One challenge for many churches is that of finding committed volunteers for events and charity projects. Whether it is getting someone to volunteer for the first time or holding on to current volunteers, it can be a real struggle to get people to participate.
What seems to be really effective is asking for help when you are talking to people face to face. It shows people that you have put thought into them and that you think they would be an asset to the event. People are also more aware of how important it is to your ministry and the community when you speak with them directly about volunteering. What is said in person is usually always more meaningful than what is said in an email or newsletter.
An article from YouthWorker.com outlined “5 Ways to Recruit and Retain Volunteers for Youth Ministry” that talks about different ways to increase your number of volunteers. Two tips that I thought could be of most use were to “Provide Practical and Transferable Training“ and “Do Not Underestimate the Power of the Call”.
Unless you are part of a smaller church, it won’t be as easy to spread the word about upcoming volunteer opportunities unless you utilize tools like PhoneTree, the telephone messaging system invented in the church community and integrated with your Shelby software to facilitate your church’s communication needs. ShelbyMAILROOM is an address management system that integrates with your Shelby data to increase the efficiency of your bulk mailings. These tools are great ways to reach out to members and visitors when the face-to-face approach is not available.
How does your church reach out to volunteers? What have you seen to be most effective?
(Are you a youth worker interested in what Shelby church management software can do for you? Please visit www.shelbysystems.com/youthministry.)