Recruiting, Screening, & Matching:

Determining Volunteer Needs

A key to volunteer retention is connecting people with the right service opportunity or task. This process can include targeted recruitment, volunteer screening, and finally matching volunteers to specific roles. Before you begin recruiting volunteers, you need to outline what types of volunteers you need and what they will be doing.

An effective volunteer recruitment program begins with a volunteer program that is well planned and executed and that offers meaningful work. Program staff should clarify the work that needs to be done to achieve the goals of the project/program and then segment that work into components that reflect the reality of today’s work force.

You will need to consider the type(s) of volunteers you need for your project or program. Think beyond your traditional volunteer base. Do you need someone with many hours to devote to the project, or people who want to serve only one afternoon? Is the project appropriate for children, seniors, or other people with different abilities, needs, and interests? Some trends and groups to consider include:

• Long-term volunteering
  Long-term service provides volunteers the opportunity to commit to a project or program that spans an extended period of time.
  
• Short-term/episodic volunteering
  Episodic volunteer opportunities include those that are of short duration and those that occur at regular intervals, such as annual events.
  
• Family volunteering
  Family volunteering provides volunteers the opportunity to participate in meaningful service while spending time with their families.
• Student volunteering
  Through volunteering with schools and youth groups, young people gain valuable knowledge and skills.
  
• Internships
  Through internships, fellowships, and apprenticeships, students gain valuable experience while serving the community service organization.
  
• Virtual volunteering
  Virtual volunteering allows anyone to contribute time and expertise without ever leaving his or her home.
  

For many volunteer opportunities, you can work with an advisory team or conduct a survey to identify volunteer assignments that will help advance the goals of the program. If you are working on a specific service project, you can determine your volunteer needs through developing a task list. Consider what you want to accomplish and the tasks needed; then create a comprehensive list of the assignments and the number of volunteers needed for each task.

Once you determine your volunteer needs, outline their specific tasks through a volunteer position description. The volunteer position description is a very useful tool. It outlines responsibilities, support, and benefits of specific volunteer opportunities. It also strengthens your recruitment efforts because it defines the assignment, skills, abilities, and interests necessary to perform the task successfully.

A volunteer position description should include the following components:

• Title
  Provide a descriptive title that gives the volunteer a sense of identity. This will also help program staff and other volunteers understand the assigned role.
  
• Purpose/objective
  Use no more than two sentences to describe the specific purpose of the position. If possible, state the purpose in relation to the nonprofit’s mission and goals.
  
• Location
  Describe where the person will be working.
  
• Key responsibilities
  List the position’s major responsibilities. Clearly define what the volunteer is expected to do as part of this assignment.
  
• Qualifications
  Clearly list education, experience, knowledge, skills, and age requirements. Also note if the opportunity is accessible to people with disabilities. If a background check is required, it should be indicated here.
  
• Time commitment
  Note the length of the assignment, hours per week, and/or other special requirements.
  
• Training/support provided
  Define nature and length of all general and position-specific training required for the assignment. Also list resources and other support available to the volunteer.
  
• Benefits
  Describe benefits available to volunteer, such a lunch, T-shirt, development opportunities
  
• Volunteer supervisor and contact information
  List the staff person or volunteer leader who will be working most directly with the volunteer and his/her contact information.

Portions of the above information are taken from materials by Make A Difference, a member organization of Hands On Network; Volunteer Management by Steve McCurley and Rick Lynch (1997); http://www.serviceleader.org; and http://www.independentsector.org.

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