Top Tips for Recruiting Chapter Members
When thinking about recruitment, simplicity is often best. Taking advantage of a student organization fair or organizing a welcoming space to meet in person with like-minded peers can be very helpful in piquing the interests of large numbers of people. It may feel overwhelming at times to have to introduce a topic completely foreign to another person, but practicing with your team is a great way to both increase your confidence and be closer connected to your team members overall. Check out how the Global Brigades chapter at the University of Edinburgh approached recruitment!
University of Edinburgh
“For the past few days, our primary goal was to recruit more volunteers and show awareness about our work with the Global Brigades. Our first event was advertising our society during freshers week where we would talk about the holistic model of Global Brigades, and what encompasses the different branches within the organization (Medical and Legal Brigades). We had a positive result with lots of people getting interested and signing up to join our committee!
To meet everyone in person, we have also organized our first social of the year. This was a chance to talk more about Medical Brigades as well as meet the volunteers! So far, we have had great success and we are hoping to organize more in the upcoming weeks!” - Claudia, Chapter Member
Building and Maintaining Connections
When we think about making local impacts, we have to start out by looking both inwards and outwards. What exactly does that mean? Looking inwards to find out as a group of student volunteers, what skills and capacity you are able to offer to your community; looking outwards to consider where you are and to understand what your community needs and would benefit from. Finally, the last piece of the puzzle is to combine those two factors and find a place for your skills to be utilized for the cause of the community. Scroll to see what Florida Gulf Coast University’s Medical Brigades Chapter has been up to!
Florida Gulf Coast University
“Our latest event we held was a beach cleanup in Lovers Key State Park on Saturday, September 17th from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. This event was hosted by Keep Lee County Beautiful, where on this day we got together as a group. We went along the road to pick up trash, as well as picking up trash along the trail and beach area. Our chapter wants to make sure we are supporting not only the communities overseen by Global Brigades, but our local communities as well, so we can ensure a sustainable community and a sense of service everywhere we are. Additionally, we find ways to make connections with our members while still making an impact on our community.” - Arabella, Chapter Member
. 
Broadening Perspectives
Partnering with local organizations that align with the Global Brigades mission is a great way to make local impact and broaden the perspectives of individuals and volunteers. Here are a few testimonials from UCF Global Brigades members from their latest volunteer event.
University of Central Florida
- “We paired up with the Down Syndrome foundation of Florida and helped kids and adults with Down syndrome learn how to roller skate. The mission of the foundation is to empower lives for a brighter future by facilitating projects that enhance the welfare, education, health, and artistic and athletic abilities of individuals with Down Syndrome." -Kara
- “It was an amazing experience, for not just the kids, but for us as volunteers as well. I got to work with so many people that night such as the families, the other volunteers, and of course we got to help teach people how to skate. It was extremely fun and I would do it again.” -Elayna
- “I was super proud of the GMB members that came out to support and exemplify the Down Syndrome Foundation of Florida’s main goal: inclusion. It was a great night that I’ll never forget.” -Armando
- “I was glad to be a part of something larger than myself. It was a fun night and everyone tried something new; whether it was roller skating or making a new friend.” -Kevin
Interested in featuring your chapter on the GB Blog? Send us what you've been up to on your campus! For more recruitment resources, visit the GB Volunteer Resource Site.
