1.    Know your opportunities

• Be sure your volunteer opportunities are integral to achieving your group or organisations' aims and objectives
• Prepare volunteer role descriptions which clearly explain what is involved
• Acquaint yourself thoroughly with each opportunity, including its purpose, responsibilities, and what the value of the experience is for the volunteer

2.   Create a clear path to your door

• Put together a process for application and screening and don't start recruiting until everything is in place
• Ensure that everyone involved in the organisation knows who to direct enquiries to
• Respond promptly. Aim to answer initial enquiries within 24 hours

3.   Make your recruitment message "user-friendly"

• Produce publicity that answers the volunteer's unspoken question: "Why should I volunteer for you? not your need -"Why you should volunteer for us"
• In your publicity, answer other typical questions that new recruits ask: "What will I be doing? How often and when? Where?"
• Reassure volunteers that they will be trained and that you will support them
• Avoid words like "need" and "desperate" that scare volunteers away

4.   Get your message out

• Consider all available methods including word of mouth, leaflets and posters, talks and presentations, local newsletters, websites, local media coverage