Need Volunteers? 4 Simple Steps To Boost Your Recruitment

You know it’s time to get started, but you are afraid of the response. You haven’t heard from your volunteers all summer, and now you need to let them know that the program begins in one month, two weeks, this weekend? You’ve been holding off on reaching out because you know at least one or two is going to say, “Hey, I’ve been giving it a lot of thought, and I don’t think I’m in for another year.”

It’s those “Oh crap!” moments that send us into a panic. We get angry at the situation, ourselves and it sends us into desperation. You might even have the thought of quitting. When you don’t have enough adults ministry can be frustrating. When you are in need of a few good people it’s best to act quickly and consider:

HANGING AROUND THE WEEKEND

Need people? Hang out in between all the Masses, and you’ll meet plenty of qualified men and women. In addition to hanging around the weekend consider attending other committees and clubs that happen in your parish. There are people in your church asking, “Is there more to life?” While serving the next generation doesn’t seem like an obvious answer; it is something that can lead people closer to God’s unique calling for their life, you need to believe it.

When you meet people at church, let them know who you are and not only what you do but why it matters. As you get to know them, invite them to check out the program, even if it’s just a one time deal. If they see the passion that you have for their program, then it’ll attract them.

CREATING AN EMAIL CAMPAIGN

Emails aren’t the most effective tools for recruiting, but they still work, especially when they are engaging and specific. Before you send out an email to parents or parishioners, consider creating engaging emails. That could include a:

• Top 5 reasons they should serve in youth ministry
• Video where you show your personality and passion
• Testimonials of current volunteers and teens regarding the program

Try doing all three and then give people a clear next step like:

• Shooting you an email
• Attending a meeting
• Filling out a form

Follow up and don’t be afraid to be consistent, after all, people have pretty busy inboxes, and one email isn’t always going to cut it.

ASKING THE TEENS FOR REFERRALS

Part of the reason we struggle to find volunteers is that we have no clue who we can ask that will connect with the teenagers. Take some time at your first program to have the teens write down who they think is a cool adult that models faith, and they would want to follow. Take the list, call the adults, and tell them that the teens personally recommended they join the team.

RESTRUCTURING WHAT YOU DO

You might have the ideal program, but if you don’t have the team to pull it together that’s okay because youth ministry doesn’t have to be one type of format. Feel free to adapt to a large group structure or peer lead groups. If you need ideas to go to the Marathon Youth Ministry Facebook page and post and let the community share their thoughts. If you oversee a middle school program, ask the high school students to step in. Look at large group activities or give them personal reflection time. No matter the switch make sure there is the intention behind what you do.

Grabbing volunteers last minute is pretty tough, but possible. But, if you don’t meet your quota in time, remember that youth ministry is a marathon. Stay hopeful, proactive and don’t forget to lean on God for guidance, He’ll give you what you need.

What’s your best recruiting method for volunteers?

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