Volunteer recruitment is the LAST STEP
09:44, 30 June 2009
.. Posted in Volunteerism and Volunteer Management.. Link
(this blog entry is inspired by a current discussion on UKVPMS)
There's nothing new about web sites that allow people to apply for volunteering opportunities, and nothing new about volunteering opportunities that can be done virtually, from a volunteer's home, work, school or neighborhood tech center. VolunteerMatch, then called Impact Online, started in 1994, and Idealist started in 1995 -- both allowing organizations to post traditional onsite volunteering opportunities, and individuals to express interest in such. The Virtual Volunteering Project began researching and promoting virtual volunteering / online volunteering opportunities in 1996.
Many new online tools have emerged since then, and that's great. HOWEVER, in addition to these online tools making it easier for organizations to recruit volunteers and for volunteers to find such, there is a downside: with all these online tools, it's never been easier to disappoint large numbers of potential volunteers.
Too many organizations start using the many online tools out there to recruit volunteers, either for traditional onsite roles or for online roles, without having all the systems in place to put applicants into a screening process immediately, put accepted volunteers into tasks quickly, and provide volunteers the support they need. I've been researching online recruitment of volunteers since 1994, and I can tell you that the number one complaint I've heard again and again is from people who want to volunteer: "I signed up to help with the assignment, and the organization never got back to me/didn't get back to me for months and, by then, I wasn't available any more." That complaint gets voiced regularly in surveys, in emails, in online discussion groups, and when people hear what I do professionally and want to vent about their repeated attempts to volunteer (it's happened everywhere from dinner parties to planes to concerts and probably lines for the women's bathroom).
With online tools, it's not only never been easier to disappoint large numbers of potential volunteers; with online tools, those disappointed people can let a lot of people know just how frustrated they are re: your organization. So it's never been more important to have all your ducks in a row: before you use any of these online tools to recruit volunteers, map out exactly how you will screen new recruits quickly, put them into assignments quickly, and provide them support in assignments. And be ready to respond to online applicants *immediately* -- a few weeks is too long!
