Recruiting older volunteers offers an excellent way to bring people who have top-notch skills and outstanding experience to your organization. People over age 65 are often retired and have lots of spare time to donate to a great cause. Connecting with this group can happen easily if you follow our volunteer recruiting tips for baby boomers.
Use Your Existing Network to Find the Right Additions to Your Team
Everyone knows people over the age of 65. Put the word out that your organization would like to recruit older volunteers. Tell your current volunteers, and give them business cards to pass on to their parents, grandparents, and neighbors. Ask your own older relatives for recommendations of where to go to find potential volunteers.
Visit Places Seniors Frequent
Senior centers, churches, and senior living facilities all offer excellent chances to connect with seniors. Set up a meeting through whoever is in charge. Ask them to advertise the meeting as a chance to learn more about volunteer opportunities. You may want to arrange for one of the seniors who already volunteers with you to accompany you to the meeting. They can answer questions about the tasks they perform for you and the environment of your nonprofit.
Connect With People Online
When organizations look for ways to recruit senior volunteers, one often-overlooked option is the internet. Seniors are frequent users of social media, and you can connect with them on Facebook to discuss volunteering. Post ads targeting those over 65, or join groups that appeal to older users.
Tailor Volunteer Jobs to Your Audience
Retired people can bring a great deal of knowledge to your nonprofit. Take advantage of their experience to make your organization even stronger. Ask every senior volunteer you recruit what they did for a living and what types of special talents they have. You may discover something unexpected, such as a fluency in Japanese or a gift for carving wood. You can make jobs specifically to play to those unique skills.
Too many people write off retirees and seniors simply because they’re older. That’s a mistake. Ask these individuals what types of jobs they want to perform instead of assigning them the simplest tasks — their ambition may surprise and delight you.
Accommodate Physical Limitations
Some, though not all, seniors may have physical limitations. Many of these issues come with age, but they don’t prevent someone from being an effective and enthusiastic volunteer. Discuss any accommodations that must be made up front so that you all know what the situation is. Check in periodically to ensure that nothing has changed and that your volunteer continues to feel comfortable with your arrangement. Offer any adjustments you can to make their job more pleasant.
Now that you know how to recruit senior volunteers, put your plan into action using these tactics to start. One other thing you might like to try out is the volunteer management software from Volgistics, which can help you schedule volunteers and set up reminders. Contact us to schedule a free demo.