Recruiting the right people is worth the effort

In many affiliates, each committee member assumes a new partner role. This method has advantages:

• Former partners provide effective training for new committee members
• Committee members can network during monthly meetings
• Frustrations and questions can be shared
• Strategies can be mutually agreed upon by the whole committee

General recruiting suggestions:

• Consider Habitat homeowners who have lived in their house for a year or more as partner candidates
• Include the need for partners in your volunteer orientation and recruitment meetings
• Educate affiliate representatives, including public relations committee members, about the need for partners, and develop language for presentations and press releases to highlight the need for partner volunteers
• Solicit volunteers from civic groups, churches, social services groups or student groups
• Advertise
• Talk with volunteers at job site
• Encourage churches, businesses, or other organizations that sponsor a house to support the prospective homeowner by recruiting a member of their own to be a partner
• Use social media