30 great volunteer recruiting ideas

30 Great Volunteer

Recruiting Ideas

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and explanations are interjected in yellow)

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2010 30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

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Why Did You Decide to Volunteer for AYSO?


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• Love Soccer• Want to help children have a positive

experience• Wife/husband volunteered me• Love dealing with problems• Friends are involved• Real job is boring• If I didn’t do it the team would be dissolved• Knew I could do a better job• Believe in AYSO’s Philosophies

Reasons for Volunteering


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• Pay is exceptional• Former Registrar, etc. quit• AYSO is the best program for my kids• Wanted to be a role model for my children• Wanted a trophy• Looked like fun• Just wanted to help• Needed more stress in my life• Did it for my personal growth• Wanted to contribute to the community

Reasons for Volunteering


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Idea #1

Determine how many volunteers are needed


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• Start with the Regional Coach Administrator. “Last year there were 8 teams in the U-6 Boys Division. Being optimistic, this year you are anticipating 10 teams. This means that in the U-6 Boys Division your Region will need 10 coaches and 10 assistant coaches.”

• This process needs to be done for each division. You will then have a master list of not just a total number but a number for each division.

• Start Volunteer Position Charts to track needs (see next slide)


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U-6 BoysCoaches Asst. Coaches

1. John Ouellette 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

4. 4.

5. 5.

6. 6.

7. 7.

8. 8.

9. 9.

10. 10.


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• The Regional Referee Administrator uses these team lists to determine how many referees will be needed in each division.

• All other board members should use a similar process.


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Idea #2

Appoint a Volunteer

Coordinator.

What are some things that this volunteer might

do?


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Volunteer Coordinator

• Works with each Regional board member to identify volunteer needs

• Works with the Registrar to help set up a process at registration to recruit the necessary volunteers

• After registration, determines how many volunteers are still needed

• Distributes this list to each Regional board member

• Involves/coordinates all Regional board members in the recruiting process


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Idea #3

Decide when and where to recruit.

What is the best opportunity of all?


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Registration

A Region should be able to recruit 90% of the

volunteers that it needs at registration.


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What are other Recruiting opportunities?

• Game Days• Practices• Late Registrations• Events (opening day ceremonies,

community activities, meetings, etc.)• Advertisements (posters at fields,

newsletters, Web sites, etc,)


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Idea #4

Just Ask…

Who?When?Why?


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• Ask as parents as they come in the door at Registration

• Say: “We need every parent to volunteer in some way. Please help us”

• Don’t assume that parents will know that you need volunteers. They need to be asked.

Ask Everyone


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Idea #5

Post the six AYSO Philosophies at Registration.How many Regions do that

now?


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• Laminate them as big as possible• Put them in a prominent Position• Be Proud of who we are

Everyone PlaysBalanced TeamsOpen RegistrationPositive CoachingGood SportsmanshipPlayer Development

AYSO Philosophies


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Idea #6

Have lists posted to show how many volunteers you actually

need

100

Coaches

60

Referees

50

Team Parents


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• Use lists created by Regional Board to determine number of volunteers needed

• Tape the lists to the front of each position table (coach, referee, team parents, field coordinators, division coordinators, etc.)

• Put poster size versions of each list behind each table and around the room


1. J. Ouellette 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

4. 4.

5. 5.

6. 6.

7. 7.

8. 8.

9. 9.

10. 10.


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Idea #7

Categorize lists at Registration


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•

Which Jobs require some soccer knowledge or

experience?• Coach• Referee

Idea #7

Categorize lists at Registration


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Let’s ask that question again.

Which volunteer jobs require no soccer

knowledge or experience?


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All Other Positions!• Team Parent• Division Coordinator• Registrar• Safety Director• Treasurer• Picture Day Volunteer• Registration Day Volunteer• Regional Commissioner• Newsletter Editor• Regional Website Administrator• Concessions• Fund Raising Coordinator• Uniform Coordinator• Publicity Coordinator

AYSO Positions that do not require Soccer knowledge or experience

Can you think of others?


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Is soccer knowledge or experience required to

volunteer?

Absolutely not!


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Soccer knowledge & experience are not required to

volunteer for any position - including coach and referee

because AYSO provides all the training required!


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Idea #8

All board members should be at Registration to recruit for their own discipline. WHY?


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All Board members should be at Registration

• Coach Administrator recruits coaches• Referee Administrator recruits referees• You get the idea• Treasurer collects money and/or

appoints trained volunteer to do it• Safety Director can help recruit field

inspectors, field coordinators, helpers


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Idea #9

You need a very spacious room


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•To spread out and allow parents and workers to interact

•Why is this important?


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• Allows people to socialize, get to know each other, and feel welcome

• People are more inclined to volunteer when they feel part of a “community”

• Gives people more opportunities to talk about needs and questions


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Information/Forms

Tables

Tables

TablesWith Pens, A Parent’s Guide to AYSO and other information

Sample Uniforms For Sizing

Volunteer Recruitment

RegionalInformation

SNACKS!!

Playing AYSO Video

Playing AYSO Video

T-ShirtsVendors

CleatExchangeEtc.

Computers,

Sorters,

Organizers

FormCheckers

Cashier

Registration Floor Plan


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Idea #10

Serve refreshments for workers, parents and players

What could you serve?


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• Make some of the refreshments “child friendly”

• Mention the refreshments to all parents as they come in the room – it gets parents to relax and stay longer

• Your workers deserve a break

Refreshments


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Idea #11

Have a speed line for returning volunteers

It makes them feel special and new parents will notice


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Idea #12

Make sure that every geographic area, community and school is represented by the workers at

registration.

Why is this important?


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• If you only have men working at registration, it might be intimidating to women who might want to volunteer.

• As you walk into registration and you see someone from your neighborhood or school, how will that make you feel?

• Change and add some new workers every year so that it doesn’t feel like a “good old boy” clique

Diversity


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Idea #13

Have workers wear a large name badge that says in their

language: I speak Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Japanese,

Hebrew, Bosnian, etc….

Why would we do this?


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Idea #14

Have a Children’s Corner

Any ideas?


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• Serve child friendly food – only with parents’ permission

• Play a video children would like• Have a drawing contest – ask each child to

draw a soccer picture and put pictures up on the wall. Give each child who draws a picture a coupon for a free prize. Award a significant prize for the winner

• Play games with the children. Utilize some of the teenage AYSO players to do this

• Have a player raffle ($0.25 a ticket)

Children’s Corner


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Idea #15

Target New Parents

They want to be involved in their children’s lives.

If they don’t volunteer for AYSO, they will volunteer elsewhere.


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Idea #16

Use a flyer or form to help parents decide how they want to volunteer

Look at the next few flyers and decide what the benefit might be for each one


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Wit ho ut vo l un t eer s, w e w o u l d n o t be abl e t o pr o vide t he po sit ive, f un an d exc it in g AYSO so c c er pr o g r am t o your kids.

Ever ybo dy n eeds t o pit c h in an d hel p!!!! Please write the letter of your choices to help your child’s team: A. Coach: Spend quality time with your child and bring smiles to a whole team. We provide training and

equipment. You provide the fun. Moms and dads welcome!!

B. Assistant Coach: Help your child’s coach. Again, we provide training.

C. Referee: We provides training and equipment; you get to learn the laws of the game and to blow a whistle as loud as you can. Each team in U6, U8 and U10 will be assigned a referee to handle the games.

D. Team Parent: Someone needs to organize the parents to provide refreshments and support for the kids. You get to set the schedule.

E. Soccer Camp Volunteer: Help organize our annual summer soccer camp. F. Registration: Without registration, we have no program. Help to register players and volunteers. We

only do this twice a year, but need lots of help. Bi-lingual help is needed. G. Field Lining: Learn to operate a field lining machine!! H. Goal Set up and Take down: just like it sounds—before and after games.

I. Extra Program Volunteer: Help with scheduling and organizing the Extra (travel & tournament) program.

J. VIP Volunteer: Work to expand a great program for children with special needs.

K. Publicity: Work on “Soccer Goals”, our newsletter, our website, and help distribute information about our program to participants in the program and the community.

L. Fundraising: Raise money to support our program. M. Purchasing: We buy lots of things—you can help pick them out.

N. Cleat Exchange

O. Fields & Grounds: Help to make sure that our fields are in playable condition and are left in good shape.

P. Special Events: Picture Day, Coaches’ Dinner, Soccer Game Trips. They are special--so are you.

Q. Concession Worker: Help to raise money for the program by selling food at baseball and soccer games

WE THANK YOU AND YOUR KIDS THANK YOU ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Father/MaleGuardian: _________________________________________________1stChoice:_____2ndChoice__ Mother/FemaleGuardian: _______________________________________________1stChoice:_____2ndChoice__ Child’s Name(s):___________________________________________________________________________________ Telephone: __________________________________________Email:__________________________________


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AYSO Region 82 Volunteer Form

Child(s) Name(s):____________________________________ Age(s) ____________ Parent(s) Name(s):___________________________________Phone #_______________

In order to have a smoothly run and well-organized soccer region, EVERYONE needs to help. Volunteers run our entire organization, and we need you to please mark one area in which you would be willing to help Region 82. Please fill out this form and return it with your registration form(s). Your child will not be registered without a signed volunteer form.

We provide free training clinics and offer additional help for the following positions:

_____ I would like to coach a team – responsible for running the team practices and making line-up cards for games. No experience needed.

_____ I would like to assist a coach – cover when the coach is not available. No experience needed.

_____ I would like to referee – knowledge of the game is helpful but not necessary. Adults and youths may be referees.

_____ I would like to assist the referee – lining the games, calling out of bounds and offside.

The following jobs need no experience or training. Anyone can do it, even you!

_____ I would like to be a team parent – schedule half-time refreshments, distribute uniforms, telephone duties.

_____ I would like to help maintain the fields – help get fields ready for the season, line fields before games, set up and maintain goals, clean up at the end of day.

______Saturday, June 27, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. @ Teague Park

______Saturday and/or Sunday in mid to late August @ Isbell School

_____ I would like to coordinate the snack bar – buy and sell candy through the snack bar trailer, schedule the shifts for each game day.

_____ I would like to coordinate the field staff - schedule the field coordinators to patrol the fields during the games.

_____ I would like to check in teams – make sure each team is properly attired, without jewelry, and ready to play their game 15 minutes before it starts.

_____ I would like to be a board member - see Ron Merson about available positions.

Help us reach our goal of a successful 2004 – 2005 soccer season. Please return this form with your registration form(s). Thank you.


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Volunteer Form Child’s Name___________________________________ Age_____________ Parent’s Signature_____________________________ __ Phone___________ I n order to have a smoothly run and well organized soccer region, EVERYONE must help. Our entire organization is run by volunteers and we need you to please check below one of the areas in which you would be willing to help our region. Please sign this f orm and hand it in so we know that you have given this your consideration. Please help us. ______ I would like to coach a team ______ I would like to be an assistant coach ______ I would like to learn to be a ref eree

_____ I would like to referee at soccer games

We provide free training clinics and off er any additional help for the above positions.

___ I will be a team parent f or my child’s team. ___Distribution of team unif orms ___Schedule half -time ref reshments

___Help with cancellation calls ___Yearbook

___Typing ___Artwork ___Layout ___Sponsors ___Soccerf est ___Cook hot dogs ___Fill drinks ___Sell Shirts ___Registration ___Assist fi lling out registration forms ___Assist with uniforms ___Cashier ___Distributing posters and fl iers ___Player / Parent/ Coaches Meeting ___Sell shin guards ___Help distribute equipment ___Field Maintenance

___Mark lines on fi elds ___Set up goals and maintain ___Pick up litter


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WELCOME TO AYSO SOCCER! Child(s) Name_____________________ AGE____ Parent(s) Name__________________________ Phone # ____________

Please check one or more of the activities listed below as your contribution to the season’s success.

Head Coach

Responsible for running the team practices and making line ups at games. No experience needed! We have a coach’s clinic and training manuals to help you along the way.

Assistant Coach

Responsible for assisting the Head Coach. No experience needed! A clinic and pamphlets available to help you. Cover the head coach when and if he/she is not available.

Referee Knowledge of the game is helpful! Both Referee’s clinic and pamphlets are available. Start in U 6 and do just a few games this season. You are more than welcome to referee your child’s game.

Linesperson Assist the referee in game control, by calling out of bounds and off-side. Field Equipment

Team Deliver and pick up from assigned field, the field boxes and corner flags. The more on this team - the easier for all.

Field Lining Team

Setting up the size in the beginning of the season and lining of assigned fields during the season. The more people there are on this team the easier it is for everyone.

Registration

Committee Work once or twice during the three days of registration.

Publicity

Committee When needed contact newspapers or deliver fliers about our program to schools and businesses.

Keyboarding Work once during the three days of registration entering player information into the computer.

Team Parent

I will be a team parent for my child(s) team. My job will be to schedule half-time refreshments, help with cancellation calls, and distribute team uniforms and fliers. When possible we will have two on a team.

Board Member Work with other volunteers on the board to help implement the AYSO soccer program in our region.

Help us reach our goal of a successful 2004 – 2005 soccer season. Please return this form with your registration form Thank you.

Be a Volunteer!


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Idea #17

Identify Region workers at registration.

Why would this help in recruiting volunteers?


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• Identify Workers with the same shirt or hat and use name badges with first name – as large as possible - and volunteer position

• Customer service – helps parents find assistance

• Demonstrates the need for many volunteersRosann

e

Identifying Region Staff


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Idea #18

Acknowledge recruitment successes

What does this mean?Who should do it?


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Acknowledge Each Volunteer Recruited

• Walk the volunteer over to the RC who shakes his/her hand, says “Thank You”

• Present a small gift (pen, refrigerator magnet, pin) to each volunteer

• Set up a thermometer on the wall which marks significant milestones in achieving the goal of recruiting 100% of the volunteers needed

• The Registrar and RC’s job at registration should be to acknowledge and thank each new volunteer and welcome every family to AYSO


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Idea #19

Use “Floaters” to recruit“Floaters” – What are they?


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Floaters are registration workers whose job is to:

• Fill in when other workers are taking a break• Sit down next to parents and ask if they have

any questions about volunteering for a job• Escort new volunteers to meet the coach or

referee administrator or someone who can give them additional information about their new job


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Idea #20

Have a Welcome Committee

Region 100 in Kailua, HI does this


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• Set up cafeteria tables with four or five of your friendliest AYSO volunteers on one side

• On the other side, invite new parents to sit and fill out the Player Registration Form and hopefully sign up to volunteer

• It is an opportunity to answer any of the parents’ questions and to recruit them

Welcoming Committee


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Regions often struggle to get enough volunteers. The goal is to create a feeling and an attitude in your Region that volunteer help is important, welcome and the more the merrier.


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Idea #21

Consider Alternate Times and Locations for

Registration


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• What about a Tuesday or Sunday night?• An “Early Bird” registration with coffee

and donuts for everyone might attract some additional volunteers

• How would a registration at an additional location help in recruiting volunteers?

• What are some alternate times and locations that your Region uses?

Things to Consider….


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Idea #22

Beware of husbands and wives who don’t want to volunteer.

What do they do instead?


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Sign up their Spouses!

• Next to the spouse’s name, put a tiny “sp” to indicate that the volunteer was not at registration so that someone can follow up.


1. John Ouellette 1.

2. Joe Volunteer (sp)

2.

3. 3.

4. 4.

5. 5.

6. 6.

7. 7.

8. 8.

9. 9.

10. 10.


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• Give the husband or wife printed information to take home to the “new volunteer”

• Remind the husband or wife to tell their spouse that they are officially an AYSO volunteer

• Call the “new volunteer” within two weeks. You are calling to welcome the new volunteer to AYSO and tell them when the training will be. You are NOT calling to see if they want to be an AYSO volunteer


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Idea # 23

Turn a problem into a recruiting opportunity


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•Problem:Parents take the pens

used at registration

•Solution:Buy 1000 pens from a catalog that say: “AYSO – its for the kids” or that have Region # and phone #


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•Problem:Children are running around during registration

•Solution:Plan some activities for the children so that parents can relax and “volunteer”


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•Problem:Returning volunteers are taken for granted

•Solution:Give them a gift. It could be a refrigerator magnet, a candy bar with an AYSO wrapper, a raffle ticket for a great prize, etc.


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•Problem:Recruiting volunteers is not fun

•Solution:Ring a bell or find some other fun way to recognize every time a new volunteer is recruited


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Idea #24

Form collaborations with other youth programs and advertise

AYSO.

Any thoughts?


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Check out:• Girl and Boy Scouts• Marching Bands• Dance Studios• Nursery Schools/Pre-Schools• Gymnastics• Youth Basketball• Swimming Clubs• Church Youth Groups


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Idea #25

Make recruiting volunteers a card game. What?


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• If you know that you will need 40 coaches, have 40 laminated blue coach cards. Each card has the position and a brief description

• Color code all of the other volunteer positions in a similar way

• Invite parents to “Play a card game with AYSO”


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Idea #26

The recruiting process should be organized


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“Follow the Yellow Brick Road”

• Number each station to make sure that parents stop at each recruiting table

• Provide a description of each AYSO position that is needed


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Idea # 27

Run a slide show at registration of volunteers doing their job and having fun


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Idea #28

Recruit at eye level

What does that mean?Why is it important?

If parents are sitting at a table, sit down next to them and try to recruit. It is intimidating to ask for help when you are looking down at someone


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Do you need to fill Regional board positions?

Here are the three best ideas of them

all!


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29.Hand pick some great AYSO volunteers and invite them to the Section Conference

30.Make sure that they interact with the current board members during meals and at social gatherings

31.Suggest some workshops that you know they will benefit from


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Now that you have your volunteers, find out how

you can keep them!

Don’t forget to attend the “30 Fantastic

Volunteer Retention Ideas” Workshop

30 great volunteer recruiting ideas

Documents

volunteer coordinatorworks

volunteer needsworks

volunteer position charts

regional board members

boys division

regional referee administrator

regional coach administrator

recruiting opportunities