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WorkingwithDiverseVolunteers:InclusiveRecruitment

WorkingwithDiverseVolunteers:Inclusive
Recruitment
Recruitingvolunteersfromthecommunitiesinwhichyouserveisamongthefirststepsincreatinga
sustainablevolunteerprogram.Buildingastronginclusivevolunteerclimatecanseemabit
challenging,buttakingthetimetocreateaneffectivevolunteerrecruitmentplanwillmakethetask
easier.Onceaplaniscreated,notonlywillyouimprovethelikelihoodofinvolvingallmembersofthe
community,butyoucandevelopagreatervolunteerbasewiththisnewvolunteerpool.
Goal:
Inthissectionyouwill:
Identifycreativewaystorecruitspecificaudiences

WorkingwithDiverseVolunteers:Recruitment
Ideas
Reachingouttoincludeadiversesetofvolunteersinyourprogrammeansthinkingdifferentlyand
creativelyabouthowyourecruit.Considerthefollowingideas:
Recruitatneighborhoodagenciesandcommunitycentersindiverseareas.Alsouselocal
publicationsgearedtowardaparticularethnicitytoadvertiseanddiscovereventsinthe
community.
Offerstipendsand/orcareerbenefitswhenseekingindividualsforspecializedprogramsinhigh
atriskcommunities.Thisisespeciallysignificantforcertaingrantsponsoredprogramsforat
riskissuesseekingavolunteertoassumekeyrolesinimplementingactivities.
Yourprogrammaybenefitfromofferingstipendsifyouaretargetingcollegeinterns,teachers
duringsummerbreak,orvolunteersfromemployeeincentiveprogramsrequiringagreater
degreeofsubjectareaknowledgeandskills.
Partnerwithspecificculturallybasedassociationsinyourareasuchas:
Asian/PacificIslanderbasedfraternalorganizationsASPIRAAssociationInc.,anational
nonprofitdedicatedtotheleadershipandempowermentoftheLatinocommunityandyourlocal
ChamberofCommercetoidentifyculturallydiversebusinessesinyourarea.
Avoidbeingconstrainedbytraditionalviewsofvolunteeringthiscanbeoneofthefirstbarriers
organizationsmustaddress.Today,rolescanbroadenedbyusingaudioorvideoapplications
thatallowpeopletoparticipateinmeetingsfromtheirownhomesoralternativevenues.
Expressyourinterestindiversityinyouradsforvolunteers.Forexample:
"ToexpandoursupportthroughouttheCrownHeightsareaweareespeciallyinterestedin
recruitingindividualswithknowledgeandexperienceofdifferentculturesandlanguages,with
differentabilities,andthosefromruralcommunities."
Makeprogrammaterialsavailableinotherlanguagesanduseimagesthatreflectdiversitywhen
advertisingorotherwisemarketingyourprogram.Dotheyreflectthediversityyouseek?
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WorkingwithDiverseVolunteers:InclusiveRecruitment

Connectwithreligiouscenterstheyareimportantconveningplacesthatbringtogethercultural
groups.
Beawareofimportantreligious/culturalholidayswhenschedulingvolunteerorientationorother
activities.
Engageyourclientsasvolunteers.
InvestigatelocalESLprogramsorothertypesofcoursesthathelpacclimateindividualsintothe
U.S.
Researchtheaudienceyouareseekingtorecruit.Forexample,whatarelikelytobetheirhabits
orfreetimeactivities?Isthisaretiredpersonwhospendsagoodportionofhis/hermorningsat
thegolfcourse?Isthisanagegrouphistoricallyinvolvedincivicengagementactivities?Isthe
personveryactiveinareligiousorganization?
Afteryouresearchyourtargetaudience,thinkabouttheimplicationsforvolunteerrecruitment.
Forinstance,ifthepotentialvolunteerspendsthemorningatthegolfcourse,whatdoesthattell
youabouthisorherlikelyvolunteeringhabits?
Changeyourlanguage.Theconceptof"volunteering"doesnotexistinmanycultures(orsome
socioeconomicgroups).Manydonotcallwhattheydo"volunteering"rather,it'sjustwhat
theydoto"help",to"serve,"orto"beapartofthings."
CaptureYourResults:Basedontheinformationyougatherinyoureffortstoreachouttodiverse
populationsinthecommunity,createadatabaseofyourresultsanduseittodevelopcommunity
partnershipsforyourprogram.

WorkingwithDiverseVolunteers:Summary
TheValueofDiverseVolunteers
Justasprogramparticipantsshouldreflectthedemographicmakeupofyourcommunity,soshould
yourvolunteers.Equallyimportant,ifnotmoreso,isthatadiversesetofvolunteerscanassist
programsinplanning,designing,marketing,andimplementingculturallyrelevantprograms.Theycan
alsoassistinincreasinginvolvementandparticipationinprograms.Thequalityoftheprogramsand
servicesyouprovidewouldbethatmuchmoreenhancedwithdiversevolunteers.

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