This document discusses strategies for interest-based volunteering by building on student and alumni networks. It identifies current volunteer bases among seasoned alumni, recent graduates, and current students. It then provides recommendations on identifying, attracting, retaining, and creating networks of volunteers by segmenting communications, providing meaningful engagement opportunities, and fostering partnerships and mentorship. The goal is to recruit and maintain volunteers through a continuous pipeline by keeping them interested and involved.

1. +
Interest-Based Volunteering
Building on Student and Alumni Networks

2. +
Who We Are
Introduce
 Scott Blythe
 Communications & Outreach Manager Analyze
 Student Association of BCIT Identify
 outreach@bcitsa.ca Attract
Retain
 Matt Corker Create
 AlumniRelations Manager, Students & Young Alumni Conclude
 UBC Alumni Affairs
 Matt.corker@ubc.ca

3. +
Who You Are
Introduce
 Name
Analyze
 Institution
Identify
 Programming Focus Attract
Retain
Create
Conclude

4. +
How should we be….
Introduce
 Identifying potential volunteers
Analyze
 Attracting volunteers Identify
 Retaining the best volunteers Attract
Retain
 Creating networks that align with volunteers’
Create
interests
Conclude

5. +
One Step Back
Introduce
 Who are your current volunteers?
 How old are they? Analyze
 Where do they live? Identify
 What do they do in their spare time?
Attract
 How much spare time do they have?
Retain
 What do you ask them to do? Create
Conclude

6. +
Current Volunteer Base
Introduce
 Seasoned Alumni (10+ years out)
 Working professionals Analyze
 Lots of experience volunteering, not a lot of time to give Identify
 Rich connections
Attract
 High-profile/advocacy opportunities
Retain
 Recent Graduates (0-10 years out) Create
 Starting their career – but moving quickly in doing so
Conclude
 Mixed levels of experience, willing to take on more
 Many connections that they can reach out to in under a minute
 Experiential/career-advancement opportunities

7. +
Current Volunteer Base
 Students (not out yet) Introduce
 The first-year class this year was born in 1990 Analyze
 Caller ID on phones
Identify
 Filing taxes online and GPS systems have always been available
 Coke and Pepsi always have come in recyclable bottles Attract
 Very busy:
Retain
 33+ hours on academics (both in and outside the classroom)
 49% of students are employed, working an average of 17 hours a Create
week
Conclude
 49% of students are involved in community service or volunteer
activities
 Connected globally with rapid communication tools being the
norm
Source: Beloit College Mindset List, Canadian University Survey Consortium

8. +
Gen Y vs Millennial
Generation Y
Introduce
 Most students on campus were born after the Apple Analyze
MacIntosh was introduced
Identify
 Most cannot remember the world without the Internet – Attract
dubbed “Digital Residents”
Retain
 At least 90% have an account on a media networking site like Create
MySpace or Facebook
Conclude
 Almost all own a computer and cell phone, 60% an Ipod, 75%
use Instant Messaging
Sources – Deloitte Touche (2005); Junco and Mastrodicasa (2007)

9. +
Gen Y vs Millennial
Millennial Generation
Introduce
 34% use Internet as main source of news Analyze
 44% regularly read blogs Identify
Attract
 Most educated and tech savvy generation
Retain
 Expect personalization, customization, interactivity Create
and integration
Conclude
 No patience for “corporate speak”, playing games
or “one size fits all”
Sources – Deloitte Touche (2005); Junco and Mastrodicasa (2007)

10. +
Survey Results: BCIT
BCIT Students Quick Facts
06/07
Full-time students 16,134 Introduce
Part-time students 31,523
Analyze
47,657
Full-time students Identify
Gender
Attract
Female 29%
Male 71% Retain
Create
Age (aprox.)
19 or younger 32% Conclude
20-24 40%
25-29 15%
30-34 5%
35 or older 8%
BCIT Facts and Figures 2007 Source: BCIT Applicant Survey 2006

11. +
Survey Results: BCIT
Primary Objective for Enrolling at BCIT (top two)
Establish a career 48%
Obtain a BCIT Diploma/Degree 30% Introduce
Analyze
Reasons for choosing BCIT (top two-multiple)
Reputation 68% Identify
Practical Training 44% Attract
Campus Environment (top four) Dissatisfaction Important Retain
Students’ voice in institutional policies 703 – 16.4% 805 –
87.2% Create
Social Activities 768 – 15.8% 807 – Conclude
78.9%
Sense of belonging to the institution 867 – 14.0% 811 – 83.8%
Equal and fair treatment of students 887 – 11.9% 817 – 97.1%
2007 FTS Survey (Facilities and Support Services) – ADDENDUM
BCIT Facts and Figures 2007 Source: BCIT Applicant Survey 2006

12. +
Identifying Volunteers
Introduce
 How do/how will you identify your volunteers?
 Self-identified? Recruited/Referred? Analyze
Identify
 When do you identify them?
Attract
 On a need basis? Continuous?
Retain
Create
Conclude

13. +
Possible Solutions
Introduce
 Provide opportunities for them to step forward
 Onlinevolunteer form Analyze
 Resource person onsite at events Identify
 Be where your target market is Attract
Retain
 Be innovative in your research
Create
 Facebook group creators
 Community event planners – both on/off campus Conclude
 Most applause at graduation
 Pepperdine University

14. +
Attracting Volunteers
Introduce
 Howdo you convince potential volunteers that
they should choose you over some other Analyze
volunteer opportunity? Identify
Attract
Retain
Create
Conclude

15. +
Attracting Volunteers
Introduce
 Segmentation
 Communicate differently based on: Analyze
 Target audience (student, recent grad, etc) Identify
 Medium (online v.s. offline) Attract
 Volunteer opportunity
Retain
 Relationship primary – someone else might hold the key!
Create
Conclude

16. +
Introduce
Analyze
Identify
Attract
Retain
Create
Conclude

17. +
Our Stories
 Build a pipeline or “pathway” for volunteers
 BCIT stories:
 BCITSA President & one BCITSA staff sit on Alumni Board Introduce
 Alumni Association participates in a number of BCITSA events Analyze
and programming
Identify
 BCITAA and BCITSA partner on specific events
 BCITSA designed alumni branded clothing Attract
 UBC stories: Retain
 Future Alumni Leaders Council
Create
 An “alumni association” for recent graduates
 Will act as a feeder for advisory boards and the association Conclude
board

18. +
Attracting Volunteers
Introduce
 Get them hooked!
 Provideinformation that will make them want to Analyze
volunteer Identify
 3 minute video on the value alumni volunteers bring to the
Attract
community
 Package on your university’s mission, traditions, events Retain
 Create and publicize specific volunteer job descriptions Create
 FAQs section online – or through MSN
Conclude

19. +
Introduce
Analyze
Identify
Attract
Retain
Create
Conclude

20. +
Retaining Volunteers
Introduce
 What do you do to make your great volunteers
stay involved? Analyze
Identify
Attract
Retain
Create
Conclude

21. +
Retaining Volunteers
Introduce
 Make it easy for them to be successful
 Training sessions / volunteer summit Analyze
 Another great time to get them hooked! Identify
 Provide them with the relevant tools/resources Attract
 Clearly identify what you view as success
Retain
 Set out clear goals and expectations
Create
 Hire and train great staff members Conclude
 No one likes working with pessimistic, unorganized and
unfriendly staff members – and volunteers can choose not to at
any time!

22. +
Introduce
Analyze
Identify
Attract
Retain
Create
Conclude

23. +
Retaining Volunteers
 Reward & Recognize Introduce
 Thank-you cards Analyze
 Thanking a volunteer in your communications materials Identify
 Formal award presentations
Attract
Retain
 The Starbucks Experience Create
 Let them “make it their own”
Conclude
 Support them in their efforts to be creative
 “Surprise and delight”
 The unwritten perks of being a volunteer
Source: The Starbucks Experience by Joseph A Michelli

24. +
UBC REC – 6 staff, 120+ volunteers
Introduce
Analyze
Identify
Attract
Retain
Create
Conclude

25. +
Evaluate Retention
Have you participated in an Annual Charity Campaign hosted by
BCITSA? 81.3% no 18.7% yes
Introduce
(top two reasons multiple)
classmates/ friends did not participate 62.8% Analyze
classmates/ friends did t participate
68.8% Identify
Of all the factors listed above, please rate the importance of each as they Attract
influence your decision making process.
(top two reasons multiple) Retain
connection to other students 50.5%
personal connection to charity 41.8% Create
connection to BCIT 41.8%
Conclude
If you responded NO to question #9, explain why. Choose as many
responses as applicable:
(question – 9) If you have participated in an Annual Charity Campaign hosted
by BCITSA, would you do so again?
(top two reasons multiple)
too busy 83.3%
didn't connect me to other students 16.7%
didn't feel my contribution made a difference 16.7%

26. +
Evaluate Retention
What goals must an annual campaign have in order for you to get
involved? Choose as many responses as applicable:
Introduce
(top two reasons multiple)
have fun 73.6% Analyze
help others in need 69.2%
Identify
What is the most effective way(s) to pass information on to you from
BCIT? Please choose as many responses as applicable. Attract
(top two reasons multiple)
mybcit email 87.9% Retain
tech/set representatives 44.0%
Create
Do you think BCITSA should continue to host an Annual Charity
Campaign? Conclude
2.2% no 97.8% yes
BCITSA Charity Campaign Survey 2008

27. +
Creating Networks
Introduce
 Network: a
branch or chapter that brings
together alumni in a specific geographical Analyze
region Identify
Attract
Retain
 Besides
region-based, what other “networks” Create
do you have / could you have? Conclude
 Common affiliations?

28. +
Introduce
Analyze
Identify
Attract
Retain
Create
Conclude

29. +
Creating Networks
Student wants to Introduce
get involved on
campus Analyze
Identify
Encourages
Student joins the Attract
others to get
AMS
involved
Retain
Create
Conclude
Student has a
AMS plans an
great
event
experience

30. +
Creating Networks
Student graduates, Already knows /
becomes the
but is already a part network leader
of a network!
Wants to stay
Organizes a
involved in the
network event
AMS network
Student wants to
get involved on
campus
Encourages
Student joins the
others to get
AMS
involved Has a great Helps students
experience plan their event
Student has a AMS plans an Network supports
great experience event
student activities

31. +
Creating Networks
Introduce
 Affinity-based networks
 Rely on support from campus-based partners Analyze
 Transcend geographical boundaries (if members are Identify
kept “in the loop”) Attract
 Can create informal (or formal) mentorship
Retain
opportunities for your students
 Has a continual pipeline of volunteers – that you don’t Create
need to recruit! Conclude

32. +
Key Messages
 Bring
the right people on board – partnerships Introduce
and great staff members are essential Analyze
Identify
 Start
with your students and engage them in
meaningful ways – they are your future Attract
volunteers Retain
 Be
creative and segmented in your Create
communications and approach to find Conclude
volunteers
 Make your alumni want to volunteer with you

33. +
Introduce
Analyze
Any questions?
Identify
Attract
Retain
Create
Conclude

34. +
Thanks for coming!
Introduce
 Scott Blythe
 Communications & Outreach Manager Analyze
 Student Association of BCIT Identify
 outreach@bcitsa.ca Attract
Retain
 Matt Corker Create
 AlumniRelations Manager, Students & Young Alumni Conclude
 UBC Alumni Affairs
 Matt.corker@ubc.ca

35. +
Great Resources
 Canadian
University Survey Consortium:
www.cusc-ccreu.ca
 The
University Presidents Council of British
Columbia: www.tupc.bc.ca
 Volunteer Match: www.volunteermatch.org