A guide to successfully making the switch to digital volunteer recruitment

Digital volunteer recruitment is the process of using online platforms and digital tools to attract, engage, and onboard volunteers. Instead of relying on traditional methods like in-person sign-ups or paper applications, organisations use volunteer management software to streamline and enhance the recruitment process — from advertising through to safeguarding and onboarding. 

It’s no secret that charities and non-profits are finding it difficult to recruit volunteers. A powerful alternative to manual application processing, digital solutions are there to help you grow your programme, streamline your processes, and level-up your volunteering journeys. All while saving time and money!

Expanding your reach

Digital adverts are a great way to expand your networks and connect with a broader, more diverse audience. The first step is to create and advertise roles directly on your website. Once the ad is live, you can use shareable hyperlinks, email newsletters and social media campaigns to boost your visibility and start targeting new groups of prospective volunteers. 

Don’t forget to include a direct call to action and ask people to re-share your content. It will all help to get your message out there! 

Learn more about the advantages of volunteer management software

Streamlined management processes

Digital systems are a game-changer when it comes to managing volunteer recruitment. Automated applications, onboarding and background checks transform the flow of information, eliminate duplication, and turn labour-intensive tasks into smooth, efficient admin. 

Are you receiving a large volume of applications? Don’t panic. Access Assemble provides applicants and Volunteer Managers access to real-time updates, with automated reminders helping to keep everyone organised and the process on track.

Improving volunteering journeys

The volunteer experience starts the moment someone engages with your ad. That’s why our application landing pages are branded, professional and easy-to-use — with desktop and mobile-ready applications making it quick and easy to take the next step. 

From this point on, your volunteer recruitment system is there to help keep the process running smoothly: providing regular updates, prompting applicants for outstanding information, and keeping people engaged and in the loop. Even if you’re having a bad day, all your volunteers will see is a smooth, professional and personal process. The perfect start to any relationship!

Find out how volunteer management software can boost volunteer recruitment

Frees up valuable time for Volunteer Managers

Time saved is another benefit of digital volunteer recruitment. Real-time tracking of applications and approvals streamlines the process and eliminates hours of manual work. Similarly, automated reminders ensure safeguarding checks and questionnaires are completed on time, reducing the need for follow-up, and enabling efficient onboarding at scale. 

For charities like the National Autistic Society, these digital systems have cut the overall recruitment process from weeks to days. This leaves you – the Volunteer Manager – free to focus on engagement and retention, and of course, to prepare for your next recruitment drive.

Read our whitepaper to discover how volunteer management software can support Volunteer Managers

Informed decision making

Collecting and analysing data is crucial for optimising volunteer recruitment. By tracking key metrics like advert response rates and application drop-off, organisations can gain a comprehensive view of their recruitment process. This insight makes it easier to make informed decisions, such as the types of roles to recruit for, ways to improve your volunteering journeys, and diversifying your team of volunteers.  

Discover how future-proofing your volunteer recruitment can support onboarding

A cost-effective solution

Going digital also helps to cut costs by eliminating paper-based resources, streamlining workflows and reducing administrative expenses. Crucially, Access Assemble has also been designed to scale with your programme. This means you can grow your volunteer workforce without incurring additional fees, or needing to swap-it-out for another system. 

And of course, a large, happy and engaged community makes for better volunteering journeys and increased social impact! 

Learn more about the factors that influence volunteer management software costs

So you’ve decided to take your volunteer recruitment digital. What next? With so many solutions out there, we've highlighted several of Access Assemble’s most popular features to help give you an idea of what to look out for.

Eye-catching volunteer role adverts

It starts with a dedicated tool to help you create and embed volunteer adverts on your website (technically it’s a microsite, but it looks and feels exactly the same). Ready-to-use templates allow you to design branded, professional ads without needing a design or IT team. Plus, there's plenty of space to include key details like job descriptions, location, shift hours, and organisational impact.

Find out more about how to attract volunteers

Automated safeguarding and reminders

Life is busy. After submitting their application, it’s not uncommon for applicants to ‘drop-off’ or for the process to get stuck while you’re waiting for background checks. That's why we've developed automated reminders to prompt volunteers to submit missing information and encourage them to keep going on their volunteering journey.

Consistent personalised communications

The application phase is a great opportunity to engage with potential volunteers and start building long-term relationships. With Access Assemble's messaging hub, you can send personalised messages, provide support throughout the recruitment process, and share organisational updates and sector news to keep volunteers informed, motivated, and connected.

Detailed volunteer reporting

Finally, Access Assemble simplifies volunteer reporting by automatically saving and updating applicants' personal information, and offering a suite of tools that make it easy to generate insights.

This includes a ‘Diversity & Inclusion’ feature that allows Volunteer Managers to collect and securely store relevant personal information (e.g. age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, nationality, disability and religion). Preset templates make it easy to analyse this data and adjust recruitment and onboarding strategies, all while ensuring that any viewed information is anonymised and only accessible to authorised users.

"From a strategic perspective, reporting on Assemble is great for understanding things like the diversity of our volunteers, and this is helping with our efforts to attract volunteers from all different parts of the community.”  

Brian Reeves, Head of Volunteer Experience @ RSPCA West Hatch

Find out how Access Assemble helped the RSPCA level-up their volunteer programme

Digital volunteer recruitment might feel like a big step into the unknown, but it’s worth it. Increased reach, streamlined processes, more time, and smoother, better volunteering journeys are just some of the benefits you have to look forward to with Access Assemble!

Are you ready to take the next step? Our expert team is here to help!