Giving effective presentations to recruit Foster Grandparents
Abstract
One strategy for effective recruitment presentations is making an audience believe you are there to give — not to ask for — something. When "selling" foster grandparent programs, the Friends Foster Grandparent Program in Concord, New Hampshire found several ways to make recruitment presentations even better. Program Director, Alane Hill, submitted this effective practice in February 2004.Issue
Finding ways to make presentations less threatening when recruiting senior volunteers.Action
According to the Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) Director of the Friends Program in Concord, New Hampshire, follow these best practices for effective presentations:
Take an enthusiastic volunteer with you to speak about her or his experience. Ask her or him to bring mementos to talk about, such as thank you cards from children, children's pictures, and teachers' thank you cards. Also, have the volunteer tell personally rewarding stories from his or her volunteer work.
In your opening remarks take the pressure off your audience. Natural resistance is triggered when an audience believes you are there to "sell" something.
1. Believe you are there to give to them (which you are); this applies to unstipended programs also.
2. Reduce initial opposition by telling them immediately that even if they don't qualify for, or wish to take advantage of this program, you would like to request that they learn about it in case some of their friends or neighbors could benefit from it. Request that listeners be "ambassadors" for the program to help others receive its benefits; they appreciate your respectful request for their non-committal assistance, and it relaxes them and enables them to enjoy the presentation. Additionally, talk to your current volunteers about their role as ambassadors, asking them to wear their badges in public places and talk to their social groups about the program. Teach current volunteers to overcome common objections. Volunteers have asked for this kind of training.
3. Provide your volunteers with Foster Grandparent "business cards" with their title, program's name, address, website, and phone numbers, which they can proudly carry around with them in case anyone they talk with is interested and would like to contact them in the future.
Intentionally address commonly held objections, even if your audience won't express them during a group presentation. For example: they don't have enough time, they don't want too drive far, classrooms are "noisy," "Schools are wild these days," "What if I don't like what I'm doing?" "This will affect my Social Security." Counter the unspoken objections by making positive statements about all of the issues.
Turn negatives (objections) into positives (affirmatives). For example, to counter the objection that 15 hours a week seems like too much time: Instead of announcing that about 15 hours a week is required, wait until later in the discussion, after they have heard all the positives, then say something like "If you' re a morning person, you could go from eight until noon and have the rest of the day for yourself. Or, you might prefer only three or four afternoons a week so you can have extra full days free to do your other activities. It's all built around you and your schedule." (Many people can't picture themselves doing 15 hours a week but can picture themselves doing eight to noon, for example.)
Describe the flexibility of the program. Flexible hours, flexible sites, flexible schedules; choices of clients for Senior Corps Programs, when possible. Describe that the programs were created for seniors, and built around their needs. This means there is plenty of time off when they need it, and plenty of paid time off for Foster Grandparents and Senior Companions. Additionally, breaks can be taken whenever needed.
Repeat often that volunteers are highly appreciated by site staff and/or clients. For FGP/SCP reinforce that this is not a job, it is volunteer work, and much less rigorous than a job: no stress, ease of duties, much more fun, time off for health, snow days, and family concerns.
Follow through and help every volunteer find what he or she is looking for with positive volunteer experiences. Move volunteers into settings that meet their personal needs.
Context
The Friends Foster Grandparent Program had been under-enrolled. Consequently, a promotional effort was undertaken that was a complete revision of recruitment strategies they had been using. The program expanded its outreach into areas they had not previously focused on, and also continued outreach in towns in which they already had a presence. They targeted low-income seniors for a direct mail promotion, and chose low-income settings to display posters and give presentations.
Founded in 1975, The Friends Program is a nonprofit, social service organization that strengthens communities by building relationships that empower people, encourage community service, and restore faith in the human spirit. A United Way agency, the organization strives to achieve this goal through the implementation of mentoring programs for at-risk youth, emergency housing for homeless families and medically challenged individuals, an intergenerational program that creates meaningful opportunities for seniors to work with children, and a volunteer service program that connects people of faith with elderly people in need of assistance to maintain their independent lifestyle.
A subsidiary of the Concord Regional Visiting Nurse Association, the agency provides services to over 3100 people annually with the assistance of over 630 volunteers. Services are offered in parts of six counties in New Hampshire through offices in Concord, Laconia, and Somersworth. The agency has a long history of providing cost-effective, community-based services that have been recognized by state agencies and community organizations.
Outcome
Incorporating these effective practices into presentations at senior centers and senior housing facilities has resulted in an immediate increase in recruits.Evidence
In 2003 the Friends Foster Grandparent Program had 55 volunteers. In 2004 enrollment has reached 85, with at least 15 more promising applicants hoping to join. These 30 new Foster Grandparents were recruited in a three-month period.Posted On
February 23, 2004For More Information