Advice for Reaching Out to Male Volunteers

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Recruiting and keeping male volunteers is challenging, but creative charity officials have developed many ways to reach out to them. Among them:

Assign specific, finite tasks. "We have found that, as a general group, men tend to like volunteering that has a more concrete task," says Gary Bagley, executive director of New York Cares, an organization that links volunteers and charities. "Less 'will you mentor this child' and more 'help prepare for the SAT.' There's a concrete goal, getting you ready for a test; I'll know when we're done, I'll know how you did. We do have an SAT-prep program, and we find that the split there is different from our other programming. It's actually close to 50-50."

Amy Smith, president of the Hands On Network, agrees that structured programs are essential to attracting male volunteers. At Hands On Network, she says, "we use a managed-project model: you sign up for a specific project; you know when it's going to start, when it's going to end, and what is going to be asked of you while you're there."

That level of structure, though more effort for a charity to manage and create, is more likely to attract not only male volunteers, she says, but also busy professionals and others who are unable to commit unlimited amounts of time.

Simplify the application process. "Women are willing to spend more time figuring out how to navigate a referral, how to find the right volunteer project for them, whereas men are more, what do you need and when do you need me there?" says Ms. Smith.

Make direct appeals. Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is making specific pitches to recruit more male volunteers, particularly black and Hispanic men. "We have developed materials that speak directly to men of color, such as powerful recruiting videos and public-service TV ads," as well as Spanish-language versions, says Judith Vredenburgh, who stepped down in September as the charity's leader. The organization has also sent workers to visit black and Hispanic neighborhoods, speaking with men about how Big Brothers Big Sisters could better engage them as volunteers, and has forged ties with influential black fraternal organizations.

The most effective strategy, says Anthony Radocaj, a retired insurance executive and longtime volunteer to Philadelphia charities, is also the simplest. "Men need to be asked," he says. "They need that personal request, the 'we need you.' Women will put themselves forward, look for a way to help or be involved. But with men, you gotta ask."