3 Steps to Engage a New Volunteer
How do outsiders become insiders on a team?
There is something that comes alive in us when we are a part of meaningful work with a group of people. That is why helping people to connect and engage in volunteer opportunities is so crucial.
I want to encourage you today to avoid making things complicated. Avoid long processes and plans that make it harder for people to become part of your team. In fact, I want to challenge you to engage new volunteers through 3 simple steps:
Step 1 - Give Them Someone to KNOW – Relationships are a bonding agent on any team. Make people feel valued and welcomed by introducing them people – it is the most important thing you can do when someone new shows up. Relationships create a solid foundation for belonging on any team. If a person makes a new friend, they are exponentially more likely to come back.
Step 2 - Give Them Something to DO – People show up to be in the game, not sit the bench. Let them get their hands dirty. At first, a new volunteer might not carry a ton of weight, but they can make their presence known and have a chance to feel useful. Let them contribute in some way as quickly as possible. Give them room to make a difference while embracing the fact that their greatest contribution to the team will come down the road.
Step 3 - Give Them Something to OWN – A person is fully engaged on a team when they know their presence and effort makes a difference. Having your name on the schedule, in a position that is consistently yours is essential for long-term engagement. A person has moved from outsider to insider when they know that their presence matters and their absence is felt.
By giving people someone to know, something to do and something to own you create a streamline process that makes it easy for people to become a part of your team.
