Is your gate open or closed? 5 quick ideas to make your volunteer program more inviting

Katya's Nonprofit Marketing Blog had a great post last week about a music school that increased their clients by over 50% - just because they opened their front gate and put out a few welcoming signs.  What simple changes to make a big impact!

This got me thinking -how might this apply to our volunteer programs?  What if such small changes could make volunteers flood through your organization's doors, like it made new students flood through the doors of that school?

Here are some small but powerful ways to make your volunteer program more inviting:

1. Get rid of physical barriers.  Simple changes like opening the door to the organization, taking down the cubicle wall that separates the volunteer coordinator from the rest of the office, or removing other physical barriers can make potential volunteers feel more at ease about approaching you.

2.  Make open positions obvious.  Like the welcome signs in Katya's story, sometimes a metaphorical "come on in" can invite a volunteer to step up.  Advertise your specific volunteer position openings.  It's like a "welcome sign" into your volunteer program.


3. Smile.  When anyone comes into your office - client, donor, supporter, community member - smile, say "hello," be friendly, and make sure they feel welcome.  No need to put them on the spot - but a kind acknowledgment of their presence will make the person feel more at ease.  And you never know who might be interested in lending a hand if they just feel comfortable with you!

4. Institute a "smile" policy.  It shouldn't just be you making people feel welcome - get the whole team on board!  Volunteers see your staff as a representation of your volunteer program - so make sure they know the entire staff is welcoming and supportive.

 5. Create a clear chain of communication.  Everyone in your organization needs to know who a potential volunteer should approach if they're interested in giving their time.  Make sure an interested volunteer can approach anyone at the organization and get a clear referral to the volunteer coordinator.  Little can scare off a potential volunteer more than a convoluted or circular chain of contacts who are unsure of how to help them get involved.

How do you make sure that volunteers feel welcome at your organization?  Share your ideas in the comments!