Share your experience targeting specific demographics for volunteer recruitment.
Volunteers come and go, so recruitment managers often cast a large net in order to sustain appropriate numbers for service delivery. However, it is also essential to identify any demographic gaps in the volunteer base so that the communities served by the Red Cross's programs are reflected in the people serving them.
"As I was reading through the Red Cross's website, I especially connected with the statement that the organization strives for a 'high-performing workforce of employees and volunteers who reflect all communities we serve.' As a volunteer recruiter, I truly believe that people who live in communities served by social service programs ought to be involved in the development and implementation of those programs. This includes volunteering. Last year, I ran a report of the zip codes where our volunteers live so I could see how many of them live in our service area's zip code. The number was really small compared to other areas of the city. So, I arranged a meeting with the director of a local community development center there, and he allowed me to present volunteer opportunities on a monthly basis. This strategy resulted in a dozen new volunteers from that community."
"As I examined our volunteer records and looked through my contacts with different corporations, school groups, nonprofits, religious organizations, and more, I realized that my organization's fleet of volunteers and strategic partners did not include representation from the LGBTQIA community. I saw this as an opportunity to act on our organization's DEI vision which embraces the diversity of gender identity and sexual orientation in the same way as the Red Cross. I contacted the outreach officer at a local LGBTQIA community center and shared information about our organization and why I thought a partnership with their community center made sense. The officer agreed to meet with me, and some of their employees came to volunteer soon after as a trial run. When they enjoyed the experience, they organized a regular rotation of volunteers from members of their community center."
Discuss how you have identified and targeted a specific demographic for recruitment purposes. This is also an opportunity to show your understanding of the Red Cross's 'Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion' vision detailed on their website.
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