5 Things You Can Do to Recruit More School Volunteers

Fundraising events, field trips, and afterschool programs provide enriching learning opportunities for your students outside of the classroom. However, organizing these activities relies on your staff having the time and energy to do so, and 44% of K-12 teachers report often or always feeling burned out.

This is why school volunteers are so vital to a thriving school ecosystem. They offer the on-the-ground support you need to create learning experiences that will set your students up for a lifetime of success. 

These tips will help you improve your volunteer recruitment efficiency by maximizing your current workforce, leveraging technology, and simplifying the application process.

1. Simplify application and sign-ups

When the path to becoming a volunteer has as little resistance as possible, people are more likely to sign up. Avoid turning would-be volunteers away with long forms or confusing procedures. Here are a few tips for doing so:

• Make volunteering paperless. Boost convenience and ensure your volunteer schedules and records are always up-to-date by moving everything online. Offer virtual applications that allow volunteers to sign up for shifts online, create digital calendars and schedules, and communicate via a digital channel like a volunteer management app.
  
• Keep forms streamlined and concise. Review your existing volunteer forms and look for any questions or fields you could remove. Update any ambiguous language with clearer questions or instructions. Finally, ensure the forms are mobile-friendly and follow accessibility standards. 
  
• Provide varied, flexible opportunities. Offering opportunities with varying time and skill requirements allows more people to participate. For example, offer weekly one-hour shifts for reading to kindergarteners after school so busy parents to get involved. Be sure to list all opportunities prominently on your website.

Depending on the task volunteers sign up for, they may need to submit additional forms. For example, say you’re hosting a Fun Run and need volunteers to help out with physical tasks like set-up and clean-up. Before they get started, have them sign a volunteer waiver to inform them of any risks and protect your school from liability. To make participating easy, leverage tools that distribute waivers during the application or sign-up process.

2. Create a clear, engaging call to action

A key part of volunteer recruitment is spreading the word about your need for support. This typically means using your website, school newsletter, social media posts, SMS outreach, and even digital ads to reach and engage your audience. 

In addition to using compelling, descriptive copy and attractive visuals in these messages, remember to always add a clear call to action (CTA). CTAs tell potential volunteers how they can step up to the plate and give them a straightforward path for taking action. For example, you might add a CTA button to a volunteer recruitment email that says “Apply Today!” and links to your application form. 

Generally, it’s best to use only one CTA per message so you don’t overwhelm readers. Use concise copy, bold fonts, bright colors, and other visual elements to draw attention to the CTA.

3. Leverage technology to boost volunteer engagement

Not only are engaged volunteers more likely to continue helping your school in the future, but engaging experiences help attract new volunteers to your program. Consider employing these tools to provide smooth, positive volunteer experiences:

• Volunteer management software: Coordinating your volunteers involves many moving parts, like creating schedules, adapting when people miss shifts, sharing important reminders, and thanking volunteers for their support. Use volunteer management software to automate manual tasks, make data-driven decisions, and easily share tailored communications with volunteers.
  
• Fundraising platform: 99Pledges recommends opting for a fundraising solution that offers quick and easy setup, shareable donation pages, flexible payment options, access to fundraising resources, data tracking tools, and communication features.
  
• Comprehensive, functional website: Review your school’s website to determine whether it is truly engaging, navigable, and accessible. For example, how easy is it for visitors arriving at your homepage to find information about volunteering?

In addition to enhancing your website as needed, make sure the site is easy for users to find on search engines. Set up a Google Business Profile that links to your website, and optimize your site’s key pages to include your school’s name and keywords like “[Your School’s Name] volunteer program” or “[Your School’s Name] volunteer application.”

4. Emphasize corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives

Many companies offer CSR programs specifically to support volunteering, such as volunteer grants. As Double the Donation’s guide explains, companies with these programs provide monetary grants to charitable organizations where employees volunteer, usually requiring employees to hit a target number of hours.

However, many people are unaware that these programs even exist, but would likely volunteer more if they knew their support could help organizations like your schools on multiple fronts. By educating supporters about volunteer grants, you’ll inspire them to participate in your volunteer program and engage in their company’s CSR initiatives.

Spread awareness of CSR programs in your marketing materials, especially when recruiting new volunteers or promoting fundraisers. Explain how these programs work and advise volunteers to ask their employer if they offer CSR benefits. Create a landing page on your website with resources and instructions for securing volunteer grants, and link to the page in your recruitment materials.

5. Maintain relationships with past volunteers

Past volunteers have already shown a willingness and capacity to volunteer, meaning they’re likely to participate in future opportunities. Steward past and current volunteers by:

• Recognizing volunteers both publicly and privately, using data to track your top volunteers.
  
• Tailoring communications to each volunteer by greeting them by name, acknowledging past engagement with your school, and appealing to their interests.
  
• Collecting and implementing feedback on everything from ways to improve your volunteer program to future school fundraising ideas.

Another helpful benefit of building relationships with school volunteers? You’ll get your foot in the door with their personal networks of friends and family members. The next time you’re desperate for volunteer support, they’ll be primed to recruit from their personal connections for you.

Without help from volunteers, your school’s events and programs may simply disappear. Following these recruitment strategies allows you to routinely reach potential volunteers, show your appreciation for their efforts, and foster a community of dedicated supporters that’s founded in respect and gratitude.