When selecting volunteers it is good to keep in mind the type of volunteer that would suit your organisation’s purpose. You might need professionals with very specific skills or general qualities such as life experience and a caring and personable disposition. Depending on the roles you are trying to fill, your ability to focus on the skills required will enable you to determine the best place to advertise.
Whatever your requirements, a person specification will help you to target your recruitment campaign. For specific skills you might consider recruiting at colleges or through professional organisations for example. To recruit a broad range of people from the general public, consider using social media, placing posters in community or health centre where lots of people will see them, and don’t forget through word of mouth – ask current volunteers to recommend others.

Voluntary groups will often hold databases of potential volunteers and local newspapers and radio stations are good avenues to reach people in your target area.
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A one-size-fits-all approach for all recruiting and supporting volunteers may not be best approach, some will require more support, allow for some flexibility.

Key points

• Consider the type of person who would be a good fit for your organisation’s purpose
• For specific skills such as accounting consider ways of targeting your recruitment campaign to professional organisations or journals
• For a more generic recruitment campaign, engage on social media, through posters, voluntary groups or word of mouth.
• Map out your volunteer’s skills and qualities and match them to the key roles you wish to fill.
• A well planned selection process can help to avoid future problems.

Links for more information
Safer recruitment of volunteers
This page has links to guides that are useful for creating and advertising the volunteer role, choosing the right volunteers, and getting new volunteers started.
https://knowhow.ncvo.org.uk/safeguarding/checklists-training-and-other-support/specialist-guides/safeguarding-for-volunteer-managers/safer-recruitment-of-volunteers/safer-recruitment-of-volunteers
 
Volunteering
To be added or to search a database across the Highlands, think link leads to a wide range of opportunities for volunteering as well as to explore avenues to find volunteers.
https://www.highlandtsi.org.uk/volunteering
 
Volunteers
This link takes you to SCVO’s page regarding Policy, recruitment and training for your volunteers.
https://scvo.org.uk/support/running-your-organisation/staff-volunteers/volunteers
 
 
The volunteer recruitment process
A step by step guide to recruiting volunteers, background work needed, getting the word out, handling applications and disclosures.
https://knowhow.ncvo.org.uk/your-team/volunteers/recruiting/copy_of_process
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