Recruitment
OVI members share their personal knowledge and experience. In addition, there is a wealth of information available print and on line from all manner of organizations and companies, both nonprofit and for profit. This collection is by no means exhaustive and it’s a work in progress. Inclusion here does not imply endorsement by Opera Volunteers International but is for information purposes.
PDF Files
Recruiting and Training the New Generation of Opera Volunteers
- This honest and thorough look at the challenges and rewards of managing your volunteer opera support group is written by long time volunteer advocate and activist, Don Dagenais. Don’s understanding of volunteering for opera stems from a broad base of experience ranging from serving as president of the Lyric Opera of Kansas City to giving preview lectures.
Print Books
Click the titles for purchasing information
The Volunteer Recruitment (and Membership Development) Book
Susan Ellis, Energize, Inc. 2002 Crammed with innumerable recruitment ideas and recommendations! Starts with designing assignments attractive to new volunteers and continues by addressing organizational image, where to look for volunteers, why people volunteer or do not, how to select the right recruitment technique, what “diversity” means to an organization, and the impact of trends in volunteering today. Includes a full chapter on membership development for all-volunteer organizations and an appendix on how to use the Internet for volunteer recruitment.
Volunteers: How to Get Them, How to Keep Them
Helen Little, Panacea Press, 1999 An essential guide for volunteer leaders and staff of professional, trade and charitable organizations. Outlines 12 basic needs of volunteers in membership associations and clearly explains how to meet those needs. Rich with examples and useful tools, this book is a quick read that you will reference again and again.
Membership Recruitment
Tony Rossell, Marketing General Incorporated, 2021 An effective membership recruitment program is the road to growth, financial health, and mission success for an association. The author shows how you can grow your membership year after year. You will find the book filled with his practical guidance based on Rossell’s thirty years of consulting with hundreds of membership groups and a decade of benchmarking research with thousands of associations.
365 Ideas for Recruiting, Retaining, Motivating, and Rewarding Your Volunteers
Sunny Fader, Atlantic Publishing Group, 2017 (Revised 2nd Edition) This revised new edition is packed with even more ways to recognize your volunteers. This book provides you with real life, proven examples that you can use to boost productivity, plus fundraising activities.