Volunteer support over the holidays

In this session we had some who had already started the process of recruiting cover for the summer holiday and they came with some inspiring and helpful ideas for those who were just starting.

Top 12 Tips from this session

1. Start the recruitment well in advance for cover over the summer, Christmas and Easter.

2. The majority of roles will require a DBS check and by starting early you will have a better chance of having everything in place, including training, by the time they are required to start.

3. Using video modules can be an accessible way for young people to complete their training.

4. Target students at your local schools and colleges (age 16 - 19) who will be free over the holiday periods.

5. Get each student volunteer to commit to a period of time over the holiday period. One trust asks for a commitment of 60 hours over the summer months.

6. Providing a different colour T shirt or uniform for summer volunteers can help with team building and identifies volunteers who may need extra support or encouragement.

7. Having a good volunteering experience over the summer months, combined with flexibility, means that young people are more likely to come back during the Christmas and Easter holiday periods.

8. When putting on recruitment events use infographics to demonstrate how their support as a volunteer can make a difference.

9. Recruitment events bring young people together and make bonds, this helps in promoting feelings of being part of a team, and making these one to one connections means they are more likely to come in and not let down their fellow volunteers. Holding recruitment events in the evening helps to attract students and others who have daytime commitments.

10. It’s important to have the right volunteer roles on offer. A responder volunteer is a good starter role and attractive to young people

11. Be creative - although time consuming, Tik-Tok is great for attracting young people as it is a popular platform for that demographic.

12. Support each other by retweeting and sharing other Trust's content.

Quote: “Volunteers are my customers and my role is to keep them happy.”