'Tis the season that we start thinking about the people we'll need for all our fall programs, whether it be CnC or anything else. I wanted to throw in my two cents about recruiting volunteers and hope you'll find it useful. If you have other thoughts or suggestions, feel free to start a discussion on the forum about what works and what doesn't.
1. Desperation is not a recruitment strategy "We need someone" announcements in the bulletin may get you a volunteer or two, but it's not the best way to go about recruiting volunteers--especially when you're looking for someone to work with youth. You do not want to open yourself up to abusers, so you need to be deliberate. Come up with a list of names and approach people directly--and make sure everyone who works with youth (or children) gets a background check.
2. Skills can be learned; start with personal qualities When you're thinking about specific people to recruit, don't start with "who has the skills we need?" Instead, start with, "What characteristics do we want in the people who will work with our youth?" I think we are too often lured into the myth of expertise. The truth is, skills can be learned and a difficult personality can be much more disruptive than a novice on a learning curve. I learned fairly early on that recruiting volunteers based on the fact that "they've done it before" is not always the best way to go. Nowadays, I look first at some other criteria before I look at skill base: Is someone responsible and responsive? Do these people have a sense of humor? In general, are people comfortable being around this person? We're talking very basic stuff here, but the basics are important.
3. When you approach someone, have a good job description ready And by "good" I mean (among other things) "honest." Be straight up about the amount of time you expect the task will require, what the schedule will look like, what your expectations are, and what you think may be some challenges. Let them see what a class lesson looks like. But also be able to articulate some of the good things they'll be able to get out of taking on the role--and not just "Your reward will be great in heaven." With CnC, you can tell them that one of the benefits of mentoring or teaching is hearing youth talk about their faith in an honest and surprising way; it's very cool to see them develop over the year. You really are offering them a good opportunity. Try to remember that before you make the ask.
4. Do give people the training/information they need to succeed "I'm sure you'll do fine" isn't enough. One of the best things we ever did for the Sunday School teachers at my former parish was invite a superb elementary school teacher to come and talk about strategies for classroom management. Who do you know who can offer some of the tricks of the trade--whether that's about teaching, or what to expect from teenagers, or what adult learners like and don't like, or what makes a good mentor. Do everything you can to make sure your volunteers will have a positive and successful experience and they are far more likely to volunteer for other things in the future.
I've found over the years that the volunteers we need are out there. Recruitment is as much about courage, preparation, and care as it is about resources and numbers. Good luck as you approach people and know that we, too, will be here to support your volunteers as they embark on leading Confirm not Conform.