When recruiting volunteers for an event, a festival, a sporting event or something else, there are many things to think about. With volunteers, you have to remember that they are actually involved voluntary, which means that you as an organizer must act professionally and thoughtfully. Here are our top tips for succeeding in recruiting.
How many volunteers do you need?
Do a needs analysis internally. You need to know exactly how many people you need to complete all the tasks. Set up all the tasks and the number of people you need for each task, and get a full overview.
What are your skills needs?
Do you need special professionals, such as doctors, first aiders, people with management experience or something else? You must have this completely clear to you before the recruitment process begins. Clarify the competence needs, so both you and the volunteers know the requirements.
How do you recruit for the different roles?
The competence requirements must be very clear as you start recruiting. Special expertise should perhaps be obtained from special environments. Get the critical roles in place first, before you start recruiting more "ordinary" roles.
Pay attention to the different motivational factors
Some will volunteer just to attend an event, some are intimidated by their partner, while others are genuinely interested in giving their all. Try in the best possible way to map all volunteers' actual motivation to show up. Create forms that are filled out in the recruitment process.
Remember formal requirements
Age and life experience can often be important in relation to the task. It is e.g. not right to give a 10-year-old a lot of responsibility. Personality sensitivity is just as important! Do not ask about politics, allergies, diseases, religion, etc. Get exactly what you need, and no more, to do the first round of qualifying.
Which channels should one recruit in?
In some cases, Facebook, Ad Words and similar channels can be good for recruiting volunteers. Feel free to think a little new, so that the recruitment does not drown in everything else. Always set a clear geographical and demographic boundary before the recruitment process. If the event is in Oslo, you hardly need volunteers from Stockholm.
When to recruit?
This varies slightly in relation to. what one arranges, but it is important to think about. If, for example. is a music festival, so one must be careful not to recruit too early. Very few know what they are going to do in many months, and suddenly something else they would rather do. If it happens to 300 people, then it may mean that you have to start a new recruitment process. Closer actually gives less dropout in many cases.
Take care of the volunteers
The onboarding process must be completely flawless and carefully planned BEFORE the volunteers begin to sign up. If the process is poor, there is a risk that volunteers will withdraw. A good experience and a sense of professionalism make volunteers feel welcome and want to be with you all the way.
Actively build the database
Remember that it is a lengthy process to get volunteers. Through good onboarding, clear communication and consideration for the volunteers, you keep the ones you have already acquired. When you build a solid tribe in the volunteer database over time, you do not have to recruit a lot every year. Use volunteers to recruit friends and acquaintances.
Give clear expectations
It is very important that you are very clear on what you expect from the volunteers - and what you give back. The re-service can be free admission, free food, a free party or just a pat on the back. The important thing is that the volunteers know exactly what they are getting in return for their efforts.
"An event is just an event by virtue of the volunteers. Giving the volunteers a good experience, and taking good care of them, helps us keep them from event to event. When you know how much it costs to hold an event, the price for Mobilise becomes a very small part of the total budget - and a very stupid place to try to save money. "
Thomas Nolan Hansen, World Cross Country Championships 2019, Aarhus
