Getting new 'blood'

Is there a way to attract and retain Emergency Relief volunteers? That is the question...

 

Well I tried to find out at the ‘Essentials for Attracting and Keeping Emergency Relief Volunteers’ seminar in Sydney last week. I learnt that whilst the predominate volunteer is aged between 35-44 years, works either part-time or full-time and is split 55/44% female to male (according to the 2006 Sensis), the statistics for emergency relief workers is far from this. With 79% from the builders generation, 17% from the baby boomers, 1% from the X generation and 3% from the Y generation, it is obvious more needs to be done to attract the X and Y gens.

 

I think there is definitely a generational shift between trying to attract builders/baby boomers and X/Y gens. Whilst the former want a definite structure in their chosen volunteering agency, the X/Y’s want a more flexible agency who can not only provide an exciting environment to learn new skills but also to adapt to changing circumstances.

 

I think that’s where the disconnect exists with large volunteer organisations, especially the ones with a long history and are inherently staffed by baby boomers on their boards.
 
Ways of adapting to enticing X/Y gens include increased forms of communications, such as using social networking websites – Facebook etc, varying shifts, locations, programs etc to accommodate peoples differing lifestyles. Buddy systems for new volunteers so they feel less overwhelmed should also be looked at. These new concepts should be adopted as we need an influx of new ‘blood’ into emergency services volunteering.

 

Well food for thought...

 

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