Having a recruitment coordinator as the go-to person is a game-changer for the recruitment process. They serve as the friendly bridge between new members and the club, guiding them through induction, evaluating the recruitment program, and working closely with the Executive Committee. The coordinator needs to be fully tuned into the club's strategic plans and objectives to rock this role. Usually, the Club Administrator (or someone similar) teams up with the Club’s Director of Membership and other key players like Club Captains, Directors of Lifesaving, and Chief Training Officers to make the magic happen.

Their tasks might include figuring out where we need more hands (like filling gaps in membership categories or assigning tasks), updating job descriptions for official roles, giving a warm welcome and guidance to those in informal roles, planning awesome recruitment campaigns, keeping our human resources inventory up to date, and organizing member development and training opportunities. Think of this role as the HR manager for our amazing volunteers!

Click here for a Recruitment Coordinator Cheat Sheet list of conversation pointers!

Current Membership planning helps us see where we are and where we need to go with our club Members.

Before kicking off a recruitment campaign, it’s crucial to analyse our human resource needs to make sure we’re targeting the right audience. Here's how you can figure out your club’s membership needs:

1. List the minimum number of members your Club needs.
2. Set goals for each type of membership.
3. Profile your target groups based on things like gender, age, and location.
4. Get to know your Club’s membership needs inside and out.
5. Plan out your membership for the next one, three, and five years.
6. Check annual targets against actual results.

Other important questions to consider include:

• Can we meet our patrol requirements?
• What tasks need doing?
• Do we have job descriptions ready?
• How many members do we actually need?
• How long do we need them for?
• When do we need them?
• What training will they need?
• What support will they require?

Top Tip: Membership Statistic Reports from SLSQ, run twice a year (mid & end of season), can help identify membership trends. The Patrol Gap Calculator, also required biannually (start & mid-season), provides a training needs analysis and helps manage patrol members effectively. Chat to our Membership Services team if you need support with this.

To make your Club shine in attracting new members, developing and rolling out a top-notch recruitment plan is key! Breaking down the process into manageable steps makes it easier to create and implement a winning strategy. This way, you can introduce and tweak the plan in stages, ensuring everything runs smoothly. It’s super important to discuss the plan with all members of the Executive Committee to ensure everyone is on the same page. Getting everyone’s input and buy-in creates a sense of ownership, which is crucial for a successful recruitment campaign.

Development Phase In the development phase, focus on several key areas: market research, budget planning, strategic planning, setting objectives, and event planning.

Research Understanding why people join Surf Life Saving is crucial. Use insights from past programs and tools like the Club Recruitment Program Evaluation Form to connect with and attract your target audience better.

Budget When setting up a budget, consider:

• Overall cost of the recruitment program
• Potential income from the program
• Type and frequency of events
• Resources needed (purchased or borrowed)
• Sponsorship opportunities (and don’t forget to thank sponsors afterward!)

Strategic Planning Incorporate membership growth into your one, three, and five-year business strategies. Consider adding a Public Relations or Marketing Officer to positively impact recruitment and daily operations.

Objectives Set clear, realistic objectives for the recruitment program, like increasing membership numbers, improving member experiences, and maintaining existing membership levels. Questions to guide your objectives include:

• Why are we developing this program?
• Who will benefit?
• What is the desired outcome?
• What are the short and long-term benefits?

Event Planning Plan events that showcase the best aspects of your club. Consider:

• Creating a schedule
• Notifying volunteers, guests, and sponsors
• Preparing the venue (parking, toilets, PA system, etc.)
• Making an event checklist
• Setting a budget (seek sponsorships if possible)
• Preparing a timeline and redundancy plan (e.g., for bad weather)
• Ensuring security and organizing activities
• Having people ready to handle inquiries

Implementation Effective implementation ensures clarity and smooth execution. Key elements include public relations, promotion, communication, and media.

Public Relations Shape your Club’s image by:

• Educating the public about surf lifesaving
• Highlighting positive contributions to the community
• Establishing open communication channels
• Celebrating club and member achievements

Promotion Promote the benefits of membership with a clear, powerful message that informs and motivates potential recruits. Use:

• Networking among existing members
• Personal presentations to various groups
• Media releases for broader coverage

Communication Keep your message meaningful, simple, consistent, and credible. Use channels that your target audience respects and make it easy for them to get more information.

Media Leverage media for cost-effective promotion. Tips for media releases:

• Use catchy headlines
• Keep it concise (one page)
• Include quotes and digital photos
• Provide contact information
• Specify release timing

Ensure you have materials ready to support media releases, such as cover letters, fact sheets, club handbooks, Q&A’s, newsletters, annual reports, and club profiles.

Remember, Membership Statistic Reports from SLSQ (mid & end of season) can help identify trends, and the Patrol Gap Calculator (start & mid-season) provides training needs analysis to support patrol management.

With these fun and friendly strategies, your Club’s recruitment campaign will be set for success!

Induction is all about giving new members a warm welcome and making them feel right at home in the Club. It’s the perfect time to share details about their roles (if they have one), how the Club operates daily, and introduce them to key people. A great induction process boosts member retention by making sure everyone has an awesome experience from day one. Whether formal or informal, both approaches can be successful. It’s super important for new members to feel valued and included, so they can fit right in and give their best.

When new members join the Club, a good induction should include:

• Helping them complete membership applications, insurance, and child protection forms.
• Introducing them to club officers and key members.
• Explaining the benefits of being part of the Club.
• Providing a written intro to the Club, like an induction booklet or member handbook, including its history and fun facts.
• Hosting follow-up events, like inviting their family to social functions.

A top-notch induction should give new members a general understanding of how the Club works, the opportunities available to them, where they can find resources, and who to go to with questions.

Click here to read our Member Induction Page

Idea: An information night is a fantastic way to induct a group of new members all at once. It gives them a chance to ask questions, learn about opportunities, and meet fellow members.

For families joining the Junior Activities Program, the Family Inclusion Program is an excellent induction tool. Check with your Junior Activities Chairperson to see if your club runs this program. You can find all the resources for the Family Inclusion Program HERE.

Evaluating your recruitment program is super important to see if you hit your goals, spot areas for improvement, and make sure everything is on budget. This is your chance to tweak and perfect the program for future events, especially if it’s going to be an annual thing.

Here’s how to make your evaluation process awesome:

• Debrief: Gather everyone involved and chat about how things went. Celebrate what worked well and brainstorm ways to improve for next time.
• Compare Goals: Look at your original goals and see how they stack up against the actual results. This will help you identify where changes might be needed.
• Measure Success: Decide how you’ll measure the response and interest. Think about tracking attendance at events, counting new members, and keeping an expression of interest register.
• Check Progress: Figure out how often you’ll check in on progress. Maybe halfway through the program and again at the end?

By making evaluation a fun and constructive part of the process, you’ll keep improving and ensure each recruitment program is better than the last!