And yes, an association is constantly looking for volunteers and therefore relies on volunteering! It is essential that members feel comfortable before any association events and volunteer missions. Volunteering also means making yourself useful, finding a mission that is in line with our values, and volunteering to work. Host organizations offer a multitude of types of missions, so how can you successfully promote your volunteer mission?
We are therefore going to share with you 8 tips to make your volunteer activity more attractive:
- Submit rather flexible volunteering assignments
- State the different skills targeted
- Describe in detail the support of the member in his mission
- Explain the reason for this mission
- Raising the collective dimension
- Think of means of action concerning the collective
- Opt for an entertaining tone when writing the ad
- Communicate it via the web
1/ Submit rather flexible volunteering missions
This is a very important point, make sure when writing your ad to be precise by defining the mission, then the duration.
The volunteer will then be able to prepare by knowing how long the volunteering project will last.
For the missions offered, you can choose according to your needs whether you choose short missions, long missions or even both.
It may be that for the first time the potential member opts more for a short-term task, which also facilitates his integration into the association.
If many volunteers are retired or people looking for a career change, don’t spare the schedule which should not be too busy for newcomers. Being a volunteer does not mean that we are always available to participate in missions, free time is also important. This is why it is preferable to make the missions more flexible.
For example, you can schedule several slots (different days of the week, Saturday, morning, lunchtime) it’s up to you to choose what seems best to you!
Making your missions more flexible also means offering multiple locations, which will allow your future members to better adapt to difficulties.
2/ State the different skills targeted
The qualifications targeted can be professional skills, humanitarian skills, etc. Defining these skills will give the organization the task of being attentive to all the qualities announced by the future member, so as not to make a bad choice. In addition, once your selection has been made, you will have to support and reassure the team of volunteers as much as possible with regard to their skills so that they can carry out a mission in ideal conditions. Once again, you have to be very precise in your words in order to find the best volunteer to participate voluntarily in living a unique professional experience.
Develop the skills sought, interpersonal skills, social ties, everything you think is essential to the realization of solidarity missions.
We advise you to make a kind of portrait in order to gather all this information, to find the perfect volunteer. If the assignment does not require technical know-how, specify this as well and highlight human skills.
For example, to engage in a humanitarian mission, you need to find volunteers who recognize themselves through the announcement, with values such as: perseverance, autonomy, empathy. Thus, by clearly defining your expectations, you will make them want to become a volunteer in your structure and to follow the volunteering program!
3/ Describe precisely the support of the member in his mission
Describe precisely the course of the volunteer’s mission (training, reception, etc.)
The goal is for the volunteer to feel accompanied and well surrounded by his colleagues, we must encourage him and help him in his mission!
In addition, you are serious in carrying out this role of guide, the future member will only feel comfortable and safe by your side, you will build a real associative life.
Another advantage is that this support forces you to anticipate and prepare the entire organization beforehand with the other members of the association.
4/ Explain the reason for this mission
For some, volunteering is not a problem as long as they feel useful for a cause that is close to their hearts.
Highlight the fact that the mission will have a real impact on your organization.
This can have three scopes:
- a quantitative impact: by carrying out the collection, the member will be able to collect a certain quantity of hygiene kits for homeless people, or to collect a maximum of donations for the Telethon
- a qualitative impact: being a volunteer during a voluntary program to provide tutoring, or to carry out a humanitarian project, or to do humanitarian work by carrying out international projects for the defense of rights and to overcome precariousness by supporting the Red Cross
- a local impact: volunteering helps to renovate a school in the neighbourhood,
Development cooperation brings high visibility and highlights the consequences of the mission carried out. This allows everyone to want to make things happen! It is a very impactful personal enhancement device that increases individual motivations.
5/ Raising the collective dimension
This dimension is one of the elements that motivate volunteer involvement.
When you write the mission announcement, highlight this collective and solidarity aspect. Once again, please make it clear that the volunteering will be carried out thanks to the other members who will be there to help! For example, leave room for portraits of members who are part of the organization, to communicate these values of general interest.
Use social networks, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, these platforms are basic tools for communicating effectively.
The good mood of the members of your association is a great way to make others want to carry out a mission and join you in this project!
6/ Think of means of action around the collective
Indeed, it is always easier to create a project with a good number of volunteers, who want to participate in the missions. The first trigger for involvement in an associative organization is the influence of a loved one, the recommendation.
The members participating in the project will offer their loved ones to join them, which is both reassuring for the volunteer and effective for the host structure!
In order to persuade a good number of volunteers to bring their loved ones, it is possible to send a mailing as soon as they confirm their participation in the mission, while encouraging them to share this with their friends and family.
Tip: if your volunteer action requires a lot of volunteer members, you can create a contest: the volunteers present who manage to bring the most friends to this project, win a prize, (expensive or not).
7/ Opt for an entertaining tone when writing your ad
Do the members of your association have a good time together? Don’t hesitate to put this warm and friendly atmosphere in your ad!
You can put in it:
- testimonials from new volunteers,
- the organization (and announcement) of a drink at the end of the voluntary actions,
- photos of several volunteers on volunteer missions
8/ Communicate it via the web
For all voluntary associations, communication is one of the keys to your success.
Thanks to the many digital tools and platforms available, you have everything you need to communicate well.
We invite you to take a look at our article on “11 platforms to recruit volunteers.” Now it’s up to you! Convey a benevolent and entertaining message through your ads in order to attract as many volunteers as possible in order to engage them in a mission.
After we have completed the search for volunteers, we count on you to take care of them and keep them by your side for as long as possible. Move forward together!
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