Volunteer Engagement Toolkits

AAAs across the country rely upon volunteers for help in delivering critical services to those in need. These resources have been developed for the purpose of helping organizations more effectively recruit older adult volunteers to serve the Network and to help enrich the experience of these volunteers thereby keeping them engaged in their communities and in providing critical services.

The PA Department of Aging
Developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging in 2013, the Toolkit covers the spectrum of volunteer recruitment, management and retention along with partnership development and program evaluation.  Each chapter of the Toolkit begins with a list of highlights and tools relevant to the content covered in that chapter. At the end of each, there is a roundup of key insights from that chapter to help you review what was covered. 

Successful Strategies for Recruiting, Training, and Utilizing Volunteers: A Guide for Faith and Community-Based Service Providers from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Designed for community groups and faith-based organizations seeking to maximize the skills of their volunteers, expand their services to the community, and enhance their effectiveness, the handbook focuses on prevention, treatment, and recovery services for substance abuse and mental illness.  The principles described in the handbook can be applied to any field and should help organizations understand how to implement and manage a successful volunteer program.

Southern Maine Agency on Aging RSVP Capacity Corps Replication Guide 
The Southern Maine Agency on Aging undertook a two year project to recruit mature individuals, who were retiring or downsizing their employment commitments, as volunteers to provide leadership skills to nonprofit organizations. This replication guide is designed to allow other organizations to successfully undertake similar recruitment efforts.