Six top tips for working with volunteers

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Looking for new volunteers for your group? Read our top tips

Are you looking to recruit more volunteers to help you out? A great, loyal and skilled volunteer team can be vital for success. 

Sported have put together their top tips to help you recruit and keep your volunteers engaged. 

Identify roles

Volunteers are more likely to sign up when they know what they will be doing. This includes time commitment, location, expectations, and support they can expect to receive. The roles should be engaging and interesting, whilst addressing the needs of your organisation.

Tap into your network

You don’t always have to advertise widely or recruit externally to find volunteers. Reach out to your local network of colleagues, friends, and parents to get involved.

Recruitment

If you do need to look further afield, connect with your local volunteer centre or other voluntary sector organisations. Not only can you advertise your roles – usually for free – they are also a great resource for support and guidance.

There are also websites such as DoIt.life or vinspired.com where you can recruit volunteers of all ages with a wide array of skills.

Appreciation

It’s important to recognise volunteers’ time and support. Recognition and appreciation can be as simple as saying “Thank You” on a regular basis, individual support, and offering chances to develop skills and provide feedback. 

Policies and procedures

If you’re planning on using volunteers regularly in a structured way, you may want to consider developing specific volunteer policies and procedures.

Depending on the roles and the audiences you work with, volunteers may also need references checked and a Disclosures and Barring Service (DBS check).

Get in touch with your local volunteer centre for more personalised support or start by visiting NCVO.org.uk for useful information.

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