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6.Recruitingfriendsandfamilymembers
Aguideformanagers
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IntroductionThisguideistohelpyoutoencourageyourexistingvolunteerstobringfriendsorfamilymembersintovolunteeringwithWRVS.
Aswellashavinglotsofvolunteeringopportunitiestoprovidesupportdirectlytoolderpeople,theremaybeotherrolesinyourservicethatwouldbeattractivetopotentialvolunteers.Sothinkaboutthekindoftasksthatwouldreallyhelptodevelopyourservice.Itmightbeadministration,IT,publicity,volunteerrecruitment.Youmayfindthatsomethingalittledifferentattractsnewvolunteers.
Whyarewetargetingfriendsandfamilymembers?Weknowthatahighproportionofourvolunteersarerecruitedbywordofmouth.OurcurrentvolunteersareWRVS’bestambassadorsandcangiveanhonestaccountofthegreatworkwedo.Theyalsoliveinthecommunitiesthatweneedtoreach,sowhobettertotakethemessageoutthanalocalpersonwhoisoftenalreadyprominentintheircommunity.
Weknowthatoftenpeoplearenervousaboutmakingthatfirststeptowardsbecomingavolunteer.Theyaremuchmorelikelytogetinvolvedifafriendtellsthemaboutitandreassuresthem.
Howdofriendsandfamilymembersbenefitfromvolunteering?• They’llmakelotsofnewfriends
• Volunteeringwillhelptokeepthemactive.Itiswelldocumentedthatvolunteeringenhanceshealthandwellbeing
• They’llhavethesatisfactionofknowingtheyarehelpingothersandsupportingtheirlocalcommunity
• Volunteeringwillgivethemachancetolearnnewskillsandhaveinterestingnewexperiences
• Theywillbesharinganexperiencewithafriendorfamilymember
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GettingstartedMakesureyouhaveaclearideaofwhatvacanciesyouhave(times,datesetc.)andtheskillsyouneed.
Volunteer meetingsIfyouhavevolunteermeetingsorsocialeventsusetheopportunitytotalkaboutthevolunteeringopportunitiesthatyouhaveinyourservice.EncouragevolunteerstoinvitetheirfriendsandfamilytobecomeWRVSvolunteers.
Holdopenmeetingswherevolunteerscanactuallybringtheirfriendsalongforacoffeeandtofindoutmore.
Notice boardsUseanynoticeboardsyouhavetoencouragevolunteerstogetinvolvedinyour‘introduceafriend’campaign.
Publicity materialsGivevolunteersflyerstotakehomeandpassontotheirfriends.
Rememberevenifvolunteershavefriendswholiveinadifferentareatheycanstillgetinvolved.WRVShasservicesacrossEngland,ScotlandandWales.
Whatcanvolunteerswhoarefriendsofvolunteersdo?Likeallvolunteersthisgroupmayhaveothercommitmentsthattheyneedtoconsideralongwiththeirvolunteering.
Howeveringeneraltheywillbeabletoundertakeawiderangeofroles.Theymaywishtovolunteeralongsidetheirfriendorfamilymemberbutforothersthiswillnotbeanissue.
Findoutwhatskillstheyhaveandwhattheyareinterestedindoingandtrytofindthebestmatch.
HowdoImaintainanddeveloprecruitment?Useeveryopportunitytoremindcurrentvolunteersthatwithmorevolunteersyourservicecouldbeevenbetterandhelpmorepeople.
Whennewvolunteersstartaskthemiftheyhavefriendsorfamilymemberswhomightbeinterestedinjoiningthem.