Volunteer Recruitment

Recruiting volunteers is key to your program’s success. The role of volunteer tutor is highly specialized. It requires a unique skillset that includes flexibility, independence, patience, empathy, strong communication, and time management. This is not a one size fits all volunteer opportunity.

It is important that the volunteer tutor position description indicate the responsibilities of the role, including time commitments. Components of a volunteer position description should include:

• Job title
• Title of supervisor
• Purpose of the position
• Major responsibilities
• Time commitment

Volunteer Alberta’s Volunteer Screening Program, with support from the Government of Alberta, provides a number of resources for developing a Volunteer Position Description:

 Volunteer Position Description Resources

• Developing Volunteer Positions https://volunteeralberta.ab.ca/resources/developing-volunteer-positions/
• Volunteer Position Description (template) https://volunteeralberta.ab.ca/app/uploads/20180920-Position-Description-Risk-Full-1.pdf

A position description for a volunteer adult literacy and foundational learning tutor might include the following responsibilities:

• One on one or small group tutoring in adult literacy, numeracy, basic digital skills, and/or English Language Learning
• Lesson planning, goal setting, and ongoing assessment
• Weekly meeting time of 60-120 minutes
• Approximately 30-60 minutes of preparation per week
• Minimum commitment of 6 months
• Indefinite start and end dates

Early on in the recruitment process, it is important to inform prospective volunteers of your organization’s process. Next steps are critical to building a positive relationship with your volunteers. Typical questions new volunteers may have are:

• Who do I contact?
• What is the position?
• Do I fill out a volunteer application form? Is it available online, in print or both?
• What is your screening process?
• Do you accept all volunteers that apply?
• When do I start?
• Is there training?

A written position description provides answers to many of the questions above and provides your organization with a formalized process for volunteer recruitment.

 Sample Volunteer Tutor Position Description

(Excerpt from "Developing Job Descriptions in Ontario's Community Literacy Agencies", 2010. Retrieved from: https://www.communityliteracyofontario.ca/all-resources/developing-job-descriptions-in-ontarios-community-literacy-agencies-2010)  

Ideally, a Community Adult Learning Program wants to recruit a diverse team of volunteer tutors. Like the adult learners who come through your doors, you want volunteer tutors who represent a variety of demographics: age, employment, education, culture, faith etc. In order to attract a diverse group of volunteers that accurately reflects your community, your CALP will want to recruit in a variety of different ways:

• Posting an advertisement in your local newspaper and on social media
• Using local television and radio
• Setting up a display at community events (ask current volunteer tutors to help you staff it)
• Presenting to community groups
• Sharing volunteers with partner organizations
• Word of mouth

These recruitment strategies will allow you to reach a number of people who are unfamiliar with your Community Adult Learning Program. They may not all be interested in volunteering but they may know of a learner who could benefit from your programs or they may work at the grocery store and be happy to support you with an in-kind donation. Building your profile in the community can only benefit your Community Adult Learning Program.

• Consider promoting volunteer opportunities at Community Capacity Building programs.
• Have your volunteer tutor position description and application form available in a variety of formats. Include both online and paper copies.
• Your program can incentivize this volunteer role by promoting skills development available through professional development and training opportunities.
• Use position titles instead of staff names when creating a volunteer position description and advertising that position. This eliminates the need to update this document and the countless places it is located when staff leave or change positions. For example, “If you are interested in volunteering, please contact our program coordinator at 403-587-1234”
• Meet with existing tutors. Unless you are starting a tutor program from scratch, it is likely that your CALP already has volunteer tutors working with learners. These volunteers can be a tremendous asset to your program: advocacy, training, recruitment and support.

"Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”  - Martin Luther King Jr.