Don't Sap Your Energy
Reach Volunteers With Your Website By Justina Parsons-Bernstein The Internet is becoming an increasingly valuable tool for Community Tree Organizations to use to reach out to potential volunteers. Creating an attractive, interactive, easy to navigate website for your organization which showcases your innovative programs, project successes and volunteer opportunities is a must. But don't stop there. Make sure you are listed, and preferably hot-linked (meaning people can click on your organization's name and automatically be transferred to your website), on the websites of sister organizations and other appropriate entity websites which could draw in volunteers. Don't be afraid to be creative and inventive with your web-partnering choices. Universities and colleges offer many opportunities to garner volunteers. Your program should be posted on the volunteer sites of service-learning centers, Alternative Spring Break programs and environmental studies, botany, biology and landscape architecture departments. For examples of TreeUtah's postings in these areas see: If your organization restores riparian and/or wildlife habitat, propose having a webpage or link posted on the websites of the local U.S. Fish and Wildlife Division, the Audubon or any like entity with which you are partnering or which has an interest in your work. For examples of TreeUtah's postings in these areas see: Make sure you are listed on the websites of all like-minded and sister organizationsÑboth in your state and nationally and internationally if possible. Remember to include County Extension, Urban Forestry and State Forestry Divisions. For examples of TreeUtah's postings in these areas see: Green Building and Smart Green Space Planning are getting more and more popular. If your organization is working in these areas, people will want to work with you to gain knowledge and skills for their own projects. There are new websites cropping up to direct people to these types of resources. For an example of TreeUtah's postings in this area see: Don't forget church websites. Many times church youth groups, adults singles groups and family groups are looking for service projects. For an example of TreeUtah's postings in this area see: Most radio and television stations and newspapers have community calendar websites that you can use to post calls for volunteers-especially event-driven calls. Some media outlets-particularly public and community media--maintain lists of nonprofit organizations they support and it is important to get on these lists. For examples of TreeUtah's postings in these areas see: There are also websites dedicated solely to steering people to volunteer opportunities. These websites are used by the community at large and by people who have been given court-ordered community service. One of these types of websites is the 211 Info Bank which excels at ÒBringing People and Services Together.Ó To see Utah's 211 website and a national volunteer website visit: These examples are just to get you started. Go ahead, be adventurous! Get your organization listed all over the World Wide Web and watch your volunteer numbers grow. |