Word of mouth recruitment has always existed in the voluntary sector – experiencing a volunteer's fizz and energy first-hand for a cause is one of the best ways to motivate others. Bringing friends or family along to events has long been a staple of major donor fundraising.
Now more formal peer-to-peer volunteer recruitment schemes are starting to follow this model, while volunteer champions, recruited to engage other volunteers, are becoming a more familiar feature of charities.
As charity resources dwindle and the peer-to-peer nature of social media becomes the norm, using volunteer labour to attract others is an increasingly viable option and one endorsed by the government. A Cabinet Office spokesperson says: "We know that people are more likely to volunteer when a friend or peer recommends that they get involved and we support this approach when trying to recruit volunteers."
But the sector is still proving a little cautious, according to consultant Rob Jackson, co-author of The Complete Volunteer Management Handbook. He attributes this to what he believes is the wrongly-held perception that peer-to-peer can endanger diversity.
"A weakness of word-of-mouth in the past is that people had a limited social network and so like tended to attract like," he says. "Our online networks are often much more diverse and far-reaching so this issue is less of a concern.
"I think that's probably one of the reasons why quite often volunteer managers in the sector can be quite down on word-of-mouth, because of this issue of diversity, because it's not seen as sexy or glamorous alongside, for example, text media marketing or social media."
Savage cuts are forcing charities to consider recruiting volunteers through peer networks, according to vInspired chief executive Terry Ryall. She says formal peer-to-peer volunteer recruitment is only just starting to grip the fringes of the sector.
"You only have to look at the success of social media-based campaigning organisations like avaaz.org who draw on peer-to-peer passion," she says. "We have learned from that kind of activity this is something that we should be making more formal."
vInspired has started using this approach in its Team v programme in the last year, as well as within its new vInspired VIPs street teams, launching in February.
However, the difference between word-of-mouth and peer-to-peer, says Ryall, is that the latter is formal engagement of people to undertake an activity alongside the peer.
"Most certainly within the last 12 months we've upped our game," she says, "and in devising our programmes now, peer-to-peer is a key criterion. And because money is scarce, we have to maximise our impact for least cost so we can't have a big staffing infrastructure that goes out and recruits young people. We've had to think about how we can replace that staffing infrastructure with something equally impactful."
In leadership programme Team v, 18- to 25-year-olds deliver three social action projects over nine months in areas such as homelessness and food poverty, with each volunteer specifically tasked to recruit between five and 10 other volunteers to help carry out projects.
vInspired VIPs street teams will see young people set monthly challenges to recruit other young people to vInspired.com where they can search for volunteering opportunities with charities across the country and log their hours to work towards certificates.
"We've created this team specifically to do peer-to-peer recruitment, so that's their volunteering role," says Ryall. "Young people listen more to their peers and are engaged more through their peers and they're on social media so exchanges are very easy."
The concept of volunteer "champions" is creeping into the sector in an attempt to make the role more attractive. Pet charity Blue Cross started recruiting "volunteer recruitment champions" last year, says volunteer co-ordinator, Gemma Leeming, and already uses them on its new community dog-walking scheme in London.
"Our volunteer champions are often experienced Blue Cross volunteers who use their enthusiasm, links within the community and experience to inspire others to volunteer," she says.
"We see our volunteer recruitment champions as a key way of growing our volunteer network for the future and making the most of the skilled people who so generously give their time to us."
Another form of peer-to-peer recruitment that also uses "champions" is the Alzheimer's Society's £2.38 million, government-funded Dementia Friends scheme, launched in February.
The scheme aims to use 6,000 volunteer Dementia friends champions, to in turn recruit 1 million more volunteers by 2015 who will pledge actions that make people with dementia feel more included within society.
Nikki Squelch, head of volunteering development at Alzheimer's Society says they find peer-to-peer volunteering to be, "one of the best ways to recruit people to get involved". Of the charity's annual 1,800 new volunteers, about 40% give their time because they know someone who has volunteered or through personal recommendation.
"Often our volunteers tell us they had so much fun they had to tell other people. It snowballs from there," she says. "Our campaigners especially are naturals at spreading the word and sharing their positive experiences. Enthusiasm is contagious."
Squelch adds that they plan to maximise peer-to-peer relay of information through social media: "Facebook and Twitter can be good channels to use to inform friends and family about opportunities to engage with Alzheimer's Society."
Current economic and social pressures, says Squelch, will force people to consider more carefully whether they can afford to volunteer and peer validations will play a part: "People need to feel motivated about volunteering if they're sparing their time. I think all charities will increasingly see people showing interest in volunteering due to recommendations from friends or encouragement from loved ones.
"If people see evidence of how the passion and commitment of volunteers can change lives, they're much more likely to enquire about when they can sign up." However, Squelch warns that there are limitations with peer-to-peer recruitment and that safeguards must be built into processes.
"We are always careful to ensure volunteers apply formally," she says. As is the norm with charities, the Alzheimer's Society requires references and enhanced Criminal Record Bureau checks where appropriate. "These processes do not cost the person applying ever. However, they do help to ensure we operate in a safe and supportive environment."
She also warns against possible nepotism: "Peer-to-peer recruitment is not the only approach as it could impact on the diverse profile of the volunteer base and we aim to have a volunteer base that reflects the wider community."
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