Today is International Volunteer Day so we thought we’d share some tips on the best ways to go about attracting some amazing volunteers into your credit union, or any organisation for that matter! This day is here to celebrate those who volunteer and to encourage others to dedicate more of their time to volunteering for a good cause or for their community. So, let’s take a look at how to reach those you want to volunteer for you!
Does your community have a magazine or publication? If they do, it’s a good idea to use this to your advantage and let people know you’re on the search for some volunteers. Remember to detail what they will be doing and what kind of commitments you’re looking for! You’re then guaranteed to get the right people coming through the door.
Speak to your members about volunteering when they are in branch. It could be to ask them or to even spread the word to friends and family that you’re on the lookout. You can even put up some posters in your window and hand out flyers to passers-by. You never know who’s looking to volunteer so it’s a good idea to cover all of your bases.
Many of the younger generation will be looking for some work experience and volunteering opportunities. Get on to social media and spread the word online. Post on your channels about what volunteer work you have available and give people effective calls to action, like giving you a call or popping into the branch to discuss it further.
If you have volunteers in your credit union, why not dedicate some of their time to recruiting more volunteers if you need them. They may know people who are in a similar position to them and would be interested in volunteering. They could even get out into the community and talk to people about giving up some of their time to help their fellow community members. Attending local functions, coffee mornings, fayres and even local schools could help drive in some new volunteers. Speak to young and older school children, this means you’ll always be in the front of their mind when it comes to getting some work experience.
Everyone volunteers for a reason. Whether it’s a cause close to their hearts, for the experience or just because it’s a good thing to do. Whatever your volunteering opportunity, let people know the difference they'll be making. Tell them that it’s helping their community, allowing you to continue to give access to affordable finance and creating a place where people can manage their money with the personal service they need. Don’t forget to remind them what they’ll get out of it too. Such as, what kind of experience they'll get and what good they are going to be doing for others. This could be the difference in someone volunteering for your organisation or somewhere else.
So, whatever you’re doing this International Volunteer Day – don’t forget to celebrate your own volunteers and think about how you are going to get some more in to drive your mission!
