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It feels like a lifetime ago that I helped train volunteer teams (in fact it was the 80s). I helped organizations attract, manage, and retain volunteer teams as a part of the governor’s Communities for a Drug Free Colorado; my employer at the time was the Center for Prevention Studies. One of the key concepts for volunteer management and retention was the “Railroad Model.” The concept is deceptively simple:

Imagine standing on the tracks and looking down the line. What you see are two parallel tracks that appear to converge in the distance.  One of those tracks is Process; the other track is Product.  People who volunteer generally need at least some of both, but may be weighted towards one or the other.  Now picture this: you’ve got one foot on each track.  To move forward, you can’t just move your Process foot, you have to balance the two. In order to manage a volunteer team, you’ve got to provide both process and product engagement.  Doing so helps both process-oriented volunteers and product-oriented volunteers stay connected and enthusiastic.  So what do we mean by Process and Product?

Volunteer recruitment videos highlight learning, community, fun, and reaching goals

Process, in volunteer management, is the social interaction components of their time.  You create Process through opportunities for unstructured interaction before and after meetings and activities; a balance of small and large group activities; food; and an authentic feedback loop where your volunteers can help guide your agency’s work.

Product components are things like learning opportunities; clear objectives; meetings that start and end on time; and visible progress towards the team’s goals. 

The Product side of the railroad meshes neatly with the S.M.A.R.T. model for volunteer teams. The model was designed to ensure that teams achieve goals in a way that nurtures volunteer retention. Simply put, volunteers should engage in activities that are: 

S: Specific
M: Measurable
A: Achievable
R: Realistic
T: Time Bound 

Goals and activities that match this criteria are more likely to be completed, and that achievement helps volunteers feel fulfilled.

Using Video for Volunteer Recruitment

Nowadays, I’m not a volunteer management expert, I’m a videographer and consultant. But the concepts of the Railroad Model help inform the elements that go into a nonprofit’s volunteer recruitment video.

“Their what?” you ask.  Yes, most nonprofits have a fundraising video; some even have videos that raise awareness for their cause or highlight their brand.  But most don’t have a video designed specifically for volunteer recruitment and retention.  If you’re constantly hustling to find volunteers, it may be the tool you need.  

If you think about it, private schools have videos designed to attract new students. The military has videos designed to attract new recruits.  And many big businesses have videos designed to bring in the very best employees.  So why do so few nonprofits have videos designed to attract volunteers, the lifeblood of their organization?

Volunteers have different interest than donors, so they need their own video.  Volunteer-focused videos emphasize the experience, the sense of community, the fun, and the value of your work. Volunteers are impressed by learning opportunities, and by other volunteers who have been with the organization for many years. They’re as gratified by the social interaction as the cause (Process and Product). An effective volunteer recruitment video shows both sides of the railroad tracks.

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