One important step in starting a program using older adults volunteers is finding the right volunteers.
Most nonprofits that have participated in the Models of Significant Service project through the National Council on Aging (NCOA) agree that not just any volunteer will do — instead, as with any job position, a good fit is essential to make the project run smoothly and well.
In a recent session in NCOA’s sold-out Webinar series Engaging Older Volunteers as Leaders in Your Organization, Ken Murray and Paddy Clark of the Southern Maine Agency on Aging (SMAA) shared their tips for recruiting and engaging leadership-level volunteers.
These tips are born of their experience developing a model called RSVP (Retired & Senior Volunteer Program) Capacity Corps, for which they sought volunteers with high-level skills to help SMAA with leadership projects. (Learn about the tasks these volunteers did.)
Use Your Networks for Publicity
As one strategy, they formed a steering committee with representatives from other organizations such as AARP state offices and Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and the Maine Commission on Community Service. This committee helped publicize the project to its own networks, which meant that when SMAA was ready to begin recruiting, people had already heard of the project.
SMAA also publicized the project through its own channels — its bimonthly newsletter and its Web site. It posted the notice on the free VolunteerMatch Web site and on the statewide matching service VolunteerMaine.org. It pitched the idea to cable TV and radio stations, ran articles in weekly community papers, and asked its project managers and the seniors it serves to spread the word. The Executive Director accepted speaking engagements and mentioned the project at meetings of coalitions and Area Agencies on Aging.
In short, SMAA networked, talking up the project at every possible opportunity.
Murray and Clark suggest that you seek out the special venues in your own community where you might reach mature adults with high-level skills. Examples include these:
–Businesses that encourage employees to volunteer.
–Education centers for older adults.
–Rotary and other service clubs.
–Senior centers and town programs for older adults.
–Employer retirement planning seminars.
–Professional associations for public relations, IT, development, etc.
Choose Messages that Pique Volunteers’ Interest
One important finding was that people responded better to an ad that included a skills list if they saw themselves in the list. After listing items such as strategic planning, information technology and development/fundraising, SMAA included a final choice: “Or tell us what you’d like to do.” This last item provided an open-ended invitation “that if they’d like to even nibble at the edges, we’d like to talk,” said Murray.
SMAA also found that these messages drew recruits:
–“Enjoy a flexible schedule.”
–“Join a team.”
–“Where your experience, wisdom and talents count.”
–“Work together to solve problems.”
–“Projects tailored to your skills and interests.”
Conveying the purpose of the project and how the volunteer’s skills could do good in the community was effective, too.
Engage the Volunteer
Once the volunteer is found, the task of engaging him or her begins.
Always meet one-on-one with the volunteer to assess skills and fit, explain the program, and engage the volunteer. Discuss expectations and the project itself, and let the volunteer know he or she will be part of the team and actively shaping the project. SMAA left details off its recruitment materials to allow this flexibility.
Get the relationship off on the right foot with an orientation. Include things like the project’s overall vision, issues the nonprofit is facing, the organization’s mission, policies and procedures, and how the volunteer can help.
Then, communicate often and well. Check in with the volunteer periodically so that he or she feels part of the team and knows what impact he or she is having on the project — an important component of satisfaction and engagement for older adult volunteers.
And now, communicate with us! Have you used any of these strategies yourself? Do you have other tips to share? If so, please post them in the comments.
Leading By Example 