How to Request Volunteers: A Planning Guide for Organizations

Events, ongoing programs or roles inside your organization: here is how to plan your volunteer needs and how MiVolunteer recruits the people and hands you your roster.

Finding reliable volunteers is one of the hardest parts of running any organization. MiVolunteer is a volunteer agency: you tell us who you need, and we recruit, screen and confirm the volunteers, then hand you your roster. This guide explains what you can request and how the process works.

What you can request

Organizations come to us for three kinds of volunteer needs:

• One-time events and drives. Festivals, fundraisers, food drives, cleanups, community days and conferences.
• Long-term and ongoing positions. Weekly program volunteers, recurring shifts, seasonal roles, tutors, drivers, and anyone you need week after week.
• Internal positions. Roles inside your organization, such as front desk and reception, office and administrative support, program assistants, and volunteer coordinators.

Whatever the need, the process is the same: you describe the role, and we find the people.

Step 1: Work out what you actually need

The more specific your request, the better the match. Before you submit, think through:

• The role. What the person will do day to day, and what a great volunteer in this role looks like.
• Numbers. How many people you need, and for which dates, days of the week, or shifts.
• Commitment. A single shift, a few weeks, a season, or an ongoing position. Say so clearly, because it changes who we recruit.
• Requirements. Any minimum age, skills, languages, physical demands, or checks your organization requires.
• Location and supervision. Where volunteers go, how to get there, and who they report to.

For long-term and internal positions, a short role description goes a long way. Include the schedule, the main responsibilities, and any training you provide.

Step 2: Give yourself enough time

We ask for at least 35 days notice before you need volunteers to start. That time lets us post the role, recruit and screen candidates, match the right people, and confirm them. More lead time means a better match, so submit as soon as you know what you need.

Step 3: Submit your request

Fill out the request volunteers form with the role, the numbers, the schedule and a contact person. If you already collect applications or signups on your own website, include the link. Volunteers log in to MiVolunteer to get it, so we can still track interest and record hours.

Step 4: We review, recruit and match

Our team reviews your request and follows up if we have questions. Once it is approved, we post the opportunity, recruit volunteers from across Ontario, and match people to your roles and schedule.

Step 5: You get your roster

We confirm the volunteers and hand you your roster, so you know exactly who is coming and when. For events, we can also set up and run check-in on the day. For ongoing and internal positions, you get the confirmed people you need to start.

Every volunteer who checks in has their hours recorded and receives a Certificate of Hours, which is a big draw for students and for people building experience.

Tips for keeping your volunteers

• Name one point person volunteers can reach easily.
• Give a clear welcome and a short orientation on their first day.
• For ongoing roles, check in regularly and ask how it is going.
• Say thank you, and share the difference their time makes.

Read the full request process, or see everything we offer on our for organizations page.

Tell us who you need. We recruit the volunteers and hand you your roster.

Ready? Submit a volunteer request today.