Connect and Attract

Value Proposition

Attracting volunteers is more than just advertising roles—it's about inspiring people to connect their personal values with the mission of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement. This activity is the critical first step in the volunteer journey that determines whether potential volunteers see themselves as part of the humanitarian family.

Purpose & Strategic Importance

The core purpose of the "Attract" capability is to build trust with communities and open the door to meaningful roles for everyone. By making attraction intentional and inclusive, National Societies (NSs) ensure they:

• Bring in the Right Volunteers: Attracting people whose values align with the Movement, leading to higher commitment and engagement.
• Ensure Diversity & Inclusion: Actively reaching youth, women, minorities, and under-represented groups to create a volunteer base that mirrors the communities served.
• Showcase Impact: Clearly communicating the unique role and mission of the Movement to the public.

Scope & Key Activities

Attraction strategies must be built around five key elements:

1. Brand & Identity: Communicating the Fundamental Principles and the unique role of the Red Cross Red Crescent.
2. Messaging: Crafting inspiring, inclusive messages that highlight both the impact volunteers make and the sense of belonging they will find.
3. Channels: Strategically using diverse platforms, including social media, word of mouth, schools, community groups, and digital platforms.
4. Diversity: Ensuring attraction strategies specifically target and resonate with diverse and under-represented groups.
5. Evidence: Using volunteer data to understand who is currently joining—and, critically, who is not.

Process & Key Activities (Attraction Strategy)

The overall strategy is a collaborative effort to translate NS goals into inspiring outreach:

• 1. Strategy Design:
  • Volunteer Manager leads the overall attraction strategy, aligning it with National Society goals.
  • Data Analysis is used to assess audience insights and refine targeting before launch.
• 2. Campaign Development:
  • Communications Officers develop compelling messages, visuals, and promotional materials.
  • Campaign templates (posters, videos, slogans) are prepared to ensure brand consistency.
• 3. Outreach & Execution:
  • Community Engagement Coordinators build partnerships with local organizations, schools, and businesses.
  • Branch Coordinators mobilize local networks and lead community-level outreach and events.
  • Youth Engagement Officers focus on young volunteers through specific school programs and digital engagement.
• 4. Monitoring & Feedback:
  • Track volunteer sign-ups, demographics, and initial retention rates.
  • Collect feedback from new volunteers on why they joined to refine future strategies.

Results (Inputs $\rightarrow$ Impact)

Inputs (Needed to Succeed):

• Communications and PR policies.
• Allocated budgets for outreach campaigns.
• Community needs data.
• Technology platforms (VDMS, social media).

Outputs (Direct Deliverables):

• A steady pipeline of leads for the recruitment process (measured by metrics like # Leads and Lead Conversion %).
• Effective, branded communication campaigns across multiple channels.
• Increased public awareness of volunteering opportunities.

Outcomes (Mid-term Effects):

• An increase in the total number of volunteers.
• A more diverse, inclusive, and community-representative volunteer base.
• Higher quality candidates who are aligned with the Movement’s mission.

Impact (Long-term Strategic Value):

• Attraction becomes a sustained organizational practice rather than an occasional campaign.
• Volunteering is championed at the highest level, making it central to the NS identity.
• The NS gains greater trust and legitimacy within its communities.

Enablers & Resources

People & Roles:

• Volunteer Manager: Provides overall leadership and strategy alignment.
• Volunteer Engagement Specialist: Designs and executes attraction strategies.
• Communications and Marketing Officer: Manages social media and public awareness campaigns.
• Youth Engagement Officer: Focuses on attracting young volunteers through dedicated programs.
• Volunteer Ambassadors: Share authentic stories and serve as peer recruiters.

Governance:

• Governance structures (Board/Executive) approve national attraction strategies.
• Governance allocates budgets for campaigns and youth engagement.
• Governance monitors the inclusivity and diversity of the volunteer base (e.g., annual review of attraction data).

Data & Technology:

• Digital Platforms: Volunteer Data Management Systems (VDMS), CiviCRM, Volunteer Connection.
• Tools: Social media accounts (Facebook, TikTok, Instagram), websites, blogs, videos.
• Resources: Campaign templates (posters, flyers, videos, slogans).

Facilities & Equipment:

• Accessible Spaces: For community meetings, events, and youth club activities (e.g., branch offices serving as attraction hubs).
• Campaign Equipment: Banners, tables, sound systems, and uniforms.
• Branded Materials: To ensure a consistent and visible identity.

Examples & Innovative Practices

• American Red Cross: Utilized the "Sound the Alarm" campaign to mobilize volunteers nationally for fire safety. They also use a Diversity Dashboard to track volunteer sign-ups and ensure inclusivity.
• Kenya Red Cross: Used localized social media recruitment specifically for youth climate volunteers, demonstrating targeted outreach. Their branch offices serve as attraction hubs during campaigns.
• Swiss Red Cross: Established partnerships with universities for health and care volunteering, tracking this recruitment data for long-term engagement.
• British Red Cross: Featured Volunteer Ambassadors in national recruitment campaigns, using authentic stories for peer-to-peer attraction.
• Mali Red Cross / Spanish Red Cross: Both examples show Governance-level engagement—the Mali Board endorsed a youth attraction strategy, and the Spanish Governance committees review volunteer data annually.
• Philippine Red Cross: Used Mobile Outreach Tents for blood drives and volunteer sign-ups, leveraging equipment for visible community engagement.

Variations in Practice

• National vs. Local Focus: While headquarters sets the strategy and messaging, local branch coordinators must tailor outreach to their specific community networks and cultural contexts.
• Audience Targeting: Attraction strategies must shift based on the target audience, for example, using digital channels and specialized Youth Coordinators for young people, versus traditional channels for community groups.

Common Challenges

While not explicitly detailed as "challenges," the content implies risks where NSs fail to:

• Be Intentional: Treating attraction as occasional advertising rather than a sustained, data-driven, and strategic effort.
• Be Inclusive: Failing to use data to monitor diversity and reach under-represented groups, leading to a homogenous volunteer base.
• Align Resources: Governance failing to allocate necessary budgets for modern digital tools, training, and campaigns.
• Be Authentic: Lack of engagement from volunteer ambassadors and branch leaders, resulting in communications that feel disconnected from the grassroots level.