We asked AVOW’s new Community Development Officer if they had any tips on how to get volunteers this was her response.
1. Understand the difference between a volunteer and a member of staff
Volunteering is an activity which is undertaken freely and by choice, is of public/ community benefit and not undertaken for financial gain. The ideal volunteering role should be fun and engaging with opportunities for support. A staff member will be paid, will have a contract of employment and a job description with clear targets whose role may or may not be of public or community benefit.
2. Think about what you would like the volunteers to do and write it all down
A clear list of tasks called a role description is very useful, you can add what the person will do, where the person will work, session times and if you will be able to pay for any expenses such as bus fare to and from the session. This will help you to get the right volunteer. AVOW can help members with examples if needed.
3. Think about the kind of person who will enjoy the role, what skills and experiences might help?
There is a voluntary role for everyone but its good to take some time to match the right person with the right role. For example if you want someone to chat to community members then you will need to find someone who is already comfortable doing this or is willing to have a good go with a bit of support. You can write all the details of the opportunity on the role description so that people know what the role entails before they apply.
4. Who will support the volunteers when they are new or have questions or issues?
A good start with a ‘volunteer induction’ will make things a lot easier for you and the volunteer, having someone to show them the ropes, introduce them to everyone, show them how to stay safe in the role and provide ongoing support and thanks is important. AVOW can support members with an example induction checklist and volunteer support tools to help you.
5. What do they need to know to do their role?
Does the person need specific training to do their role? For example if you are working with food it would be useful for someone to already have a food safety certificate but this shouldn’t stop you from recruiting someone who doesn’t. You can always contact AVOW who provide essential training for member groups volunteers such as first aid, health and safety and can signpost to safeguarding training.
6. Who will do their role if they are unavailable?
If you are relying on a volunteer to help provide a service such as a weekly coffee morning and they can’t make it one week or for a few weeks you will need a fall back plan. Think about maybe recruiting a few people to ensure that there is always someone available.
7. Have you done everything to make your space accessible whether that is someone in a wheelchair or if someone needs to bring their children to the session?
If you can make adjustments for someone to take part then do so but if you can’t then you can be open and honest about this during recruitment. Think about other roles at your group or organisation that may be more suitable, if not AVOW can support members with other opportunities.
8. How will you make sure everyone is safe?
The safety of volunteers and the community is important, there are simple things that can be put in place to make sure you reduce the risk of harm. AVOW staff can help members with good governance tools like risk assessments, insurance and safeguarding which are essential when working with volunteers. We also encourage people to provide personal or professional references before they volunteer so that we get a better idea of the person and their background.
9. How will you share the volunteer opportunity?
Think about the different ways that you can share the opportunity, are there people in the community that you know who may be interested. Can you print out a poster, share on local social media groups? AVOW can also support members with promoting the opportunity and putting people in touch with you.
10. How will you ensure that the person is right for the role and that this is the right role for them?
It will be useful to ask them to write down or tell you why they are interested in the role and what they want to get from it. An informal meeting/interview will give you the opportunity to discuss the role and ensure that its right for the person.
An AVOW Membership is only £10 a year and includes many benefits which you can see here. If you need any support with this or if you want to get any more information you can get in contact with AVOW by calling 01978 312556 or sending an email to [email protected].
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