Volunteers that Walk the Walk: Recruiting and Retaining Champions�May 13, 2026

Housekeeping

The meeting is being recorded! The slide deck and recording will be added to the

Walk Manager Resource Center within a week.

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Put your questions in the chat throughout the presentation! We will answer it in the chat or live at the end.

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The content of this presentation is for licensed NAMIWalks events only, but can be shared with board members, volunteers, and other local NAMI Staff.

NAMIWalks �Team Introductions

Agenda

• Types of Volunteers
• Recruiting Volunteers
• Volunteer Interest Meeting
• Volunteer Orientation Meeting

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• Retaining Your Volunteers
• Event Day Resources
• Next Meeting and Q&A

Types of Volunteers

Types of Volunteers

On-Demand Volunteers

Short term, flexible volunteers (typically a larger group) that are needed for positions that can be filled quickly. On-Demand volunteers can do tasks that serve for a few hours at a time and can often be done fully remote.

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Examples of On-Demand Tasks:

• Make “Welcome” or “Thank You” calls
• Help with retention efforts through a Drop and Dial
• Write handwritten notes
• Fold T-shirts for Walk Day
• Day of Event or Cultivation Event volunteers

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Types of Volunteers

Why On-Demand Volunteers are Important

On-Demand volunteers help lighten staff workload and strengthen the overall experience for your constituents. They can also make sure that stewardship is completed in a timely manner and there are no delays during the busiest times of your NAMIWalks season.

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Types of Volunteers

Targeted Volunteers

Volunteers that are recruited for a role/task based on their specific skill set, professional background, or motivating factors.

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Examples of Targeted Volunteers:

• Committee or project leadership
• Program facilitators
• Liaisons for event day responsibilities
• Board members
• Ambassador roles
• Specialized project work (subcommittees, etc.)

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Types of Volunteers

Why Targeted Volunteers are Important

• Can help bring new ideas to your events
• Elevate your events visibility and fundraising potential
• Assist in spending time doing smaller tasks so Walk Managers can focus on relationship building with constituents

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• Targeted volunteers often lead to less supervision requirements and higher productivity

Types of Volunteers

Concentric Volunteers

Think about who is in your circle for NAMI and NAMIWalks? This theory is based on people who are already involved with your organization are more likely volunteer than people who are not.

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Examples of Concentric Volunteers:

• Walk Stars
• Sponsors
• NAMI Staff/Colleagues
• Participants
• Peers and Volunteers outside of walk

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Types of Volunteers

Why Concentric Volunteers are Important?

• Higher communication and trust. Because they are already connected to NAMI and NAMIWalks, concentric volunteers will bring a higher level of commitment.
• Targeted and Qualified. It is easier to target your messaging to people who know the organization, making it easier to recruit volunteers.

• Peer to Peer Success. Over 50% of people volunteer if they are asked by someone they know or if they are familiar with a mission they are connected to.

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Recruiting Volunteers

Recruiting Volunteers

Getting Started

Before you begin recruiting, think about your capacity and begin to strategically identify your volunteer needs.

• Use a SWOT Analysis. Identify what gaps are missing and where you need volunteers.

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• Define the role. Clarify skills, time commitments, and boundaries so recruitment is targeted and efficient.
• Prioritize skill alignment. Match volunteer strengths to organizational needs.
• Consider workload balance. Delegate tasks needed for volunteers.

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Recruiting Volunteers

Where to find Volunteers?

• LinkedIn and Professional Networks. Helpful for leadership roles (board, etc.)
• Chamber of Commerce, Clubs, and Networking Groups. Great for committee leadership and subcommittee roles.

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• Corporate Partners and Company Teams. Helpful for employees who are looking to get involved with NAMIWalks.
• Volunteer Websites. Volunteer Match, Idealist, etc.
• Local Schools and Universities. Interns, project based volunteers, micro volunteers, big groups for day of activities.

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Network of Influence

Brainstorming guide to think about who is in your network.

• Guided notes to help you think of prospects for Volunteers, Sponsors, Teams, and more!
• Helpful to work with your current volunteers or coworkers
• Located in the “Community Outreach” section on the WMRC

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LinkedIn Volunteer Recruitment Guide for NAMIWalks

Instructions on how to search for Volunteers on LinkedIn, with a free account.

• Shares step by step instructions on how to look for volunteers
• Includes keywords to look for as well as sample posts
• Located in the “Community Outreach” section on the WMRC

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Volunteer Interest Meeting

Volunteer Interest Meeting

What is a Volunteer Interest Meeting?

An event designed to recruit new volunteers and re-engage returning ones to help grow your NAMIWalks event. This event will highlight ways to get involved outside of just the planning committee and through a variety of role and responsibilities that match someone’s interests, skills and time instead.

Why do Volunteer Interest Meetings Matter?

• Inclusive. Gives a wide net of people to invite based on skills, interests, and time.
• Trust. Offers a personal connection that gauges how volunteers feel.
• Clarity. Volunteers can have a smooth start by knowing expectations.

Volunteer Interest Meeting

Who to Invite:

• Past Team Captains, Team Members, and Individual Walkers
• Walk Stars
• Community Leaders and Networking Contacts

• Chamber contacts
• Prior Day of Event Volunteers
• Walk Volunteer Survey respondents
• Post-Event Survey Respondents
• Ask Current Volunteers to Bring a “Plus One”

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Tip: Running out of ideas? Use your Community Prospecting Guide!

Volunteer Interest Meeting

Volunteer Interest Meeting Experience

• Open House. Allows attendees to explore volunteer opportunities at their own pace and connect with roles that interest them.
• Virtually. Host on an online platform to engage your volunteer prospects who live farther away or prefer to connect virtually! Record it to share after for those who couldn’t attend.

Your agenda should excite, educate and inspire:

• Attendees should walk away knowing that there are opportunities that fit their interests and time and feel motivated to say “yes.”
• Make the event fun, engaging, and mission driven.
• End with a call to action.

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Volunteer Interest Meeting Toolkit�Guide to Hosting Volunteer Interest Meeting.

• Detailed document on how to plan a volunteer interest meeting (who to invite, where to host, follow up plan)
• Shares best practices and how to make your event scalable for your community
• Located in the “Cultivation Events” section on the WMRC

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Volunteer Interest Meeting PowerPoint and Talking Points�Guided presentation with notes.

• Presentation with guided script and talking points
• Section for you to add localized information
• Tasks available by personality traits and time commitment
• Located in the “Cultivation Events” section on the WMRC

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Volunteer Interest Meeting Follow Up Templates

Templates to follow up after Volunteer Interest Meeting.

• Email Templates for:
• Attendees
• Those who RSVP’d yes but did not attend
• Those who RSVP’d no but expressed interest or reached out after the event
• Includes time to schedule a debrief and next steps
• Located in the “Cultivation Events” section on the WMRC
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NAMIWalks Volunteer Agreement

“Contract” between NAMI and your volunteer to ensure they will commit to volunteering with NAMIWalks.

• Agreement between Volunteer and NAMI to ensure success during Walk Season
• Resource to hold volunteers accountable
• Can be signed once the volunteer agrees to participate
• Located in the “Cultivation Events” section on the WMRC
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Volunteer Orientation Meeting

Volunteer Orientation Meeting

What is a Volunteer Orientation Meeting?

A mandatory meeting for all volunteers who are involved with NAMIWalks. All volunteers will have an overview of expectations, upcoming goals, and what is expected of them.

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Hosting a Volunteer Orientation Meeting:

• Helps volunteers know what is expected of them in advance, creating a smoother event moving forward
• You can host multiple orientations for different roles, time commitments, etc.

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Volunteer Orientation Meeting

When should you host a Volunteer Orientation?

• Volunteer Orientations should be hosted shortly after you host an interest meeting. This will help you continue to gauge interest, time commitments, and learn what roles and responsibilities they can assist with.

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Volunteer Orientation Toolkit�Guide to hosting a Volunteer Orientation.

• Information on how to plan your Volunteer Orientation
• Located in the “Cultivation Events” section on the WMRC

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Volunteer Orientation Powerpoint and Talking Points�Presentation for onboarding your volunteers.

• Editable to your local event, and hosting more than one orientation
• Shows expectations, goal setting and action items to ensure a successful Walk Season.
• Located in the “Cultivation Events” section on the WMRC

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Sample Volunteer Orientation Agenda

Sample agenda if you are looking for ideas to have a smooth volunteer orientation.

• Agenda template available for your Volunteer Orientation
• Editable and ready for you to tailor for your specific event
• Located in the “Cultivation Events” section on the WMRC

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Volunteer Orientation Social Media Captions and Graphics�Social Media Information for Volunteer Orientation.

• Two different audience focuses General and Community based
• Located in the “Cultivation Events” section on the WMRC

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Retaining Your Volunteers

Retaining Your Volunteers

Why is retention important?

• Strengthens trust. Volunteers you have known for a longer period of time will have knowledge of your event and help strengthen its execution.
• Reduces recruitment. The more volunteers that stay, the less you have to recruit.

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Why do Volunteers Stay?

• Connection: They feel apart of a community and connected to the mission.
• Purpose: They understand their impacts and the outcomes of their work.
• Belonging: They feel, seen, and heard.

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Retaining Your Volunteers

Why do Volunteers leave?

• Lack of clarity or poorly defined roles
• Poor training or lack of preparation
• Feeling disconnected or underutilized

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• Lack of communication
• Burnout from unrealistic demands
• Not feeling recognized or appreciated for the work they are doing
• Not understanding the impact of their work

Retaining Your Volunteers

How can you go above and beyond a “thank you?”

• Share impact stories that connect to their work
• Send “insider information” or behind the scenes updates
• Offer check in’s without any deliverables or requests
• “How are you?” can go a long way

• Celebrate milestones (birthdays, anniversaries of service, etc.)
• “Promote” your volunteers
• Ask for their input - and use it!

Retaining Your Volunteers

How can you retain your volunteers?

• Be flexible. Work with their schedule and provide opportunities that can meet them where they are.
• Consistent Communication. Make sure they feel included and informed in your planning process

• Ask for their input. Make them feel included when planning your event…they are a big part of it!
• Create a safe space where they can provide feedback, and be receptive to it.

Retaining Your Volunteers

A retention reminder:

• Retention is an investment. The more you put in to it, the more you will see the fruits of your labor.
• Support your Volunteers. They will stay when they feel valued and that their skills are being used.

• Show their impact. When their efforts turn to impact, volunteers satisfaction will increase.
• Let Volunteers use their voice. Having a fresh set of eyes and a new perspective is a strong way for your event to move forward.

Event Day Resources

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Volunteer Registration Form �Form for Volunteers to participate on Walk Day.

• Volunteers must sign this form, which includes the waiver, in order to participate on Walk Day
• Separate forms are required for each volunteer or you can use the group waiver and release form
• Available in “Event Day” Section on WMRC

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Event Day Job Descriptions �Detailed descriptions about volunteer positions on event day.

• Includes tasks, materials needed, and other notes that may be important
• Editable for you to insert your local Walk Information
• An extra page is available for you to create your own positions
• Coming soon to the WMRC

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Volunteer Logistics Template Email

Detailed descriptions about volunteer positions on event day.

• Includes information needed for volunteers on Event Day
• Includes space for a site map, route map and parking map as well as an Event Day Schedule
• Available in “Event Day” Section on WMRC

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Next Meeting

Next Meeting

June Fall NAMIWalks National Call

June 3, 2026�2:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. CT/12:30 p.m. MT/11:30 a.m. PT/10:30 a.m. AKDT

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