KidCheck Secure Children's and Youth Check-In Shares Ten Strategies to Recruit Volunteers in Fall

Fall represents a change in direction and is the perfect time to grow your program and recruit new volunteers. Many of these strategies can be used throughout the year and are designed to attract a wide range of potential volunteers. However, people are drawn more outside with the cooler weather, changing colors, and the lure of pumpkin spice, making the fall season a unique opportunity to connect with others.

Here are ten strategies to use the fall energy to recruit new volunteers:

 

1. Host a Fall Event

A fall gathering is the perfect opportunity to connect with potential new volunteers. Several community events can be hosted in the fall, such as harvest parties, pumpkin patch visits, flag football tournaments, or tailgate parties for a local sports team.

2. Leverage Social Media

Your online platforms provide an excellent opportunity to reach different audiences and attract new volunteers. Use social media to highlight seasonal activities and events, special projects, and volunteer openings.

3. Join Forces with Local Schools

Partner with local high schools and colleges to engage students looking for volunteer hours to build resumes, develop skills, perform community service, or fulfill educational requirements.

4. Offer a Referral Program

Word-of-mouth is free and one of the most effective ways to grow your volunteer team. Referral programs encourage current volunteers to bring in people they know and offer incentives, recognition, and small rewards for sharing their experiences.

5. Connect with Corporate Volunteer Programs

Many local businesses encourage their employees to reinvest in their communities through participation in volunteer programs. Reach out to these businesses and offer team-building experiences, ways to give back, and support local children.

6. Promote Short-Term or Seasonal Opportunities

People are busy and can be apprehensive about a long-term volunteer commitment, especially if they have a family. That’s why it’s helpful to offer volunteer opportunities of varying lengths. For example, you can feature fall events, clean-up projects, or food drives closer to the holidays.

7. Utilize Local Media & Public Bulletins

Newspapers, radio, and community bulletins are great ways to spread the word about volunteer needs. These legacy platforms are always willing to help promote local charitable events, especially if you can connect them to a seasonal activity.

8. Offer Flexible Opportunities

By offering flexible hours, support from home, or virtual volunteer opportunities, you will appeal to a broader audience, including those who may want to volunteer but feel their busy schedule is a constraint.

9. Share Testimonials and Success Stories

Showing potential volunteers the impact they can make is a powerful way to get them on board. People like to know their efforts make a difference, so having current or past volunteers share their stories can motivate new people to get involved.

10. Participate in Farmer’s Markets and Community Events

Booth space at local events like a fall market or fair is often affordable and an excellent way to speak directly with your community and explain how people can volunteer.

Getting It All Done

Your fall outreach activities should be a part of the larger strategy to recruit, manage, and offer a memorable experience for volunteers. To help, consider our volunteer scheduling tool. It saves time, reduces manual processes, and simplifies scheduling.

Click here to learn more about the benefits of using secure children’s, youth check-in, and volunteer scheduling to help manage your events, keep families smiling, and improve safety. You can also subscribe to the KidCheck blog or connect with us on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Photo by Cecile Vedemil on Unsplash