How to recruit and retain volunteers

Learning Journal # 2 Volunteering work has great value for society due to the fact that many non-profit organizations cannot afford to pay for additional employment due to financial limitations and restrictions. The estimated value of volunteering work in terms of financial amount was $21. 36 in 2010 (Independentsector, 2011). Due to the importance of volunteers non-profit organizations have to develop strategies to recruit and retain volunteers. The purpose of this learning journal is to discuss the topic of volunteer recruitment and retention.
Most people do volunteer work out of the goodness of their hearts. Others performed the duty due to court-mandated work as part of the sentence from a judge. Irrelevant of the motive non-profit organizations have to promote themselves adequately to attract volunteers and financial donations. I selected an online-articled entitled How to Recruit and Retain Volunteers for further analysis of the topic. The article stated that three ways to recruit employees is by using personal contacts, going where the people are, and by getting the word out (Genv, Youth Venture, 2007). I totally agree with the strategies chosen in the article. Word of mouth advertising is priceless and the costs of implementation are minimal or nonexistent depending on the situation. Non-profit organizations have to be proactive in their marketing and recruiting initiatives. It is wise idea to formulate seminars to be present at different locations such as churches, universities, and public parks. Personal contacts can be very valuable. The manager of the non-profit organization has to use his or her network of family, friends, associates, and colleagues to directly recruit these individuals to donate some of their time. The decision maker or manager of the non-profit organization must possess excellent communication and leadership skills. The organization must also recruit volunteers from the corporate sector. Many private organizations are willing to provide support in terms of capital or manpower when non-profit organization ask for the help and are able to negotiate a deal.
The second important aspect of managing volunteers is being able to retain the personnel. A list of strategies and tactics that can be used to manage volunteers to keep them motivated and happy is listed below:
Be welcoming
Make the work fun for the person
Utilize the time of the volunteer wisely
Oversee the work of the volunteers to keep track of them
Implement training for the volunteers
Make sure the volunteers know their help in needed and appreciated
Properly recognize good work and reward it
People that are welcoming and nice create an environment that is pleasant for the volunteer which helps keep the volunteers interested. By making the work fun the volunteers enjoy their time which helps to keep them motivated. It is important not to waste the time of the volunteers because the may cause them to leave the place and volunteer for another organization. Volunteers that are well trained are able to produce more. A person that volunteers will come back to a place that they feel good and where the labor is fun and inspiring. It is imperative for the workers of a non-profit organization to show the appreciation for volunteers verbally and through the utilization of intrinsic rewards.
Volunteering is an important source of labor for non-profit organizations. Many non-profit organizations do not sufficient funds to pay for all the labor needed. The top managers of a non-profit organization have to learn how to recruit volunteers and to retain them. Some of the techniques that can be used to improve volunteer retention include training and development, providing a pleasant work environment, and showing appreciation for the work of volunteers.
References
Genv. net (2007). How to Recruit and Retain Volunteers. Youth Venture. Retrieved November 14, 2011 from
http://www. genv. net/enus/dream_it/team_building/how_recruit_and_retain_volunteers
Independentsector. com (2011). Value of Volunteer Time. Retrieved November 14, 2011 from
http://independentsector. org/volunteer_time