The phrase 'struggling to recruit and retain volunteers' is regularly raised when talking with sports. Have you considered and does your organisation have a plan to show your appreciation? Happy volunteers talk to others and research shows that 30% of new helpers are recruited by your current volunteers because they recommend the experience to others!  We spent a few minutes searching on the web and discovered this little gem that may help.

Showcase your volunteers as a great example to others.

• Social Media Shout-Out – Use Facebook Group pages or Twitter to spotlight a volunteer each month. Encourage “likes,” compliments and shares. Be sure to monitor the page.
• “Chalk” It Up to Our Volunteers – Buy chalkboard paint and use it to cover a highly visible section of wall. Each week or month write a thank you and compliment on the wall. Keep chalk handy for others to add to it.
• Helping Hands Day – Distribute handprint cut-outs and ask everyone to write a volunteer name and compliment on the cut-out. Tape them to a highly visible wall on a special day.
• Thank You Boards – Decorate poster boards with a volunteer’s special interests and a thank you message. Provide a space for folks to sign and put it up for everyone to see.
• Recognition Ceremony – Before or after a fundraiser or event, recognize volunteers with a certificate and a nice comment about how they have helped.
• Thank You Box – Set out a box and index cards, with a volunteer name and instructions on the box in a high traffic area. As people come and go, they can write a special message for the volunteer and put it in the box. Be sure to check over the entries before giving the box to your volunteer.
• Bulletin Board – Decorate a bulletin board that showcases volunteers each month.
• Volunteer Spotlight – In newsletters or emails, write a paragraph about a volunteer and why they are special to the organisation.

Volunteers are important parts of many organisations, so encourage a spirit of volunteerism that will fuel your mission and keep everyone coming back for more!

CREDIT: Emily Mathias is a freelance writer living in Charlotte, N.C

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