Skip to main content
Create an account for suggestions personalised to you and your organisation
Information
1 minute read

Recruiting Volunteers

Meeting National Standards and Strategy Seal Meeting National Standards and Strategy What's this?

Introduction

Recruiting volunteers is crucial for any organisation, and it all begins with meticulous planning. This involves drafting clear job descriptions, conducting thorough interviews, and performing necessary checks on applicants. By doing so, organisations ensure they attract the right individuals for their volunteer roles.

Summary

To draw in volunteers, organisations can employ targeted recruitment strategies. Utilising word-of-mouth and leveraging local connections have proven to be highly effective. Additionally, mass publicity efforts, such as media campaigns and online platforms, broaden the reach to potential volunteers. It's also essential to have a strategy for handling walk-in volunteers, ensuring they receive a positive first impression.

Benefits for Volunteer Involving Organisations and Volunteer Management

This document offers invaluable guidance for volunteer organisations and volunteer management practitioners. It outlines a structured approach to volunteer recruitment, ensuring organisations attract and retain the right talent. By following these recommendations, organisations can enhance their volunteer recruitment process, leading to a more efficient and effective volunteer workforce.

Application

This plain language guide is designed to make the complex subject of volunteer recruitment accessible, providing clear benefits for organisations looking to improve their volunteer management practices.

Downloads and sources

More about the author

Volunteering Victoria is the state peak body for volunteering, focusing on advocacy, sector development and the promotion of volunteering.

Contribute to the Gateway

Leave feedback

Was this resource useful?

Make a Suggestion

If you find a great resource that isn't in the directory or want to provide feedback on the Volunteering Gateway, drop us a line!

More like this

Guides

Aged friendly volunteering

Guide outlining how to involve older volunteers living with disability in safe, inclusive and meaningful ways.
1 minute read
Volunteering Victoria
Older Volunteers, Disability
Guides

Insurance and Liability

A guide to an organisation’s responsibility for volunteer health and safety.
1 minute read
Volunteering Victoria
General
Checklists

Student work placement framework

A practical framework to help organisations host work placement students and support skill development and pathways to employment.
1 minute read
Bellarine Catchment Network
Youth or Student
Volaby
Tech

Volaby

Volaby is an end-to-end volunteer and people management platform, enabling organisations to do more with less! Built from the collective voice of our volunteer managers using the platform, Volaby helps you automate and simplify the volunteer and manager experience to save time and scale impact.
Volunteer database Recruitment Rostering / scheduling Onboarding / training Volunteer performance/recognition Communication / engagement Task management Compliance Reporting Resource management Event management
Emergency Support Volunteering website
Tech

Emergency Support Volunteering website

The Emergency Support Volunteering website allows volunteers in Western Australia to register to help in emergencies, organisations needing support can also register to contact volunteers for assistance.
Volunteer database Recruitment Reporting
Better Impact
Tech

Better Impact

Better Impact offers a comprehensive software solution for volunteer program management, to simplify administrative tasks and enhance volunteer engagement across every stage of the volunteer lifecycle.
Volunteer database Recruitment Rostering / scheduling Onboarding / training Volunteer performance/recognition Communication / engagement Compliance Reporting Social media Donations
scheduled

Focus Group: Far West Volunteering in Emergencies

This focus group invites participants to share experiences of volunteering in emergency services across the Far West. Insights will inform future policy, support and best practice to strengthen volunteering in rural and regional emergency response.
The Centre for Volunteering
Free
scheduled

Protecting Mental Health: Psychosocial Hazards in Not-for-profits - June 2026

Learn your not‑for‑profit’s legal duties to manage psychosocial hazards. This webinar explains WHS obligations, how to identify risks like stress and trauma, and practical steps to protect the mental health and safety of staff and volunteers.
Justice Connect's Not-for-profit Law Training
A$49.00
scheduled

Growth Pathways: Strategic Volunteer Training and Development

This webinar explores how to design a strategic, needs‑based approach to volunteer training and development. Learn how to identify skill gaps, deliver timely training and support volunteer growth to improve retention and program impact.
The Centre for Volunteering
Free