Volunteer Recruitment, AG workshop 2011

Workshop aims:

  • Enable members to share their experiences of successfully recruiting new members
  • Update members on national activity to support local volunteer recruitment
  • Develop action plans to encourage volunteer recruitment

Recruiting new members

Members reflected on how they usually recruited volunteers e.g.

  • Parents
  • DFs & Young Kinsfolk
  • Community events

In small groups members looked at how they could retain DFs to become future leaders and how best to use community events to recruit new volunteers.

Retention of DFs as leaders:

  • There is a problem with Duke of Edinburgh as some groups have political hostility to the concept, meaning that DFs have to go and volunteer with the Brownies!
  • Districts need to make space for young people
  • DFs who do not go to University need to be supported to become leaders
  • DFs should be encouraged to make contact when they return
  • Groups in University towns should make contact with DFs at the University
  • Where does the idea that UCAS does not recognise WcF come from? This is probably not true, but young people need to be supported to describe their experience and skills gained
  • If DFs have a particular interest e.g. climbing, canoeing they have to go elsewhere to develop that skill and we lose them to that organisation. We need to develop their skills within WcF and retain their expertise for our own groups.
  • Provide DFs going to University with a contact in their new City.
  • Take a list of groups to DF Summer camp, so individuals who are going off to University can check to find their nearest group.
  • Send an email to all DFs at the end of each summer with a link to the map of groups, encouraging them to make contact with their nearest District especially if they have lost touch or are moving away from home because of work or college
  • At Co-Camp have a meet your group event for those DFs moving to University.

Getting the most out of community events:

  • Recruiting new to Woodcraft leaders – how long does it take to induct/train them? Maybe a year, when sometimes theymight leave after 6 months.
  • Try to recruit ex-Woodies, as in the Edinburgh model – using language that ex-Woodies would recognise but that does not exclude new people
  • Target volunteer recruitment at community events that might attract potential Woodies e.g. Festival, demonstrations & University events

The group felt they needed the following support/resources:

  1. Small leaflets or postcards targeted to different groups e.g. children, parents, young volunteers
  2. Leaflets should not try to include all information butconcentrate on what people can do
  3. Leaflets should be distributed in batches of 100
  4. Access to leaflets should not be restricted, more available on request

National Activity

Following on from a successful Development Conference (January 2011) the following activity is being planned nationally:

  • Guide to volunteering opportunities, based on the thorough guide produced by Camden District
  • Recruitment postcards
  • Task descriptions
  • Opportunities all on-line through and
  • Identifying and training District Volunteer Co-ordinators

Further information

Members who attended this workshop may find the following links useful:

  • District Volunteer Co-ordinator role
  • Volunteering Policy
  • Camden Volunteering Opportunities Guide (which the new national volunteering opportunities guide has been based)