Worldwide, NGOs and public organizations rely heavily on their volunteers. In fact, volunteers can serve as a financial support for these companies, simply because they don’t receive financial compensation. As the pandemic continues to cause changes and shifts throughout different financial and societal fields, the question arises as to how cultural institutions manage to recruit volunteers, having in mind that the sector is amongst the most hard-hit as a consequence of the pandemic.
On a lighter note, we do have some tips that you might want to consider in the process of finding volunteers, and most importantly, on how you can motivate them.
How to reach out
Essentially, employers have three options when it comes to finding volunteers. First and obvious: word of mouth. That means, use your network to spread the word and hereby potentially reach a volunteer. Keep in mind though, that by taking this step you somewhat rely on luck. A second way would be to reach out through events, such as job fairs, which can be valuable since you have the opportunity to talk to potential applicants in person, presenting your company and the advantages of volunteering. But, considering the current COVID related measures, at the moment this option seems to some extent impractical. If you are looking for volunteers urgently, we suggest you make use of digital platforms – such as Culturele Vacaturebank – which will ensure that a large amount of possible applicants will be reached. A combination of tactics is also always suitable.
Make your case
This might seem evident, however, presenting the perks of volunteering at your organization will make the position more attractive. It might help to consider this step as a form of strategic marketing, which can be applied to make a strong business case out of a “simple” volunteering vacancy. As a framework you will need to reflect on the exact profile you are looking for, in order to create a vacancy that will attract your target group, as well as the concrete tasks you would like them to complete.
Provide opportunities
As with paid employees, it is important to keep your volunteers motivated. Think of ways that your business can offer opportunities, whether that is giving constructive feedback, teaching new skills or even off-work employee gatherings. And don’t forget to acknowledge the volunteers’ contribution by providing them with a recommendation letter, in case they need it.
Keep in mind:
Volunteers who had positive experiences at your organization are very likely to share the word and this way reach future candidates.
Looking ahead
Improve your recruiting strategy continuously. Think of your recruitment process, your target group, and welcome feedback from the volunteers on your work as an employer. You can also seek adice by professionals, like recruitment marketing agency AskSem, who will happily help you in this process. By implementing these factors you will ensure the next recruitment process will run even more smoothly!
