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2004

The nine books in this series are for volunteers and volunteer groups in small and large communities.

The main themes are to engage, respect, and value a diverse mix of volunteers. Please use these books for a workshop or special event, or as an everyday reference.

Book 1: Understand volunteers and volunteer groups

Book 2: Promote volunteers and volunteering

Book 3: Recruit volunteers

Book 4: Coordinate volunteers

Book 5: Recognize and thank volunteers

Book 6: Plan a workshop about volunteering

Book 7: Understand funding and fundraising

Book 8: Understand leadership and decision-making

Book 9: Tools, references, and CD

The first eight books have: ! Information about volunteers, and quotes and stories

from the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. ! Stories from Caribouville – a make-believe place. ! Tools to use or change to fit a mix of volunteers’ needs.

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Resources to increase and support volunteers

Cover photos:

Left: Antoine Smallgeese is a junior teacher. He helps Jad Daher, front, and Ethan Allen at Sir Alexander Mackenzie School in Inuvik. Photo: Northern News Services Ltd.

Right: Patricia Hogg is Victims Services Coordinator. She teaches a course for volunteers who want to help with counselling and crisis intervention. Photo: Northern News Services Ltd.

Contents

What does it mean to recruit volunteers? Page 2 How do we get ready to recruit volunteers? Page 4 Who should we recruit? How? Page 14 How and why should we recruit youth? Page 25 How and why should we recruit families? Page 32 A checklist to recruit volunteers. Page 36

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Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 2

What does it mean to recruit volunteers? All communities could use more volunteers. When we recruit volunteers we actively look for and engage them. We make it easy for people find us if and when they want to volunteer.

We can more successfully recruit volunteers if we understand volunteers and volunteer groups. Book 1: Understand volunteers and volunteer groups has some good information and resources to help us.

! Volunteering takes time, patience, and commitment.

! Volunteers are responsible to themselves and to others.

! Volunteering is challenging and satisfying.

! Volunteering is fun.

! Not everyone is able to volunteer.

! Some people may already be informal volunteers in ways that few people see.

! Some people may have family responsibilities or other issues that few people know about.

Many northerners say: “… we don’t have enough volunteers.” “Our volunteers are stretched too thin.”

“Our volunteers are burning out.”

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 3

We may also recruit volunteers more easily if we regularly promote volunteering. Book 2: Promote volunteers and volunteering has good information and resources about how to do this. We recruit volunteers to:

! Actively engage a variety of people in community life.

! Spread the workload among as many people as possible.

! Support volunteers and volunteer groups and the work they do.

! Help prevent volunteer burnout.

! Help make sure our communities have the programs and services we need and want.

The 2000 National Survey of Giving, Volunteering, and Participating says:

! 7% of Canadians contribute 73% of all volunteerhours.

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 4

How do we get ready to recruit volunteers? Do we know what we need volunteers for? Do we know what we can offer volunteers? If we do, we may be ready to recruit people. And if we’re ready, we’ll probably be more successful and also offer a better volunteer experience.

We are ready to recruit volunteers if we can answer ‘yes’ to these questions:

! Does our community support our volunteer activities?

! Do we have a good image in our community?

! Do we know why we need volunteers?

! Do we know what we want the volunteers to do?

! Do we match a person’s skills and interests to a volunteer job?

! Do we orient and train our volunteers?

! Do we support our volunteers?

! Do we recognize our volunteers?

Three things to do to help answer these questions and get ready to recruit volunteers:

1) Do a volunteer assessment.

2) Do a volunteer sign-up sheet and job description.

3) Put together a team of people to search for volunteers.

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 5

1) Do a volunteer assessment.

A volunteer assessment answers the question ‘do we have enough volunteers or do we need more?’. Page 6 shows a sample volunteer assessment and page 7 has a blank one.

How to do a volunteer assessment?

! Look at what the group plans to do.

! List the jobs people need to do to carry out the plan.

! Identify the skills people need for each job.

! Identify the jobs that the group's current volunteers can do. ! Identify the jobs that need more volunteers.

Why make a plan? Some volunteer groups and communities believe it’s a waste of time to plan. And they believe they always need more volunteers. A plan can help:

! Create positive and meaningful volunteer experiences.

! Prevent volunteer burnout.

! Assess and deal with any possible risks.

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 6

Sample Volunteer Assessment – Caribouville spring carnival

The job outline The skills Who is available with skills? Need more help?

Fundraise ! Proposals ! Meetings ! Bingos and raffles

! Do budgets ! Write ! Communicate ! Do public relations

! Bob ! Economic development

coordinator

No

Advertise ! Posters ! TV and radio ads ! Letters

! Write ! Do art ! Use a computer

! Mary

Yes

Coordinate volunteers ! Volunteer meetings

! Plan ! Schedule ! Manage ! Do human relations

! Recreation coordinator

Yes

Lead special events ! Supervise volunteers

! Organize ! Do public relations ! Has experience with

different events

! Lana ! Bill ! Mildred

Yes

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 7

Volunteer Assessment

The job outline The skills Who is available with skills? Need more help?

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 8

2) Do a volunteer sign-up sheet and a job description. A volunteer sign-up sheet helps volunteers know what jobs are available. A volunteer job description gives the details of each job. Pages 9 and 10 have a sample volunteer sign-up sheet and a blank one. Pages 11 and 12 have a sample job description and a blank one. How to do a volunteer sign-up sheet.

! List each volunteer job, including when and for how long.

! Say if there is a job description.

! Leave a place for people to sign up.

How to do a job description.

! Give the purpose of the job. Give details of how much time people need to give and when, and what they do.

! Name the people they report to and work with.

! List the skills they should have to do the job.

! List the training provided.

! List the benefits to the volunteer and to the community.

Be flexible and motivate volunteers.

! Divide the work into small, doable tasks. Make sure people have enough time. Create teams of volunteers. Let people work from their home if they need to.

! Offer positive, enjoyable activities. Let people be responsible. Support volunteers and tell them the value of their contribution. Recognize that each person belongs and that they are part of something bigger.

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 9

Volunteer Sign-up Sheet – Caribouville Spring Carnival

Job Outline Call carnival committee at 555-0551 for a detailed job description.

Volunteers please sign up here. Write your name and phone #.

Advertise. February and March. Meetings every week. Follow-up after the carnival.

We need at least three volunteers. Mary: 555-1951

Coordinate volunteers. January, February, and March. Meetings every week. Participate in the carnival. Follow-up after the carnival.

We need at least two volunteers.

Lead an event: such as fishing derby, traditional games, children’s games, good woman or good man contest, snowmobile race, and more. February and March. Meetings every week. Participate in the event. Follow-up after the carnival.

We need at least 12 volunteers.

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 10

Volunteer Sign-up Sheet

Job Outline

Volunteers please sign up here. Write your name and phone #.

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 11

Sample Job Description Volunteer Event Leader, Caribouville Spring Carnival

Purpose of the job: Successfully carry out one of 12 events at the Spring Carnival.

Timing: Beginning of January to the end of March. About three hours per week for meetings and follow-up. A full day March 15th, for carnival.

Specific tasks or duties: Recruit, organize, and lead a small team of volunteers to put on one event at the spring carnival. Help evaluate after the carnival.

Reporting relationships: The Volunteer Event Coordinator supervises and supports all Event Leaders. Event Leaders report every week to the Coordinator.

Skills you need: Organize people and events. Get along well with people. Have experience with the specific event. First aid training is an asset. We do reference checks and screen children’s event leaders.

Training: Learn about the carnival and how it works. Review successes and lessons from past carnivals. First aid. Do you have suggestions?

Benefits to you and your community:

Help make spring carnival a success. Build community spirit, help families have fun together, and give volunteer groups a great chance to raise money. Use your skills and knowledge, learn new things, work with others, and have fun. Your event could be the highlight!

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 12

Volunteer Job Description

Purpose of the job:

Timing:

Specific tasks or duties:

Reporting relationships:

Skills you need: Training: Benefits to you and your community:

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 13

3) Put together a team of people to recruit volunteers. Teamwork is fun. It’s a great way to recruit volunteers. Find a team of people with the time, skills, and energy to recruit volunteers. How to put together a good team to recruit volunteers?

! Invite a group of interested people to a meeting.

! Look for people who are enthusiastic and positive about the work volunteers do and the work the group does.

! Look for people who appreciate the gifts volunteers offer.

! Help the team understand why volunteers help, what motivates them, and what volunteers expect.

! Help the team understand how volunteers get discouraged. And be creative about how to help people not get discouraged.

! Look for people who understand and are honest about the volunteer work. Many volunteers quit because what people ask them to do isn’t what they end up doing.

“When you look for volunteers, you have to decide if you’re looking for community involvement or professionals. … It’s

(also) important who is doing the asking.”

Shirley Kisoun, Inuvik, NWT (Inuvik workshop)

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 14

Who do we recruit? How? Think about and decide three basic things to help plan who to recruit:

1) Do we want to focus on a particular group of people? If yes, which one?

2) What are the best ways to reach this group?

3) How can we best reach this group with our message?

Nunavut and Northwest Territories volunteers agree: ! We want to be successful when we recruit volunteers.

! We need to pay attention to who asks volunteers to help and why we ask them to help.

! We need people we can trust and who can convince others to participate.

There are many ways to actively look for volunteers. Be creative. We want to find the best methods and the best message for the people we want most to reach. Make a list of people. Keep track of contacts. Make a note of all potential volunteers, what their interests are, and how they would like to help. Add to the list.

Groups may want to keep a record of people willing to help out. One way is to fill out a volunteer form for each person. Groups need to keep the information confidential. Pages 15 and 16 show a sample volunteer form.

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 15

Volunteer Form (2 pages)

Name:

Address:

Home phone: Work phone:

Email address:

Name and phone of guardian if you’re 18 years old or less:

Name and phone to contact in case of emergency:

How much time do you have for volunteering? Please give details. For example, do you have regular time, such as certain days of the week and times of day? Or do you have irregular time?

Do issues such as transportation or childcare affect when or how much you volunteer? Please give details.

What skills or talents can you bring to a volunteer experience? Do you have a driver’s licence? "Yes " No

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 16

Volunteer Form (2 pages)

What kind of volunteer work do you want to do?

Is there any kind of volunteer work you can’t or won’t do?

If needed, may we ask for a police records check? "Yes " No

Please write the name and phone number of three local references.

Signature: Date:

1) What group of people will we target? We can target the general public or a specific group of people. When we recruit volunteers we have a chance to involve people who never volunteered before. We can work to involve a diverse mix of people.

People who volunteer now recruit over 90% of new volunteers. They ask their friends and families.

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 17

Here are some possible target groups: Past volunteers may not know we need their help again. They may even have experience with the work we need to do.

Seniors have a strong commitment to helping out. When they volunteer, they stay active and involved in their community. And they can share their knowledge and wisdom. Youth can discover themselves, develop skills and interests, prepare for a job, gain self-confidence, have fun, do things with their friends, make a difference, and get things happening.

Families can have fun and do interesting and worthwhile things together. It’s a way for families to share values and strengthen relationships.

People new to town can meet other people and get involved in the community.

A mix of cultural groups can benefit volunteer work. Some programs and services may work best with people from a specific cultural group. Others may work best with a mix of people.

A mix of genders can benefit volunteer work. When we recruit volunteers, we want to include men and women. Some programs may need just women, such as a women’s shelter. Other programs and services really benefit from a mix of men and women.

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 18

2) What methods can we use to reach our target group(s)? The best ways to recruit volunteers are linked to the target group and the message. Here are two examples:

i) Families are the target. The message may be ‘volunteering makes families stronger’. The method may be door to door canvassing to ask families to volunteer.

ii) Youth are the target. The message may be ‘volunteering is cool’. The method may be a display booth at the school or youth centre. Youth volunteers explain the benefits of volunteering.

Use a variety of methods to:

! Attract different types of people and people with different skills and experiences.

! Increase the number of people who respond. The most common methods are to:

! Put up a display or poster, send out a flyer.

! Use email and the internet.

! Talk directly to people.

! Use TV, radio, and the newspaper.

! Ask for help from networks, people paid to support the volunteer sector, business, and government.

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 19

Put up a display or poster, send out a flyer. Go to career fairs or other community events and ask for help. Put up a colourful, creative display and sign-up sheet on the bulletin board at a local store or post office. Send a flyer through the mail or drop flyers off at peoples’ houses.

Use email and the internet. Develop an email list to send people or groups information. Post volunteer opportunities on websites people use. For example, ask local or regional groups to include this information on their website. Contact Volunteer Nunavut or Volunteer NWT for information.

Talk directly to people. Phone or talk directly to people and ask for their help. Ask them to bring a friend or family member.

Use TV, radio, and the newspaper. Send a news release to the radio station or newspapers. Call the reporters. Ask them to do an interview and a story. Write a guest editorial, article, or letter to the newspaper. Speak at a public event. Put an ad on the local TV or newspaper. Page 20 shows a sample newspaper ad.

“Word of mouth is the best way to get volunteers.”

Violet Mandeville , Fort Resolution, NWT (Fort Resolution workshop)

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 20

Sample newspaper ad:

Do you have a passion for social change? Put your passion to work.

Join the Caribouville Women’s Centre board of

directors. We need three new members.

The board oversees the Women’s Centre. Three paid staff and about 10 volunteers run our programs.

Our programs help our community to:

! Stop violence against women and girls. ! Promote independence and well-being for adults with

disabilities. ! Provide emergency and transition housing for families in

crisis. ! Offer safe after-school programs for children. ! Counsel women who have experienced trauma so they can

heal and recover. Are you interested in joining our board? Please come and talk to us. Learn more about our board and our work. Pick up a board members’ job description.

Email: [email protected] Phone: Joyce at 555-3312 Mail: Box 23, Caribouville Or drop by the Centre on Raven Rd. across from the Co-op.

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 21

Ask for help from networks, people paid to support the volunteer sector, business, and government.

Interagency committees, sports groups, and social coalitions are some of the networks that support and encourage volunteers. They may help recruit volunteers. Some communities have a volunteer coordinator, recreation coordinator, community economic development coordinator, or wellness coordinator. These people may have a list of volunteers. They may actively help recruit volunteers. Business and government can promote themselves and help recruit volunteers. They can:

! Offer in-kind or financial support for a campaign to recruit volunteers.

! Sponsor special events to recruit volunteers.

! Openly support certain programs or groups when they recruit volunteers.

! Offer workplace volunteer programs to help recruit volunteers.

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 22

What is a workplace volunteer program?

Employers can support and encourage their employees to volunteer in lots of ways. They can:

! Tell their employees about the benefits of volunteering.

! Put up a list of volunteer jobs.

! Actively support individual or team volunteer projects such as ‘adopting’ a volunteer group or project.

! Make it easy for employees to volunteer by giving employees time off work to volunteer.

! Recognize how volunteers contribute to the community. Examples:

! Co-op employees take elders out on the land once a month.

! Hamlet employees help the youth to fix up the youth centre.

! Band Council employees help with Boy Scouts’ projects.

! Air Tundra employees fundraise for the carnival committee.

! Northern store employees cook and serve food at the school’s breakfast program.

Why do employers do it?

! To improve relationships with the community.

! To look good. To improve their sales and their image in the community.

! To build morale and team spirit so employees will be more productive and stay with their job.

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 23

3) What is the best message to use? The best message depends a lot on the target group. It’s not always easy to know what message is best. Here are some basic messages. Add things and use the message in ways that best reach the target group. ! Tell people their community really needs them.

Without volunteers the spring carnival, daycare centre, or minor hockey team could not happen.

! Help people understand they can make a difference. Without volunteers we couldn’t help people who suffer from family violence, poverty, and residential school abuse. Seniors, people with disabilities, and troubled youth would not get the help they need. Children would have fewer programs such as cadets, guides, and individual and team sports.

“We really need your help.”

Destiny Lafferty, Fort Resolution, NWT (Fort Resolution workshop)

“I am so proud when someone comes and asks if I know how to do things like sewing.”

Rosie Firth, Fort McPherson, NWT (Dene Kede Curriculum)

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 24

! Recognize that people give their valuable spare time. Help people understand volunteers get support, and all the instructions and materials they need. Everyone has a worthwhile experience and gets the most from the time they can give.

! Tell people about the group. Tell people about the work the group does. Help them feel part of something and that they belong. Tell them about people who volunteered with the group in the past.

! Be sensitive when people want to say ‘no’. Be sensitive to things that prevent people from volunteering. This may include financial problems, personal issues, or poor attitudes to volunteering.

! Tell people how they personally benefit. Many people want to learn new skills. They might need new skills for their paid work. Or they might just like to learn and do new things.

People personally benefit in many ways:

! Help others. ! Grow and learn. ! Support a cause.

! Feel good. ! Be with friends. ! Relieve boredom.

! Have fun. ! Have challenges. ! Affect decisions.

! Gain status. ! Meet new people. ! Be responsible.

! Do something enjoyable. ! Give something back.

! Follow interests. ! Help the community.

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Book 3: Recruit volunteers 25

How and why should we recruit youth? Youth mainly choose to volunteer so they can:

! Be with their friends who volunteer.

! Make connections.

! Market themselves for a paying job.

! Explore different careers.

! Make a difference and make things happen.

Youth lead the way in Fort Resolution, NWT A group of youth worked with the recreation coordinator to fix up the community arena. Youth volunteers led the project. Why? “We were tired of waiting for things to get done”, says Jessica Sanderson, youth volunteer. Fort Resolution youth say that volunteering:

! Keeps you busy so you don’t get bored.

! Gives you a sense of belonging.

! Is an honour.

! Is fun.

! Is a way to feel good during and after a project.

! Helps you to get a paying job.

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Book 3: Recruit volunteers 26

In Fort Smith, NWT about 38% of youth 13 to 30 years volunteer. But 71% would volunteer if the opportunity arose.

Fort Smith Youth Study, 2003.

Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre Youth Council looks for ways to engage youth volunteers.

The Youth Council knows that youth volunteers like:

! Cool, unique, ‘on-the-edge’ activities. For example, a Fear Factor contest or a contest to see how many kids can fit in a pickup truck.

! Family activities. For example a trip on the land.

! Challenging activities. For example a marathon, tournament, or hiking and canoe trip.

! Music and travel.

The Council knows that if they want to engage the youth, they need these kinds of activities. But they worry that things might go wrong. And if they worry too much and don’t do anything, they might not get any new youth volunteers.

“Youth are not attracted by healthy and responsible activities … they are attracted by things that are on the edge.”

Yoanne Ewald, Inuvik, NWT (Inuvik workshop)

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Book 3: Recruit volunteers 27

30-hour famine in Arviat Word went out around the world about people starving in Ethiopia. About 80 youth in Arviat volunteered for a 30-hour famine. They raised money and food for people in this far off land. Parents didn’t eat to show their support for their children and the cause. Elders went on the radio and sat with the youth to tell stories of the times when they and their ancestors had experienced starvation on the land. Youth led the community campaign to help people in Ethiopia. They worked with teachers and other adults. They went door to door and asked for food or money donations. They put a box at the Northern store to collect food donations. They ran a bingo through the local radio station. They held a bazaar. The whole community supported the youth. Everyone worked together, supported each other, and felt connected. The 30-hour famine raised a lot of money and food for the people of Ethiopia. It also made people in Arviat feel good because they could help out. And it brought families and the community together. The 30-hour famine showed adults in Arviat that the youth really care about others. And it showed the youth that adults really care about them. At the end of the famine, the community held a feast to honour the youth and all people who supported them. It was good to be able to eat again and it was good to know that people in Ethiopia would also have food.

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Book 3: Recruit volunteers 28

Ways to recruit youth volunteers.

There are many ways to recruit youth volunteers. Go to the school, a career fair, the youth centre, the mall, a ballpark, hockey rink, or community complex. Set up a display or do a presentation.

Ask youth to make ads and posters. Youth can help get the message about volunteering to other youth. Youth asking youth is one of the best ways to get youth to volunteer.

The method and the message need to appeal directly to youth. For example:

! Be flexible. Youth like choices, spur of the moment, short-term, and long-term projects. They do things during holidays, after school, on weekends, but not around exam time.

! Show youth how they can make a difference. Youth want to know about different volunteer jobs. They want to know their work is important. They want a chance to contribute and make things better.

“If you stop doing everything, then the negative wins. … It’s like watering the garden. Sometimes you end up

watering the weeds along with the flowers.”

James Rose, Inuvik, NWT (Inuvik workshop)

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 29

! Be clear about what to expect. Youth want to know exactly what to do. They want to know what will help them do a good job.

! Offer new experiences, incentives, and variety. Youth want to know what they will learn. They want to know how the experience will help with future paying jobs. They want some real reward or positive feedback. They want a mix of things to do. They don’t want to be bored.

! Be organized, but informal. Youth want a relaxed, supportive workplace. They don’t want to have to follow a lot of rules.

! Have fun. Youth want to have fun volunteering.

Volunteer groups may need to make changes to engage youth volunteers. This means everyone can benefit from youth’s energy, creativity, and eagerness.

“Today, young people lead confusing lives and every effort is needed to make activities and

involve them.”

Melanie Tabvahtha, Arviat, Nunavut

(Arviat workshop)

“We fear telling our children and showing them to volunteer and share responsibility because we fear that they won’t love us.”

Shirley Tagalik, Arviat, Nunavut (Arviat workshop)

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 30

Use a mini-workshop to recruit youth volunteers. A mini-workshop is a one-hour or two-hour session for 10 to 20 youth, often with food and prizes. During the workshop you might:

! Ask for ideas of places in the community where youth can volunteer.

! Brainstorm community projects youth can do.

! Ask youth to list volunteers they know in the community.

! Ask them to list youth volunteers they know in the community.

! Ask youth to describe their volunteer experiences.

! Talk about the benefits and challenges of volunteering.

! Talk about how youth can work together and find volunteer work they want to do.

! Ask youth to complete a self-assessment quiz. Page 31 shows a sample quiz.

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Book 3: Recruit volunteers 31

Self-assessment quiz

Skills Skills I’m good at Skills I’d like to have

Communication: Speak, write, read, listen, computers, has sense of humour.

Critical thought: Solve problems, evaluate, see different points of view.

Learning: Develop new skills, change attitudes and behaviours.

Positive attitudes and behaviour: Be confident, ethical, honest, energetic, healthy, persistent.

Responsibility: Set goals and priorities, plan and manage, be accountable.

Adaptability: Have positive attitude to change, creative ideas, respect others.

Teamwork: Cooperate, help others, understand others, respect diversity.

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Book 3: Recruit volunteers 32

How and why should we recruit families? Family volunteering can help build healthy families and communities. Volunteering helps families:

! Share the good feelings they get from volunteering.

! Feel good about themselves and each other.

! Appreciate each other’s strengths.

! Learn to appreciate how each person contributes.

! Have more things in common.

! Talk and laugh together.

! Make a difference together.

! Share values, culture, and traditions.

! Be strong together.

Family volunteering can help children learn how to respond to people and causes that need help.

“Volunteering is learned in the home.”

Freda Eliaf, Fort Resolution, NWT (Fort Resolution workshop)

“Our kids need to be taught how to volunteer.”

Meeka Kakudluk, Iqaluit, Nunavut (Iqaluit workshop)

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Book 3: Recruit volunteers 33

For Inuit, family volunteering is a way to teach ikajuqtuq or helping others and pijitsirarniq or serving others. For Dene, family volunteering is a way to teach individuals to help and be responsible for the well-being of the group.

Families like to volunteer for special events Toonik Tyme in Iqaluit, Nunavut is a great opportunity for families to volunteer together. And they do. The Territorial Track Meet in Hay River, NWT in 2004 attracted 350 volunteers. Many families volunteer for this event. The Yellowknife Soccer Club does spring clean-up in the community every year. Parents volunteer with their children to make this activity a success.

Parents volunteer for youth programs Canadian research shows that 88% of the volunteers for youth programs are parents. And 79% of those volunteers have at least one child active in the program they volunteer for.

“We’re relearning how to become a family again.”

Ester Leck, Pond Inlet, Nunavut Nunatsiaq News, March 19, 2004

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Book 3: Recruit volunteers 34

Families are welcome! When groups recruit volunteers they need to send the message that families are invited too. Give people good information about how family members can volunteer together. Some families prefer one-time tasks:

! Clean up the town to raise money for Boy Scouts.

! Look after an exchange student who visits the community.

! Work at a car wash to raise money for the daycare centre.

! Organize and run a garage sale for the church.

! Run a booth at spring carnival.

! Paint the fence at the cemetery.

! Take the youth group out on the land.

Some families like long-term activities:

! Run the canteen at the arena once a week for minor hockey.

! Feed dogs at the animal shelter every Sunday.

! Make something special for the senior’s lunch once a month.

! Include an elder, child, or other person from outside the family in family activities.

! Help out at Sunday church service once a month.

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Book 3: Recruit volunteers 35

What encourages family volunteering?

! Children and youth ask their parents to help.

! A family member is a role model and wants to share or teach other family members the value of helping out.

! Other families in the community volunteer as a family.

! Volunteer groups ask families to help out.

! Groups and communities celebrate family volunteering.

Be sensitive to families.

Families come in all shapes and sizes. Families with at least one adult working are most likely to volunteer. Families with no adult working may have lots of time. But they also worry about how to pay for food, electricity, or heat. Sometimes when people worry about their basic needs, it’s hard to help others. These families may be more difficult to recruit. But families with no adult working may volunteer to keep in touch with people who might help them find work. We need to make sure they know we’ll cover their expenses.

“Tools and ideas have to support smaller communities where unemployment is very high.”

Joadamee Amagoalik, Resolute Bay, Nunavut (Iqaluit workshop)

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Book 3: Recruit volunteers 36

A checklist to recruit volunteers This checklist is a summary of things to think about and do when we recruit volunteers. " Be clear about what the group needs volunteers for. Know

what volunteer work needs to be done and who is already available to do it.

" Clearly describe each job. Include the amount of time each

volunteer needs to give.

" Find a team of people to recruit volunteers.

" Decide who to target - the general public or one or more groups of people.

" Decide what methods are best to use for each target group.

" Decide what messages to use for each method and each

target group. Use information about what encourages and what discourages volunteers.

" Involve youth. They are the future of our communities.

" Involve families. Healthy families help make healthy

communities.

" Involve a diverse group of people so we all benefit from volunteering.

Resources to increase and support volunteers

Volunteer NWT and Volunteer Nunavut have all nine books in this series on their websites. Version française disponible.

Please contact Volunteer Nunavut for books in Inuktitut.

Contacts

Volunteer Nunavut c/o Nunavut Kamatsiaqtut Helpline Box 487, Iqaluit, NU X0A 0H0 Phone: 867-979-0323 Fax: 867-979-4380 Email: [email protected] Website: www.volunteernunavut.org

Volunteer NWT c/o Sport North Box 11089, Yellowknife, NT X1A 3X7 Phone: 867-669-8326 Fax: 867-669-8327 Email: [email protected] Website: www.volunteernwt.ca

Canada Volunteerism Initiative

Volunteer Canada 330 Gilmour St., 2nd floor, Ottawa, ON K2P 0P6 Phone: 613-231-4370 Toll free phone: 1-800-670-0401 Fax: 613-231-6725 Email: [email protected] Website: www.volunteer.ca

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Volunteer Nunavut

Volunteer NWT