Volunteers are the backbone of any Lifelong Community - they're the folks who bring their energy and commitment to the work of building toward your age-friendly vision.  Finding and maintaining a group of dedicated people willing to invest themselves in your initiative requires a thoughtful ongoing plan.

Most of Maine's Age-Friendly Communities are entirely volunteer run, which adds complexity to the work of recruiting and managing volunteers. Others are coordinated by an organizational lead, most often from the municipality. We have heard from these groups that volunteer engagement is one of the biggest challenges they face. 

Never fear, whether you are an all-volunteer initaitive or have some paid staff, our website has what you need to recruit, train, and keep volunteers engaged for the long haul.

Note: Below, and throughout our site, underlined text indicates a live link.

Additional Resources for WOrking with Volunteers

• AARP Mane. Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Volunteers (archived from AARP Maine Age-Friendly Master Class-Part One: video, handout; Part Two: video, handout)

• AARP Maine Volunteer Liability Insuranance Resources

• Galaxy Digital. The Volunteer Managers Guide to Volunteer Acquisition: How to get volunteers in the door & prepare them for great work

• Volunteer Resources from the Community Toolbox...

• Developing a Plan for Involving Volunteers

• Recruiting Volunteers

• Developing Volunteer Orientation Programs

• Developing Training Programs for Volunteers