Writing An Engaging Opportunity Description
It can be hard to find the time to craft your volunteer opportunity description. However, great online volunteer descriptions do the work for you! If you're thinking about updating your descriptions, check out these tips to create one that is engaging, exciting, and enticing to the volunteers you need:
1. Focus on impact and mission
Volunteers want to be able to see how the task they're doing connects with your organization's mission, and what impact it will have on the community or folks you serve. Whether the volunteer is working directly with clients, doing data entry, or raking leaves, make sure the prospective volunteer knows how valuable that task is. For example, why do you need your data digitalized? Maybe it will make your organization more efficient and able to serve more people. Or, maybe it is part of a process evaluation that will ultimately get your organization more grant money which is vital for operations to continue. Make sure these connections are explained in the opportunity description so prospective volunteers know WHY the opportunity is important and why they should donate their time to it.
2. Reflect what the opportunity can offer volunteers
Although the main purpose and focus of volunteering is on helping accomplish something for the organization, volunteers like to know what they'll get out of the experience as well. It can be helpful to think of writing opportunity descriptions from the point of view of a potential volunteer, who may be scrolling opportunities wondering what they can do to try and help their community. Some positives to include in your description could be quotes from current volunteers or their statistical impact, to show how volunteers are valued at your organization. Or you could highlight your flexibility ("volunteer when your schedule allows"). Will they gain any job skills? Include these here too.
3. Highlight specific qualifications
It can be enticing to say "Enthusiastic, Outgoing Volunteers Wanted", however, what does "enthusiastic" really mean? How can the volunteer be enthusiastic about a role they're just learning about? And why is "outgoing" a plus - will the volunteer be interacting with your clients, or should they be upbeat and chatty all the time? Instead of using these generalized terms, try and use terms that refer to the skills volunteers either bring to the table, or will have the opportunity to hone through volunteering with your organization.
4. Choose an active title
When a prospective volunteer is scrolling through opportunities, titles like "Bring your Friends", "Mentor a child in the community", or "Let's grow together" are more engaging and eye-catching than "Volunteers needed." Fun titles that give a glimpse of what the volunteer will do are a way to get more people to click on your opportunity and get the chance to learn more about your organization and the opportunity!
5. Include the process details
How much training is required for this position? If there is an orientation required, when is it offered? Do the volunteers need a background check? How does the schedule work? At the bottom of the description, include the next steps for the volunteer so they know what the process will look like. It is even nice to give an estimate of when they should expect to hear back from you next after they hit "Respond," or fill out your interest form.
