Getting volunteer help at LHENA
Hello! Whatever you are currently working on with LHENA, whatever brought you to this website, a big thank you from the LHENA team for stepping up. LHENA is entirely about what neighbors are capable of when they work together to create a better neighborhood. In that spirit, we are very excited to welcome your participation. Please know that staff and neighbor leaders are here to support you and help you succeed.
As your work comes together, you may need additional help. This site is here to help with that.
As your work comes together, you may need additional help. This site is here to help with that.
A. Getting the volunteers you need.
(1) Start with who you know.
Who are your people? Are there friends, family, or past collaborators you know and trust best? Projects are a good way to further invest in the bonds of trust we already have. Is this a repeat project? Go back to those who helped the first time.
(2) Use the work as an excuse to make new connections.
Do you have a prospect list of potential community members to get involved, maybe even someone you only met in passing that you've wanted an excuse to do something with? Now would be a great time for this! If you're not sure, sit down with a piece of paper and make a prospect list, people who may be interested in something like what you're doing. They don't need to live in the neighborhood, though of course that'd be a good thing.
(3) Ask a committee contact for help.
Committee Chairs and Liaisons maintain lists of community members and active volunteers, lists they communicate with semi-regularly. You can and should make direct asks to the Committee Chair most relevant to your project to include your ask in their communications (or on their committee meeting agenda).
(4) Ask LHENA Staff to promote your needs via social and e-news.
Beyond these three tactics, LHENA is here to assist. Staff runs multiple active digital channels – website, weekly e-news alerts, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram – and is prepared to make volunteer asks for LHENA activities and projects on these channels. Follow the link under the following tab and LHENA staff will get back to you within 24 hours.
Who are your people? Are there friends, family, or past collaborators you know and trust best? Projects are a good way to further invest in the bonds of trust we already have. Is this a repeat project? Go back to those who helped the first time.
(2) Use the work as an excuse to make new connections.
Do you have a prospect list of potential community members to get involved, maybe even someone you only met in passing that you've wanted an excuse to do something with? Now would be a great time for this! If you're not sure, sit down with a piece of paper and make a prospect list, people who may be interested in something like what you're doing. They don't need to live in the neighborhood, though of course that'd be a good thing.
(3) Ask a committee contact for help.
Committee Chairs and Liaisons maintain lists of community members and active volunteers, lists they communicate with semi-regularly. You can and should make direct asks to the Committee Chair most relevant to your project to include your ask in their communications (or on their committee meeting agenda).
(4) Ask LHENA Staff to promote your needs via social and e-news.
Beyond these three tactics, LHENA is here to assist. Staff runs multiple active digital channels – website, weekly e-news alerts, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram – and is prepared to make volunteer asks for LHENA activities and projects on these channels. Follow the link under the following tab and LHENA staff will get back to you within 24 hours.
B. Getting your ask onto LHENA digital channels.
(Note: If you haven't read "Getting the volunteers you need," above, start there. LHENA staff runs multiple active digital channels – website, weekly e-news alerts, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram – and is ready to make volunteer asks for LHENA activities and projects on these channels. Fill out the form under the following tab and LHENA staff will get back to you within 24 hours.
C. Some tips for success in recruiting.
Some final tips:
– Remember that most people genuinely WANT to be helpful.
As long as you're sure the need is real, don't be afraid to see if someone can help you out. It may feel uncomfortable to ask at first, but you'll get used to it, and you will quickly see how much people like being made useful.
- Make your ask to people individually.
You are more likely to get a yes with this method than by sending group emails and posts. Be direct and genuine. You can do this via text, in person, phone, email – most important thing is that you reach out to people individually.
– Remember why you're doing it.
This might seem silly, but knowing your purpose is a very useful tool for navigating obstacles and challenges, and convincing people to help, where you need help.
– There will be obstacles. It's okay, it's part of the work, and you'll feel that much better for accomplishing the thing in the end.
It's okay (and expected) to get some "No"s – that's just how it goes, you will get yeses if you keep trying, and it's nice just to ask (and be asked). Especially if you're doing something for the first time, set your expectations appropriately. It's important to keep going, not get de-railed, and to trust that it's worth doing what you're doing, no matter how available other people are to help.
– Remember that most people genuinely WANT to be helpful.
As long as you're sure the need is real, don't be afraid to see if someone can help you out. It may feel uncomfortable to ask at first, but you'll get used to it, and you will quickly see how much people like being made useful.
- Make your ask to people individually.
You are more likely to get a yes with this method than by sending group emails and posts. Be direct and genuine. You can do this via text, in person, phone, email – most important thing is that you reach out to people individually.
– Remember why you're doing it.
This might seem silly, but knowing your purpose is a very useful tool for navigating obstacles and challenges, and convincing people to help, where you need help.
– There will be obstacles. It's okay, it's part of the work, and you'll feel that much better for accomplishing the thing in the end.
It's okay (and expected) to get some "No"s – that's just how it goes, you will get yeses if you keep trying, and it's nice just to ask (and be asked). Especially if you're doing something for the first time, set your expectations appropriately. It's important to keep going, not get de-railed, and to trust that it's worth doing what you're doing, no matter how available other people are to help.
From the "Organizing: People, Power, Change" handbook produced by Dogwood Initiative,
Leadnow, One Cowichan, the David Suzuki Foundation, and Stonehouse Institute.