Recruitment & Retention Strategy

Transcription

1 Recruitment & Retention Strategy Executive Summary This report sets out an evidence based strategic framework for The Scout Association s future work to recruit and retain adult volunteers. The framework reviews both the internal and external research identifying the key findings as being: Adults with a current or previous connection to the organisation, such as former youth members and parents are the groups most likely to volunteer for Scouting People are increasingly seeking flexible volunteering opportunities; however in Scouting flexible volunteering is not always understood, offered or valued. Potential volunteers often fail to realise that Scouting offers volunteering opportunities that do not involve working directly with young people New volunteers do not always receive a positive and supportive welcome from existing volunteers. Working with young people and particularly being able to manage challenging behaviour is a significant concern amongst potential and new volunteers There is insufficient understanding of why volunteers choose to leave Scouting Based upon the research, the report makes a number of specific recommendations. In particular it identifies that: A positive and supportive volunteering culture should be developed, encouraged and reinforced throughout the organisation. Potential recruits should be segmented and prioritised, with targeted recruitment and flexible support being provided for each group. Additional research is required in order to properly understand the actions to be undertaken in order to support retention. 1. Introduction The recruitment & retention of adult volunteers was formally identified as the key priority for The Scout Association following the National DCs Conference in Since 2004, this key priority has been consistently reaffirmed and reflected in the Association s agreed strategic objectives and operational targets with many of the underpinning policies and procedures being reviewed and a variety of different approaches to recruitment and retention being trialled. Many of these approaches have been both innovative and successful and include the Parent Pack, the Want-to-Join system, Student Recruitment, Adventure News and the Big Adventure, however it has been acknowledged that these initiatives have tended to be rather ad-hoc in nature and have lacked the necessary coherence and strategic approach. This document aims to remedy this situation by providing an evidence based strategic framework upon which the Association s forthcoming work on the recruitment & retention of adult volunteers may rest. In developing the strategic framework, this document starts by considering the overall approach to volunteering before summarising both the internal and external research in order to identify the current evidence base. The report then draws the information together using a SWOT analysis, before making a series of recommendations based upon the findings. 1

2 2. The approach to volunteering Historically Scouting has relied upon a substantial number of long term and deeply committed career volunteers, however in recent years many external commentators 1 2 have identified that organisations relying on long-term or regular volunteers and particularly those operating a Membership model of volunteering are going to have to rethink the way they designed volunteering opportunities in order to survive. Furthermore, both internal 3 and external commentators 4 have suggested that voluntary organisations such as Scouting should see its adult volunteers as its customers for whom an attractive value proposition needs to be developed and implemented. For over ten years the Association has based its approach to volunteering upon the World Scout Bureau s Adults in Scouting Model 5 which describes the lifecycle of an adult in Scouting. Using this framework the Association has developed numerous policies, procedures and guidance aimed at effectively recruiting, training, supporting and reviewing adult volunteers. More recently the Association has developed and expanded upon this underpinning approach including additional concepts such as flexible volunteering and external recognition of volunteering training and experience. In addition, following the suggestions by several internal and external commentators the Association has taken some initial steps towards the segmentation and targeting of the different volunteer markets. Recruitment Several internal and external research studies have considered the recruitment of adult volunteers and this section summarises the key findings of this research. Section based roles From the research it is clear that nearly 90% of the adult volunteers recruited into Section based roles (Section Leaders, Assistant Section Leaders and Section Assistants) come from two key sources 6. Between 40-45% of new volunteers to Section roles come from the parents of youth Members (or prospective youth Members). In this regard the research also identified that parents rotas are a particularly effective method of getting parents initially involved in Scouting, whilst residential events such as camps, were identified as offering critical tipping points in converting informal, limited involvement into a more formalised, committed association 6. A further 40-45% of new adult volunteers come through the Movement, typically being Explorer Scout Young Leaders who take on an adult appointment when they reach their eighteenth birthday 6. Both the external research and anecdotal evidence from within Scouting indicates that the volunteers from this source often develop a lifelong commitment to the organisation, becoming the key volunteers upon which Scouting has historically depended. The remaining 10-20% of new volunteers to Section based roles come from a wide variety of sources including people simply interested in volunteering in the youth sector or seeking youth work experience to boost their CV. It should however be noted that a very significant number of this final 10-20% of new volunteers have had some previous involvement with Scouting 6. In many cases they are former youth members (albeit many years ago); are the friends or relatives of existing adult volunteers; have links with an associated community body (such as a church or other sponsoring authority) or have had some other contact with Scouting such as through 2

3 membership of GGUK. Critically, the research shows that, one third of those people with some form of connection with Scouting would consider volunteering for the organisation 7. These internal findings are strongly supported by the external research which shows that volunteers are often those that have been touched by the organisation and that involvement with a voluntary organisation as a child significantly increases the likelihood of reengaging with that organisation as an adult volunteer Relatively few volunteers come through externally focussed campaigns 7 and only 4% of recruits come via national websites 11. The internal research 6 has also identified that existing Section Leaders are the people most often involved in recruiting new adult volunteers into Sectional roles, although they receive little formal training for this role. Disappointingly Group Scout Leaders often having little or no contact or involvement with new volunteers until the formal appointment process is initiated. Manager & Supporter roles Unfortunately there is only limited research on the recruitment sources for manager and supporter roles, however the research that has been undertaken 12 and the considerable anecdotal evidence indicates that the overwhelming majority (over 95%) of these appointments come from within the Movement, with them often being seen as promotion. It has also been recognised 13 that too many appointments to management roles are made on the basis of length of service rather than for the skills required to carry out the role. Research carried out amongst Department of Health staff 14 identified that 80% of them would be particularly interested in being able to use their professional, organisational and management skills in a volunteer capacity, however 81% of them did not realise that Scouting had a need for volunteers to take on roles which did not involve working directly with young people. Some businesses have already expressed an interest in encouraging their staff to volunteer for Scouting and other similar voluntary organisations 15 and a number of external commentators have identified that the recent recession has actually increased the number of experienced and capable individuals who are seeking real volunteering opportunities through which they can employ their professional skills. It should be recognised however that young professionals often need to balance their careers with volunteering activities 18 and for them therefore; the availability of genuine flexible volunteering opportunities is of particular importance. Generic issues In more general terms, researchers have identified a number of other important elements to the recruitment of volunteers. The time pressures on people in modern society together with concern over the demands placed upon volunteers have been identified as perhaps the single largest barrier to recruitment 2 14, with nearly 60% of non-volunteers citing them as the main reason why they did not volunteer 7. Linked to prospective volunteers concerns over time is the often inflexible way volunteering opportunities are designed and presented by Scouting 6 7. In many cases unrealistically high expectations are placed upon the availability and commitment of potential and new volunteers, many of whom want convenient, one-off or time limited volunteering opportunities 18. Perhaps surprisingly given the internally accepted need, Scouting can often present itself as a well established, well resourced and confident organisation leading few people to realise that it has a need for new volunteers 18. Potential volunteers also perceive Scouting to be an old fashioned, boring and boys only organisation 18. 3

4 The research has also shown that a significant number of potential volunteers do not believe that they have the skills required by the organisation This links to the misconception that all volunteers work directly with young people 14 and the very specific concerns expressed by potential volunteers that they do not have and will not be provided with the knowledge and skills to work with and manage the behaviour of difficult young people Interestingly this finding is somewhat at odds with the fact that working with young people is one of the most popular forms of volunteering 19 and that both prospective and existing volunteers report that enabling young people to grow and develop is a significant motivation The concern about the lack of skills is particularly keenly felt by those people that have not had previous experience of Scouting, many of whom believe that all volunteers in Scouting have considerable experience and have come through the Movement 7. Similarly, younger potential volunteers often feel that they don t yet have anything to pass on although they are interested in both the fun and CV building aspects of volunteering 18. Both the internal 6 and external research 20 shows that many new volunteers are deterred or subsequently leave because existing volunteers form a tight knit community or clique which fails to provide a warm welcome. To some extent this also reflects the fears expressed by potential 20-something volunteers that they would be stuck with older volunteers 18. Scouting also faces the challenge of converting interest or peripheral involvement into regular participation. Often this process occurs over an extended period (described by one new recruit as being sucked in slowly ), however it is clear that people on the edge of the organisation are much more likely to become involved if they are specifically asked to volunteer 7. In terms of adults working with young people it has also been identified that involvement in a camp or other residential experience can be a key tipping point in the recruitment process 6. Retention Unfortunately there has only been limited research into why adults leave Scouting, although a number of local exit interview based research projects are currently underway. The research that has been undertaken has focused on relatively new recruits, despite the fact that the Association has a substantial number of longstanding or career volunteers The findings of the research with new volunteers has shown that the main reason for leaving Scouting in the first 12 months was the realisation of the scale and scope of the volunteering role they had taken on 6. For adults working in Sections, the research also showed that whilst volunteers gained real satisfaction from working with young people, the difficulty and challenges of managing their behaviour was a key reason for leaving in the first 12 months of their involvement 6. The research also identifies that a significant number of those new adult volunteers that had considered leaving Scouting, had done so because of difficulties with other adults. Conversely, the research also shows that one of the reasons that adults stay in Scouting (and other volunteering organisations) is the close bonds of friendship and inter-dependence that builds amongst teams working together 6. In terms of the retention research undertaken with particular volunteer segments, GirlGuidingUK research 10 has shown that parents tend to engage in episodic volunteering, becoming involved whilst their children are youth members but often leaving once their children leave the organisation or Section. 4

5 3. Summary of the research The research can be helpfully summarised using a SWOT analysis with the internal strengths and weaknesses identified alongside the external opportunities & threats. Strengths (internal) The wider Movement has accepted the critical importance of recruiting and retaining adult volunteers if it is to succeed and grow. A positive volunteering culture is starting to emerge, however it is not yet in evidence throughout the organisation Scouting has many of the necessary policies and procedures to support effective volunteering (including recruitment, induction, training and review) already in place Local Scouting already holds the details of the people making up the principle sources of new volunteers (i.e. parents & existing Explorer Scout Young Leaders) A significant number of people have had previous involvement with the Movement (as former youth members, friends of existing volunteers, parents of former Scouts etc) and therefore are more likely to volunteer. Residential experiences provide a key opportunity to convert peripheral involvement into regular commitment. Weaknesses (internal) Section Leaders receive very little training or support in the recruitment of additional volunteers and Group Scout Leaders are frequently not involved prior the formal appointment process Despite the inclusion and promotion of flexible volunteering as a key concept, many existing adult volunteers have failed to accept the concept. Consequently some new volunteers struggle to find the flexible volunteering opportunities they require. New volunteers do not always receive a positive and supportive welcome from existing volunteers. Management roles are frequently filled on the basis of length of service rather than for skill set. There is insufficient understanding of why volunteers choose to leave Scouting Opportunities (external) Working with young people is one of the most popular forms of volunteering. Adults with a current or previous connection to the organisation are more likely to volunteer for Scouting than the general public. Friendship and a desire to help other adults is a key reason why people both become and stay involved with voluntary organisations There is genuine interest amongst potential volunteers to offer specialist skills (including management skills) to Scouting Threats (external) Pressure on time caused by modern society significantly impacts upon people s ability and willingness to volunteer The Membership model approach to volunteering is losing its attraction amongst potential volunteers who increasingly want flexible opportunities Many people do not realise that Scouting needs new volunteers There is the continued perception amongst potential volunteers that Scouting is old fashioned and boring Working with young people and particularly being able to manage challenging behaviour is a significant concern amongst potential and new volunteers Potential volunteers often fail to realise that Scouting offers volunteering opportunities that do not involve working directly with young people 5

6 4. The way forward It is recommended that in order to have a real and sustained impact, the Association s recruitment and retention strategy should be considered at three levels. Firstly The Scout Association s volunteering culture; secondly the underpinning policies, procedures and approaches that support that culture and thirdly the segmentation and identification of the appropriate differentiated volunteering offer for key target groups across both recruitment and retention elements. (See Figure 1. below) Figure 1.????? Existing / recent youth Members Parents Managers & professionals Former Members Underpinning policies, procedures & approaches Recruitment Retention The Scout Association's volunteering culture????? New / recent volunteers Parents Managers & professionals Career volunteers Source: Paul Wilkinson (2009) 6

7 a. The Scout Association s Volunteering Culture The core of the strategy is the development and reinforcement of a positive and supportive volunteering culture. To make a real difference this culture needs to permeate throughout the Association and would include: The genuine availability, acceptability and encouragement of flexible volunteering The acceptance that the level and type of volunteering can and should change (or indeed end) as the circumstances or needs of a volunteer changes That Scouting must offer a genuine, positive and enthusiastic welcome to new volunteers (no matter what their role or involvement) The acceptance that volunteers without a Scouting background can offer key skills which may not otherwise be available Whilst a volunteering culture of this type already exists in many places, ensuring that it becomes the universal culture for the organisation will require both active steps and a consistent approach over a considerable period. Specific steps which should be adopted include: The strengthening of these cultural elements through their regular and consistent inclusion in messages, publications, talks and presentations by key opinion formers The active adoption of these key elements at a national level The identification and sharing of genuine positive examples and good practice from Regional, County, District and Group levels b. Underpinning policies, procedures and approaches The second layer of the strategy comprises of the key policies, procedures and approaches which underpin the Association s approach to volunteering. In many cases these policies are already in place and include: Adults in Scouting Model Appointment process Induction Adult Training scheme Review process Whilst clearly these need ongoing monitoring and regular review in order that they remain relevant, a number of specific improvements can be identified including: Providing training and support on managing the behaviour of young people, to new volunteers at an earlier stage than at present Providing additional support and training to Section leaders on their role in recruiting, welcoming and supporting new adult volunteers Consideration should also be given to further increasing the flexibility and availability of training in order to ensure that new volunteers are helped to prioritise and access in a timely manner the modules most critical for their role. In addition the research identifies a number of generic marketing messages which might usefully be adopted or strengthened as part of the underpinning approach to recruitment, including: That whilst Scouting is a well established organisation, it still has a need for new volunteers Scouting is a dynamic and positive organisation 7

8 Scouting offers the opportunity for adventure and fun That there are a wide range of volunteering opportunities in Scouting, including roles that do not involve working directly with young people Making reference to the developmental and educational aspects of the Association s work with young people Previous experience of Scouting or working with young people is not required as flexible training is provided c. Segmentation and the volunteering offer The third layer of the strategy is split into recruitment and retention elements. Each element then comprises of a number of segmented target groups, with each target group requiring a different volunteering offer, a modified approach to their recruitment and retention as well as varying levels of support. Whilst clearly there are a large number of potential target groups (and numerous sub-groups), it is clear that to have maximum effect the Association would need to target its efforts and resources at those groups which potentially offer the best return. Recruitment In terms of recruitment, based upon the research, the key target groups and potential actions can be identified as: Parents The continued explanation and promotion of parent recruitment to Section Leaders, Group Scout Leaders and other existing volunteers Positive reinforcement of the value of parental (episodic) volunteering Increased promotion of Parent Rotas Continued support for camps and other residential experiences as opportunities to further engage volunteers involved on the periphery of Scouting The provision of accurate information and resources explaining Scouting (including the range of volunteering opportunities available) to the parents of youth members Existing / recent youth Members The provision of support and guidance to local Scouting encouraging them to contact recent youth members with an appropriate volunteering offer The identification and promotion of a clear(er) link between skills gained through volunteering and skills required by the employment / higher education markets Design and implementation of schemes to support the continued or re-engagement of youth Members who move away from their home Scout Group/Unit The development of clearer links between the youth programme (including the youth awards and the Young Leader Scheme) and the adult training scheme Managers & professionals The adoption of recruitment messages which specifically mention / target the recruitment to management roles Identification of, and active engagement with, potential employee volunteering initiatives Investigation of the potential to work with specialist volunteer recruitment organisations (such as REACH Volunteering) to source volunteers with expert skills Identification and implementation of methods to support the identification of external candidates for management roles at all levels 8

9 Work to identify opportunities and existing good practice in the recruitment, support and use of managers and professionals from outside the Movement for both established and short-term (project type) roles Further development of relationships with professional membership organisations (such as the Institute of Leadership & Management and the Institute of Training & Occupational Learning) In addition to the work on the target groups given above, work to identify other potential groups and appropriate volunteering offers should continue. Important potential areas of research might include: People with a history of involvement with Scouting either as youth members or lapsed volunteers Friends of existing volunteers Individuals requiring youth work experience for professional or career development Retention In terms of retention, it is clear that there is insufficient evidence at present with which to comprehensively segment volunteer groups or appropriate actions. It is recommended therefore that research is undertaken covering, as a minimum, the following key questions: Why do adult volunteers leave Scouting? Can those adult volunteers that leave Scouting be helpfully segmented? What actions might Scouting take in order to reduce or prevent people leaving? Should Scouting simply accept that some volunteers (such as parents and professionals) are likely to only stay involved for a limited period of time? What actions might Scouting take to encourage people to reduce or change their involvement rather than leave? What actions might Scouting take to enable and encourage leavers to stay connected and return at a future date? In terms of the research that has been undertaken, the groups that may be initially identified and the potential actions would include: Recent recruits Continued / additional reinforcement of the need to provide a genuine and positive welcome to new adult volunteers Continued / additional reinforcement of the need to provide an effective induction to new adult volunteers The continued and reinforcement of the need for a structured induction for managers in Scouting Parents Identification of whether and to what extent parents recruited to Scouting tend to engage in episodic volunteering (and how Scouting might best support such a model of volunteering) Identification of potential methods to encourage the long(er) term retention of parent volunteers Career volunteers Identification of the turnover of long term or career volunteers. Identification of any typical reasons for career volunteers ceasing their volunteer involvement Identification of methods to support the reassignment of career volunteers 9

10 5. Conclusions & Recommendations In conclusion, it can be seen that over a number of years Scouting has taken some positive steps to improve the recruitment and retention of adult volunteers. In order to capitalise on this start, particularly given the increasingly challenging external environment, a number of specific steps are now required. Fundamentally it is vital that an organisation wide, positive and supportive volunteering culture is developed, encouraged and reinforced. It is therefore RECOMMENDED that in line with the detail specified in 4.a. above, active and consistent steps are taken over a considerable period to encourage development of such a culture. At a secondary level whilst many of the key volunteering policies, procedures and approaches are already in place and fit for purpose, it is RECOMMENDED that the minor adaptations and additions identified in 4.b. above; together with steps to further increase the flexibility and availability of training be implemented. It is also RECOMMENDED that all policies and procedures be subject to on-going review and updating in order to ensure that they continue to reflect the volunteering environment. It is further RECOMMENDED that the potential marketing messages identified in 4.b. above be actively considered with a view to them being used to underpin the organisation s approach to volunteer recruitment. At a tactical level, it is RECOMMENDED that potential recruits be segmented, with the development of a tailored volunteering offer, targeted recruitment and flexible support for each group. It is further RECOMMENDED that the initial key segments include parents; existing or recent youth members as well as managers and professionals. Other segments and volunteering offers should be identified by further research. In terms of retention it is clear that insufficient research has been undertaken to date and it is therefore RECOMMENDED that additional research be carried out in order to properly identify potential segments and appropriate actions. Paul Wilkinson June Hustinx, L., (2005) Weakening organisational ties? Why volunteers relate differently to the organization [WWW] paper_hustinx.rtf (Cited 15th July 2005) 2 Evans, E. and Saxton, J., (2005) The 21st Century Volunteer, nfpsynergy 3 Camper, S., (2005) A personal reflection, Sue Camper 4 Mitchell, M. and Taylor, S., (2004) Internal marketing: Key to successful volunteer programmes, Nonprofit World, 22 (1), pp World Scout Bureau, (2001) World Adult Resources Handbook, World Scout Bureau 10

11 6 Wilkinson, P, (2006) The recruitment and short-term retention of adult volunteers in The Scout Association, Paul Wilkinson 7 Molyneux, R. and Brennan, P., (2009) Informing The Scout Association s key messages and audience targeting with existing research, nfpsynergy 8 McCurley, S. and Lynch, R., (1998) Essential Volunteer Management, 2nd Edition, London, Directory of Social Change 9 McClintock, N., (2003) Understanding Canadian Volunteers, Canadian Centre for Philanthropy 10 Nichols, G. and King, L.,. (1999) Redefining the recruitment niche for the Guide Association in the United Kingdom, Leisure Sciences, 21 (4), pp Low, N et al., (2007), Helping Out: A national survey of volunteering and charitable giving, The Cabinet Office 12 The Scout Association, (2009) Adult Volunteers, national report: gender and age, The Scout Association 13 Operations sub-committee, (2009) Minutes of the January 2009 Operations sub-committee meeting, The Scout Association 14 Department of Health, (2009) Scouts Volunteering in the Civil Service, Emerging Talent Group Project 2008/ Simpson, H., (2010) Skills-based employee volunteering, In Lloyd, J., (Ed.) More than CV Points, Social Market Foundation 16 Jump, P., (2009) Recruit skilled volunteers and survive recession, says Jon Snow, Third Sector Online, 17 June King, S., (2009) Recession has a silver lining for UK s voluntary sector, Research News January 2009 Reach 18 nfpsynergy, (2010) Scouts: Volunteer acquisition research 2010, nfpsynergy 19 Danson, M., (2003) Review of research and evidence on volunteering, Volunteer Development Scotland 20 Bussell, H, and Forbes, D., (2002) Understanding the volunteer market: The what, who and why of volunteering, International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing, 7(3), pp