It’s a funny experiment, but try these things if you’d like to see any volunteer under the age of 35 go running in the opposite direction:
- Make them download something
It’s true. They hate having to download a PDF application. And if you want to really see them freak, ask them to print something out. Half of them don’t even own printers. - Make them call someone
If you advertise opportunities to volunteer and ask these volunteers to call someone for more information, be prepared to hear crickets. You may think this approach is working when people do call, but the silence of those not calling is deafening. - Don’t make it mobile
They’re getting the vast majority of their information on their phones. When you communicate, whether it be from your website, via email, via social media, or certainly via text, it’s likely they’re reading it on a phone. So, when they click to learn more and have to pinch and zoom, you’ve lost them. - Don’t let them self-select
You’re not doing any favors to this group by deciding anything for them. Let these volunteers self-select what is of interest to them, the things they are qualified for, and the activities that fit into their schedule.
