Affinity Group-Based Volunteer Recruitment€¦ · • Marketing = reach + frequency • Managing recruitment process for high yield • Developing process of relationship management

The Plus Factor in a Growth Strategy Built on the Basics

Affinity Group-Based Volunteer Recruitment

Opening Context: Growth Goals

• Annual recruitment goal for sworn volunteers – Appropriate for organization’s capacity (supervisors and

training) and number of children in care • Create plan to support goal

– Marketing plan to create awareness and generate inquiries

– Number and timing of information sessions and training • Track results and develop history of results

Setting Goals and Objectives

• Consistent messaging and visual branding • Marketing = reach + frequency • Managing recruitment process for high yield • Developing process of relationship management

and follow up, follow up, follow up • PLUS factor – Affiliate group support

Basics for Success at Any Size

• Goal for 2016 was training and swearing in 364 new volunteer advocates

• Actual number of new volunteer advocates trained and sworn-in last year was 420 – 15% above goal – 26% increase over 2015 – 94% increase over the number of new advocates added in

2012, base year prior to launch of growth campaign

Dallas CASA’s Recent Growth

Consistent Messaging and Visual Branding

• Every child has the right to be safe.

• On an average day in Dallas County, nearly five children enter the child welfare system in newly-docketed court cases. Last year in Dallas County, close to 1,800 children were removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect. More than 4,600 children lived in protective care last year.

• Dallas CASA is a non-profit organization that trains and supervises volunteers who gather information and make recommendations to help judges decide whether a child’s temporary placement is safe, whether a child has access to the medical, educational and therapeutic services to begin to heal from trauma, and where a child can grow up surrounded by love, protection and support when returning home is not a safe option.

• For many children, a CASA advocate is the only constant, caring adult during a frightening, uncertain time.

• Few volunteer roles have such an immediate and critical impact on the life of a child than that of a CASA advocate.

Develop/Repeat Key Messages

• Insert text

Visual Branding

Creating Awareness

• Marketing = reach + frequency – Reach = size of audience – Frequency = number of times audience hears your

message

Maintaining a focus on how often the CASA name reaches the maximum number of people

Marketing = reach + frequency

• Create community awareness through PR to support agency goals and objectives for new and retained volunteers, funding and retention of donors and community support of agency’s mission.

Creating awareness increases volunteers, donors

and word-of-mouth referrals

Awareness through PR

• Expand outlets – Print and online community calendars for info sessions – Print, broadcast and online media – Facebook and other social media – Social event calendars – Neighborhood or employee publications

Focus on opportunities to keep CASA in conversations

Awareness through PR

• Media stories in print and broadcast – Child welfare crisis response – individuals in our

community can help by becoming CASA volunteers – Because CASA Was There impact stories – Volunteer profiles

Stories make a difference

Awareness through PR

• Leverage opportunities – Swearing-in ceremonies – Fundraising events (pre-event media alert, post event

release and photos) – Donor recognition, in-kind donations & gifts (photos) – Board member news – Other organizations benefiting CASA

Keeping the focus on spreading awareness

Awareness through PR

New Dallas CASA volunteer sworn in by Judge Andrea Martin Template article to local newspapers, neighborhood or suburban publications, volunteer’s employer publications and Facebook post

Dallas CASA’s Cherish the Children luncheon supports abused children Press release with photos to local newspapers, neighborhood or suburban publications, society pages and Facebook post

Elementary students donate books to Dallas CASA for abused children Paragraph and photos to local newspapers, neighborhood or suburban publications and Facebook post

Recruitment Strategies to Increase Yield

• Volunteer inquiry – Respond within 24 hours (follow up 2x to no replies) – Register inquiries for information session – Mail or e-mail collateral materials and registration

confirmation – Follow up e-mail reminder prior to info session – If no show, follow up to reschedule

Volunteer Inquiry Process

• In-house information sessions – Coming to you is the first step of commitment – Alternate Thursday evening and Friday noon schedule – One-hour sessions – Schedule number of sessions to meet training class

goals

Information Sessions

• Information session content – Everyday Heroes video – Describe need, volunteer role, responsibilities,

expectations, challenges and rewards, training and supervision

– Current volunteer testimonial – Describe application and screening process Everyone leaves with an application

Information Sessions

• Follow up with candidate about intent to volunteer and selected training class

• Develop “yes” follow up list - key to relationship management throughout process

• Call “yes” list 1 week prior to application deadline • Call those not received 2 days prior to application

deadline • Call those not received on application deadline • If application not received, move to one more class

cultivation list

Application Submission

• Application • Personal interview • Executive committee review • Background checks & references • Training observation • Re-review candidate

Applicant to Trainee Process

• Application • Personal interview • Screening committee review • Background checks and references • Training observation • Post-training roster review of candidates • Manage and schedule continuing trainees

Applicant to Volunteer

Affinity-Based Strategies

• Staff or volunteer support • Create auxiliary support groups • Increase communications and social media • Expand coverage of events • Develop advertising strategy • Leverage networks and organizations

Building Blocks for Growth

Invite all current advocates or specific groups to attend with a volunteer prospect guest

Leverage Affiliated Groups

• Board Affinity Groups – Employers/Corporations – Service Organizations (i.e., Theta, Junior League) – College alumni groups – Faith Communities

Leadership support, corporate and organization communications, charity and diversity fairs, informational lunch & learns or

receptions, event partnerships

Leverage Affiliated Groups

• Children’s Council – Members host or provide volunteers for events, assist with

fundraising, networking and creating awareness National Adoption Day, Annual Fundraising Luncheon, CASA Angels

Holiday Gift Drive, Volunteer Appreciation Party, Prom Dress Drive, Emergency Resources

• Young Professionals – Members, 21-40, networking, fundraising and awareness

CASAblanca Casino Party, Voices for a Cause Concert, executive leadership speakers series and social networking opportunities

Create Auxiliary Support Groups

Auxiliary Support Groups

• Expand website • Add blog • Create monthly Enews • Enhance Constant Contact communications to database

of contacts • Increase social media followers (Facebook, Twitter,

Instagram, You Tube, Linked In) • Expand and improve collateral materials

Build and enhance connections to CASA

Communications and Social Media

• Expand PR targets – pre-event media alerts and press releases, post-event release and photos

• Expand collateral materials to include digital items such as website banners, FB banners and e-mail banners

• Increase social media coverage – FB, Twitter, Instagram Audience Does Not Need to Attend

the Event to Learn or Learn More About CASA

Expand Coverage of Events

• Child Abuse Prevention Month • North Texas Giving Day • National Adoption Day • Make a Difference Day • External Events Benefiting CASA

• Theta 5K, local companies, organizations, restaurants, retailers Creating Additional Opportunities to

Raise Awareness of the Mission

Other Promotional Opportunities

• Billboards – select high traffic and/or areas to attract specific demographic

• Radio – select based on size and demographics of listenership

• Print – utilize smaller and specialty publications that target specific communities or demographics

• Digital – Google adwords, Facebook ads, campaign targeting zip codes and demographics

Raising brand awareness to support word-of-mouth based recruitment

Develop Advertising Strategy