Recruiting and retaining

Recruiting

Sailing is a high profile, attractive activity. Often passers-by, family, friends, carers etc. become enthralled by Sailability activities. Be prepared to obtain interested peoples’ names and addresses to forward information and followed up with a phone call. Anyone may became a volunteer. Sailability volunteers generally come from the area of:

• Sailing
• Family and friends of a person with a disability
• Community workers in the disability field

As sailability baranches are community groups, the majority pf volunteers will be “locals”. As type of recruitment campaign should contain clear, accurate and attractive information.

1. Producing volunteer information kits.
2. Checking past and present membership lists.
3. Organizing “recruitment” drives using current volunteers to promote Sailability and its activities.
4. Using local and community newspapers – letters to the editor, feature articles, editorials, classified ads etc.
5. Producing posters, pamphlets and flyers that promote Sailability, its activities and its role in the community. Distribute to local supermarkets, community & school notice boards and sailing clubs.
6. Organising community notices on the radio.
7. Approaching local community organizations eg.

Scout Movement – including Sea Scouts, Rangers, Venturers etc.

Church groups

Service clubs – Rotary, lions etc.

Educational colleges.

Retaining

The volunteers Co-Ordinator should be aware of the different reasons why people become volunteers. To ensure they remain content and motivated it is important to identify these reasons and ensure your volunteers gain whatever they hoping to from becoming involved with sailability. People become volunteers for the following reasons:

Social meeting new people, spending time with friends & family, having fun.

Education/Career gain experience in a certain field, fulfil course requirements.

Health getting “out and about”, keeping active.

Emotional a sense of satisfaction at a job well done; an increase in one’s self esteem; giving something back to the community; share talents and abilities.

Volunteers want to feel: Needed

Useful

Part of team

Welcome

1. An orientation period is an essential part of any volunteer program if you wish to ensure you will retain volunteers. An introduction to your club and its key members will encourage volunteers to stay involuved.

2. Allow for a period of adjustment. As Volunteer Co-Ordinator, be aware of differing personalities and the potential for “clashes”. Carefully monitor potential problems but allow for a period of “balancing” of personalities to occur before intervening.

3. It is important not to pressure a new volunteer into being available more often then he is comfortable with.

4. All volunteer should be recognised for their contribution to Sailability. Every club will have different ways of recognising their volunteers. Some suggestions:

• Recognition certificates
• Personal praise while on the job
• Writing letters and postcards of thanks
• Giving identification pins, T-shirts
• Acknowledging them in branch newsletter
• Presenting volunteer awards at the AGM
• Awarding life memberships
• Holding events in honour of volunteers
• Acknowledging efforts during committee meetings
• Farewelling people when they move away from the area
• Providing sailing time at the end of a day. This ensures that volunteers finish their day with pleasant thoughts and also builds a sense of camaraderie between each other

Volunteers are very special people. Ensure they are treated as such. Always remember the volunteer’s contribution and importance.

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