Start the School Year Strong!

Looking for new ways to recruit members to your American Red Cross Club this year? Start strong and be organized from the start! Begin planning some events and goals for the year before the school year even starts. There are numerous things you can use as motivators when recruiting members, and helpful tips that can make sure the year is off to a great start. Let others know what a difference being an American Red Cross volunteer has made on your own life and how you have helped save so many lives. Share your own Red Cross story to recruit others. Does your school have an annual club fair? Ask your local chapter if you can borrow a few items like a CPR mannequin or some disaster preparedness materials to display. Use them as an eye-catcher at the fair to bring prospective members to your booth! You could even have a contest and raffle off something like a t-shirt or a first aid kit.

When having prospective members sign up, be sure to keep an organized list of each person’s name, grade level/year, email address and even phone number. This way you will have all of the necessary information when events occur or you need to get in touch with someone on a last-minute notice. Make sure you pass this information along to your advisor and everyone is on the same page. Do you have best practices for recruiting members to your school club? Share them with us and other American Red Cross youth volunteers with www.redcrossyouth.org or the Facebook page.

~Anna Bevington
NYC member