by Karyn Maier, Clubspaces Managing Editor

There is no one-size-fits all formula to locate suitable volunteers, and the method of recruitment will vary according to the type of club, team or organization you’re involved with. However, there are several time-tested ways of spreading the word to the right pairs of ears without breaking a sweat or cracking open your club’s piggy bank. Let’s take a look at three solid methods of volunteer recruitment that may apply to your club…

Concentric Circles Recruitment

The concentric circles method is akin to observing the ripple effect—you cast your stone into the waters and the resulting ripples spread from the shore to the horizon beyond. By starting with your home base, this method of recruitment will help to get your information out there and net positive results. In fact, according to a 1990 Gallup Survey on Volunteering, more than half of those who sign up as a volunteer learn of the opportunity from a friend or someone else common to the organizations concentric circles.

What folks are in your concentric circles? They might be one of these:

- Friends and relatives of existing volunteers
- Friends and relatives of staff
- Alumni or retirees
- Folks in the neighborhood

Warm Body Recruitment

Unlike the concentric circles method, the warm body method of recruitment attempts to get the message out, but without having to resort to ‘cold calling.’ Here’s a few ideas on how to find some warm bodied volunteers:

- Speaking to groups (i.e., PTA meetings)
- Distribution of flyers
- Provide brochures at games or club events
- Media distribution (for example, public service announcements on local radio)

Ambient Recruitment

This method relies on targeting certain groups that already have a strong sense of connectedness to the local community, such as:

- Local military bases
- Churches
- Area businesses
- Members of professional organizations, if applicable

Keep Those Volunteers Happy

Anyone who signs up as a volunteer wants to feel needed and appreciated, right from the start. To that end, let’s look at some ways in which you can engage your volunteers and help them to feel as though they are playing a vital role in your organization:

- Make sure expectations and goals of volunteers are clearly spelled out.
- Allow for flexibility in scheduling volunteer duties.
- Provide opportunities for volunteers to ‘graduate’ to roles with more involvement and responsibility.
- Give volunteers a title, such as ‘Team Leader’ or ‘Assistant Coor dinator’.
- Offer honest evaluation and sincere words of gratitude—often.
- Publicly recognize your volunteers at meetings or in your club’s literature or web site credits.
- Provide free refreshments after each club event.
- Provide ‘off duty’ activities often, such as picnics or pizza parties.
- Reward volunteers with ‘freebies,’ such as t-shirts, buttons or other team/club merchandise.