6.Recruitingfriendsandfamilymembers

Aguideformanagers

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IntroductionThisguideistohelpyoutoencourageyourexistingvolunteerstobringfriendsorfamilymembersintovolunteeringwithWRVS.

Aswellashavinglotsofvolunteeringopportunitiestoprovidesupportdirectlytoolderpeople,theremaybeotherrolesinyourservicethatwouldbeattractivetopotentialvolunteers.Sothinkaboutthekindoftasksthatwouldreallyhelptodevelopyourservice.Itmightbeadministration,IT,publicity,volunteerrecruitment.Youmayfindthatsomethingalittledifferentattractsnewvolunteers.

Whyarewetargetingfriendsandfamilymembers?Weknowthatahighproportionofourvolunteersarerecruitedbywordofmouth.OurcurrentvolunteersareWRVS’bestambassadorsandcangiveanhonestaccountofthegreatworkwedo.Theyalsoliveinthecommunitiesthatweneedtoreach,sowhobettertotakethemessageoutthanalocalpersonwhoisoftenalreadyprominentintheircommunity.

Weknowthatoftenpeoplearenervousaboutmakingthatfirststeptowardsbecomingavolunteer.Theyaremuchmorelikelytogetinvolvedifafriendtellsthemaboutitandreassuresthem.

Howdofriendsandfamilymembersbenefitfromvolunteering?• They’llmakelotsofnewfriends

• Volunteeringwillhelptokeepthemactive.Itiswelldocumentedthatvolunteeringenhanceshealthandwellbeing

• They’llhavethesatisfactionofknowingtheyarehelpingothersandsupportingtheirlocalcommunity

• Volunteeringwillgivethemachancetolearnnewskillsandhaveinterestingnewexperiences

• Theywillbesharinganexperiencewithafriendorfamilymember

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GettingstartedMakesureyouhaveaclearideaofwhatvacanciesyouhave(times,datesetc.)andtheskillsyouneed.

Volunteer meetingsIfyouhavevolunteermeetingsorsocialeventsusetheopportunitytotalkaboutthevolunteeringopportunitiesthatyouhaveinyourservice.EncouragevolunteerstoinvitetheirfriendsandfamilytobecomeWRVSvolunteers.

Holdopenmeetingswherevolunteerscanactuallybringtheirfriendsalongforacoffeeandtofindoutmore.

Notice boardsUseanynoticeboardsyouhavetoencouragevolunteerstogetinvolvedinyour‘introduceafriend’campaign.

Publicity materialsGivevolunteersflyerstotakehomeandpassontotheirfriends.

Rememberevenifvolunteershavefriendswholiveinadifferentareatheycanstillgetinvolved.WRVShasservicesacrossEngland,ScotlandandWales.

Whatcanvolunteerswhoarefriendsofvolunteersdo?Likeallvolunteersthisgroupmayhaveothercommitmentsthattheyneedtoconsideralongwiththeirvolunteering.

Howeveringeneraltheywillbeabletoundertakeawiderangeofroles.Theymaywishtovolunteeralongsidetheirfriendorfamilymemberbutforothersthiswillnotbeanissue.

Findoutwhatskillstheyhaveandwhattheyareinterestedindoingandtrytofindthebestmatch.

HowdoImaintainanddeveloprecruitment?Useeveryopportunitytoremindcurrentvolunteersthatwithmorevolunteersyourservicecouldbeevenbetterandhelpmorepeople.

Whennewvolunteersstartaskthemiftheyhavefriendsorfamilymemberswhomightbeinterestedinjoiningthem.