and can help.

We are 'EMPOWERus'

the mutual-self-help forum for co-operators and community activists:

is available to support co-operators, community activists, Co-operatives, Mutuals, Social Enterprises, Schools & Colleges, and community groups.

Please join us and our forum, it's FREE!

http://empowerus.co/

Hello!

I am the vice-director of International Office of Orenburg State Institute of Management (Russia).

We are currently looking for a volunteer, who will be able th teach students English, take part in English speaking clubs etc. The program start in mid February-March and ends in May. We'll provide accomondation and most meals.

 Does anyone know of any that would be interested?

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me dan.aboimov@gmail.com

or visit our web-site www.studyinorenburg.com.

Daniil Aboimov

Hello Dan,

Can I suggest two places to try advertising?

1. Idealist - http://www.idealist.org/ Which has a jobs and volunteer listing. I've seen a lot of similar positions in China go through the eBulletin lately. Your outline sounds as though it would fit in.

2. This might sound a little unlikely, but trust me, it's good. Try CouchSurfing: http://www.couchsurfing.org/ They have a specific group called Worldwide Volunteers with over 3,000 members from across the globe: http://www.couchsurfing.org/group.html?gid=5910

Both of those groups attract people looking for volunteering positions. You'll probably get a better response than advertising to charity professionals.

The other place to contact might be somewhere like TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). That's the type of qualification you'll probably be looking for in your volunteer. TEFL train hundreds of English teachers a year and like to advertise jobs for them to go to. A Google search for TEFL jobs will throw up more, but here's TEFL England: http://bit.ly/QwZxUO and TEFL Russia: http://bit.ly/TRm5Kl

 All the best with it.

Thank you so much, you are really helpful!